Overview of Beethoven Symphony sets - reviews

[Dave2002]

I am sure I have far fewer than many - at the last count in order of purchase !

Loughran
Furtwangler
Klemperer
Norrington
Karajan 1962
LSO/Jochum
Wand
Rattle
Cluytens
Konwitschny
Kletzki

Now you've got me. CD or LP? Tapes?

On CD - complete sets

Konwitschny
Rattle
Cluytens
Norrington
Hogwood
Elliot Gardiner
Klemperer
Waler
Karajan (in the EMI set of orchestral music)
Szell
Mackerras
Blomstedt
Bernstein (mostly NYPO in the Bernstein symphony box)

and there may be other complete sets lurking somewhere, and some which I've forgotten altogether!
I think we inherited Leinsdorf and Zinman sets.

There are also a number of individual symphonies - by conductors such as Strauss, Weingartner, Schmidt-Isserstedt, Ansermet, and probably Toscanini.

On LP there are not so many - mostly individual symphonies, including Schmidt-Issestedt (9), Ansermet(9), Krips(3), Walter(4,5), Konwitschny(7), Boult(7), but complete sets by:

Cluytens
Kempe - both sets on CFP

There are no complete sets on tape, but a few isolated symphonies, including I think the 9th conducted by Menuhin.

And to think I was recently contemplating "investing" in new sets by Immerseel and Krivine! Not to mention Colin Davis - a set which was available cheaply last year, but which I missed!

[Barbirollians]

Now you've got me. CD or LP? Tapes?

On CD - complete sets

Konwitschny
Rattle
Cluytens
Norrington
Hogwood
Elliot Gardiner
Klemperer
Waler
Karajan (in the EMI set of orchestral music)
Szell
Mackerras
Blomstedt
Bernstein (mostly NYPO in the Bernstein symphony box)

and there may be other complete sets lurking somewhere, and some which I've forgotten altogether!
I think we inherited Leinsdorf and Zinman sets.

There are also a number of individual symphonies - by conductors such as Strauss, Weingartner, Schmidt-Isserstedt, Ansermet, and probably Toscanini.

On LP there are not so many - mostly individual symphonies, including Schmidt-Issestedt (9), Ansermet(9), Krips(3), Walter(4,5), Konwitschny(7), Boult(7), but complete sets by:

Cluytens
Kempe - both sets on CFP

There are no complete sets on tape, but a few isolated symphonies, including I think the 9th conducted by Menuhin.

And to think I was recently contemplating "investing" in new sets by Immerseel and Krivine! Not to mention Colin Davis - a set which was available cheaply last year, but which I missed!

That covers all mine -the first two on LP the next three on cassette the rest on CD ( although I have also replaced the Klemperer and Jochum with the CDs. One is out of order though Karajan 1962 was my first complete CD set .

Probably , however , if you asked me to choose my favourite performance of each symphony very few would come from those complete sets .

[visualnickmos]

Anyone care to offer any thoughts on Leonard Bernstein's NYPO set? It's just that I recently listened to a couple of his Schumann symphonies (NYPO) and thoroughly enjoyed them, and was merely wondering whether his LvB New York set would prove a good investment...

Thanks for any guidance.

[richardfinegold]

Anyone care to offer any thoughts on Leonard Bernstein's NYPO set? It's just that I recently listened to a couple of his Schumann symphonies (NYPO) and thoroughly enjoyed them, and was merely wondering about his LvB New York set would prove a good investment...

Thanks for any guidance.

It has been a very long time since I have heard most of that set, with the exception of the 7th. The Bernstein/NYP was my first exposure to the 7th and I played that lp to death with the joy of discovery, and purchased the cd transfer a few years ago when a used copy showed up in a store.
My memory of the rest of the cycle, which I borrowed from a library while at University several decades ago was less favorable. I remember the 5th as sounding odd, as if Bernstein couldn't let the famous first movement proceed naturally and felt the need to editorialize about it. I remember 6 as sounding somewhat fierce, more like a New Yorkers mad jog through central Park than a leisurely walk in the Vienna woods. I had a favorable impression of I,2,4, and 8, but don't remember 9 much except that IV was fairly (predictably) bombastic. I'd be curious to rehear the cycle after all these years.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I am sure I have far fewer than many - at the last count in order of purchase !

Loughran
Furtwangler
Klemperer
Norrington
Karajan 1962
LSO/Jochum
Wand
Rattle
Cluytens
Konwitschny
Kletzki

That's still 99 symphonies altogether - far more than I have (just Bohm, Schmidt-Issestedt Masur and Furtwangler, plus a host individual symphonies by others)

[silvestrione]

That's still 99 symphonies altogether - far more than I have (just Bohm, Schmidt-Issestedt Masur and Furtwangler, plus a host individual symphonies by others)

I've just got Rattle, Abbado/BPO most recent, and Karajan EMI, (but I listen more to individual discs by Klemperer, Karajan DG, Abbado himself, C Kleiber and Ivan Fischer/BFO.)

[richardfinegold]

I'm currently listening to a SACD of 2 and 7 from the cycle by Osmo Vanska and the Minnesota SO. This is a very well performed and recorded cycle.

[visualnickmos]

It has been a very long time since I have heard most of that set, with the exception of the 7th. The Bernstein/NYP was my first exposure to the 7th and I played that lp to death with the joy of discovery, and purchased the cd transfer a few years ago when a used copy showed up in a store.
My memory of the rest of the cycle, which I borrowed from a library while at University several decades ago was less favorable. I remember the 5th as sounding odd, as if Bernstein couldn't let the famous first movement proceed naturally and felt the need to editorialize about it. I remember 6 as sounding somewhat fierce, more like a New Yorkers mad jog through central Park than a leisurely walk in the Vienna woods. I had a favorable impression of I,2,4, and 8, but don't remember 9 much except that IV was fairly (predictably) bombastic. I'd be curious to rehear the cycle after all these years.

Thank you for the very useful information. If you do have a relisten to the cycle after "all these years" I'd be curious to know what impressions you have - I think that after not hearing a once-familiar recording for some years, it either all comes back to you, or you hear it in a new way..... just my thoughts, that's all.

[richardfinegold]

Thank you for the very useful information. If you do have a relisten to the cycle after "all these years" I'd be curious to know what impressions you have - I think that after not hearing a once-familiar recording for some years, it either all comes back to you, or you hear it in a new way..... just my thoughts, that's all.

I agree completely.

[Thropplenoggin]

Does anyone know if Jochum's RCO cycle on Philips/Decca will ever be re-released? It can be downloaded but hard copies go for silly money via the usual s/h sites.

Also, how do forum members rate the Wand/NDR Sinfonieorchester (RCA) set?

[Petrushka]

Does anyone know if Jochum's RCO cycle on Philips/Decca will ever be re-released? It can be downloaded but hard copies go for silly money via the usual s/h sites.

Also, how do forum members rate the Wand/NDR Sinfonieorchester (RCA) set?

Funnily enough I was looking at prices for the individual Jochum/RCO issues only last Sunday and they don't seem too badly priced but I couldn't make up a complete cycle and added together would indeed be too expensive. I already have the 9th picked up s/h a year or two ago from Classical Exchange in Notting Hill.

I only have the 9th from the Wand/NDR SO set and it's predictably fine, one of my favourite 9ths on CD. I have various other Wand Beethoven recordings from different sources (lacking only 2, 7 & 8) and they too are excellent. If you are, like me, an admirer of all that Wand did then I wouldn't hesitate. The big box is a problem, though, which is one reason why I've never got that set. Repackaged at a bargain price it would be most attractive.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, the Gunter Wand RCA big box was my first ever cycle, bought from... MDT I think, for around £25. I was overjoyed just to get this silvergrey/white/red handsome, weighty thing and musically it didn't disappoint... haven't played it for years now...

Since then...
Bruggen's first O18thC set late-80s (still love it),
Rattle/VPO (enjoyed, but haven't gone back much...)
Karajan 1963 (ditto)
Leibowitz/RPO 1961(v. exciting, lean and brilliant, HIPPs-avantlalettre, just a shade scrappy here and there, not many repeats, fine sound on Chesky)
Scherchen/RPO/VSOO/VSO (pet favourite I guess, again very HIPPs-like but expressionistic too, prefer Tahra transfers to Pristine, MCD etc.)
Harnoncourt/COE
Szell/Cleveland (when I tried the 6th a year or so ago it seemed too huge and heavy, after Scherchen, Krivine etc... thus one's relativistic perceptions)
Norrington/SWR 2003 (think it wd. still be a fav. if I had time to play it...stunning sound)
Zinman/Tonhalle (excellent sound and performances of 1-4 & 8, not so sure with the rest...)
Krivine/La Chambre Philharmonique (hard to better of its kind, or any kind probably, did a real Badger on the goalposts)

That's all I can remember now...

[richardfinegold]

Does anyone know if Jochum's RCO cycle on Philips/Decca will ever be re-released? It can be downloaded but hard copies go for silly money via the usual s/h sites.

Also, how do forum members rate the Wand/NDR Sinfonieorchester (RCA) set?

I had the Wand pairing of 3 and 8. Solid, respectable, not earth shaking.

[richardfinegold]

My most memorable cycles:
Szell
Ormandy/Philadelphia
Hogwood/AAM
Vanska
Herreweghe--fantastic sound and my current favorite

Cycles that I have been less than thrilled with:
Monteux, Masur, Gardiner (not bad, but my Goodness, the hype that air engendered), Krips

somewhere in between: Blomstedt, Toscanini (some amazingly good partially cancelled out by a few to hard driven) Solti (ditto)

[Thropplenoggin]

Thanks for all the responses. It's a wonder they've let the Jochum/RCO go OOP given its reputation.

--

Richard: the Herreweghe one seems to have passed me by. What are is merits?