Beethoven Symphony Cycles

[cloughie]

I was listening through the Savall cycle over the weekend. I consistently enjoy the lighter textures and the French or perhaps Mediterranean feel of the playing. Occasionally I miss the odd moment of rich string playing, such as the slow movement of the Fourth, that one associates with the Blomstedt Dresden recording, for example. Or it would be nice to linger over some details, as Walter does in the Pastoral. One can’t have everything

Those old favourites stand the test of time. After many years I have not yet been weaned off Cluytens and Kleiber E, but never like the plod that is the Klemperer on the village green. However OK’s 1955 Eroica is still a favourite!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Norrington is a special find, because the set is still shrink-wrapped. The date on it reads 1989, i.e. it truly looks like a first-generation CD EMI set. It does make wonder if that set really sat on someone's shelf unlistened-to for 32+ years. I probably should take a picture or two of the box set before I de-shrink-wrap it.

Did the conductor manage to squeeze the entire cycle on to a single CD?

[Bryn]

Did the conductor manage to squeeze the entire cycle on to a single CD?

Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

[cloughie]

Did the conductor manage to squeeze the entire cycle on to a single CD?

I’m sure that one day soon one of the greased lightning hipp guys will get 1/2/8 on one CD with percussion sounding like a can of mabs!
Mind you back in the 50s the likes of Scherchen and Erich Kleiber’s speeds have meant there are now couplings of the former’s 3/6 and the latter’s 3/7.

[Bryn]

I’m sure that one day soon one of the greased lightning hipp guys will get 1/2/8 on one CD with percussion sounding like a can of mabs!
Mind you back in the 50s the likes of Scherchen and Erich Kleiber’s speeds have meant there are now couplings of the former’s 3/6 and the latter’s 3/7.

Yes, there were those who respected the composer's instructions regarding tempi, even when most decided they knew better than Beethoven when it came to such considerations.

[Bryn]

Bringing the Ninth up to date? I post this link, provided by Ian Pace, without further comment:

https://www.city-journal.org/making-beethoven-woke#.YlXDVOgZVe9.facebook

[richardfinegold]

Did the conductor manage to squeeze the entire cycle on to a single CD?

Oooh…
I checked Qobuz today for the Norrington versions with the LCP. I couldn’t find any then tried Presto which had the Ninth only as a download. I thought I would dip my toe in there to see if I had changed my opinions but it doesn’t seem easy to do..

[Bryn]

Oooh…
I checked Qobuz today for the Norrington versions with the LCP. I couldn’t find any then tried Presto which had the Ninth only as a download. I thought I would dip my toe in there to see if I had changed my opinions but it doesn’t seem easy to do..

The Ninth was the one where he later found he has misread aspects of the final movement. As to availability on QOBUZ, https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/be.../5099908342355 for starters. The later survey with 'his' Stuttgarters is here https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/be.../xt2djw226pfyc

If one's German is up to it, there is also this: https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/be.../4010276014492 (commentaries on Symphonies 1 to 8 on a single CD).

[Cockney Sparrow]

Oooh…
I checked Qobuz today for the Norrington versions with the LCP. I couldn’t find any then tried Presto which had the Ninth only as a download. I thought I would dip my toe in there to see if I had changed my opinions but it doesn’t seem easy to do..

If your public library service provides access to Naxos Music Library they can be found there as a complete collection. As to the label it says "Erato - Parlophone" - although the box image is Virgin Classics - and the catalogue number there is 5099908342355.

As to NML: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7506-Online-Naxos-music-library/page2 (#16 et al).

[cloughie]

If your public library service provides access to Naxos Music Library they can be found there as a complete collection. As to the label it says "Erato - Parlophone" - although the box image is Virgin Classics - and the catalogue number there is 5099908342355.

As to NML: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7506-Online-Naxos-music-library/page2 (#16 et al).

Interesting one CS - do libraries in Chicago offer Naxos library?
There are however a couple of the Virgin reissue of the complete symphonies on Amazon.

[Bryn]

Interesting one CS - do libraries in Chicago offer Naxos library?
There are however a couple of the Virgin reissue of the complete symphonies on Amazon.

If you have access to QOBUZ, they have the renowned Krivine set for £8.79 here in the UK (CD quality). A considerable advance on the 1980's LCP/Norrington, to my ears, groundbreaking as the latter was. Oxfam (UK) have a "Used: Very Good" set of the Tan/LCP/Norrington Symphonies and Concertos for around £25 including p&p.

[richardfinegold]

I bought the Krivine on Qobuz, the only download I have ordered from them because I am unable to download it to any other storage format, so I listen to it with the
Qobuz app and wonder why I squandered the 9 bucks since I could have just saved it as a favorite. I like the Krivine but i find the Savall more to my taste perhaps because J.S. tends to build his sound from the ground up and emphasizes the low bass.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Bringing the Ninth up to date? I post this link, provided by Ian Pace, without further comment:

https://www.city-journal.org/making-...gZVe9.facebook

I already didn't need any encouragement to avoid singing the thing ever again.

Mind you, it was recently trumped in that regard by Lili Boulanger's Psalm 129, which is a hideous sing for basses, and probably not much fun for baritones either.

[Barbirollians]

I have been enjoying Bernstein's 1960s CBS cycle in that cheap Sony box - especially 1,3 and 4 which I have played a lot.

[Bryn]

I bought the Krivine on Qobuz, the only download I have ordered from them because I am unable to download it to any other storage format, so I listen to it with the
Qobuz app and wonder why I squandered the 9 bucks since I could have just saved it as a favorite. I like the Krivine but i find the Savall more to my taste perhaps because J.S. tends to build his sound from the ground up and emphasizes the low bass.

I find this rather confusing. On this side of The Pond, QOBUZ offer a wide range of formats in which to download, though it tends to default to WMA lossless, I think. I sometimes forget and have to redownload as FLAC (at no extra cost). They also offer WAV and AIFF, IIRC. I have no problem copying the files to external drives and USB sticks. However, these days I tend to use my subscription to Import, rather than download, and thus save a few pounds.