BaL 24.12.22 - Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 in D minor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30 am
Building a Library
Tom Service chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9.

Beethoven’s final complete symphony is one of the summits of classical music. The famous final movement features four vocal soloists and a chorus in a setting of the “Ode to Joy” by Friedrich Schiller. Many of the world’s greatest conductors and orchestras have tackled this musical Everest including Furtwängler, Toscanini and Karajan alongside conductors of later generations like Mackerras and Harnoncourt and it still inspires new recordings from today’s performers.

Available versions:-

Eric-Ericson-Kammerchor, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Berliner Philharmoniker, Swedush Radio Choir, Claudio Abbado (DVD/Blu-ray)
Konzertvereinigung, Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbad
Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Hermann Abendroth
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Konzertchor der Staatsoper Berlin, Hermann Abendroth *
Britten Sinfonia, Royal Holloway Choir, Britten Sinfonia Voices, Thomas Adès
L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Choeur du Brassus, Choeur des Jeunes de l’Église National de Vandoise, Ernest Ansermet
Kammerorchester Basel, Giovanni Antonini
NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo University of the Arts Chorus, Takashi Asahina *
Staatskapelle Berlin, Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Daniel Barenboim
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra & Vokalensemble Kölner Dom, Daniel Barenboim *
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim (DVD)
New Amsterdam Singers, West Point Glee Club, Young New Yorkers’ Chorus, David Bernard *
Symphonie Orchester de Bayerischer Rundfunks, Leonard Bernstein
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Leonard Bernstein (DVD)
New York Philharmonic, Juilliard Chorus, Leonard Bernstein
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein *
Combined orchestras in Berlin, Leonard Bernstein
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, MDR Rundfunkchor, Gewandhaus, Chor & Gewandhaus Kinderchor, Herbert Blomstedt
MDR Rundfunkchor, GewandhausChor, GewandhausKinderchor & Gewandhausorchester, Herbert Blomstedt (DVD/Blu-ray)
Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Herbert Blomstedt
Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele, Karl Bohm
Chor und Sinfonieorchester des Hessischen Rundfunks, Karl Böhm
Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Karl Böhm *
Staatskapelle Dresden, Dresden State Opera Chorus, Karl Böhm *
Wiener Philharmoniker, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Karl Böhm
Stich-Randall, Majdan, Dermota & Schoffler
Wiener Symphoniker, Karl Böhm
American Symphony Orchestra, Jamie Van Eyck, Scott Ramsey, Christian Van Horn, Collegiate Chorale, Heather Buck, Leon Botstein *
Orchestra of the 18th Century, Gulbenkian Choir, Frans Brüggen (SACD)
Laurens Collegium, Laurens Cantori Rotterdam & Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Frans Brüggen
Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Concert Choir, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (DVD/Blu-ray)
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Chorus, Fritz Busch
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Yondani Butt
Münchner Philharmoniker, Sergiu Celibidache
Coro e Orchestra RAI Turin, Sergiu Celibidache *
GewandhausChor, GewandhausKinderchor & MDF Rundfunkchor, Riccardo Chailly
Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, The National Chorus of Korea, Seoul Motet Choir, Anyang Civic Chorale, Myung-Whun Chung *
Berliner Philharmoniker, André Cluytens
Swedish Chamber Orchestra Örebro, Denmark Radio Choir, Thomas Dausgaard *
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Sir Colin Davis
Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Sir Colin Davis
Chor des Hessischen Rundfunks, Chor des Süddeutschen Rundfunks & Sinfonie-Orchesters des Hessischen Rundfunks, Dean Dixon *
Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, Christoph von Dohnányi *
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chorus of the Concertgebouworkest, Antal Dorati
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia, Nicolaus Esterhazy Chorus, Bela Drahos
Simon Bolivar Choir of Venezuela, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel *
Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Chorus, Richard Edlinger *
Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Budapest Philharmonic Choir, Janos Ferencsik *
Danish National Concert Choir, Danish Chamber Orchestra, Ádám Fischer
Netherlands Radio Choir & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Iván Fischer (DVD/Blu-ray)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Chor der St. Hedwig’s-Kathedrale, Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay
Bruno Kittel Choir, Berlin State Opera Orchestra, Oskar Fried
Festspielorchester der Bayreuther Festspiele, Wilhelm Furtwängler (1951) (SACD)
Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele, Wilhelm Furtwängler (1954)
Bruno Kittel Choir, Berliner Philharmoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler (1942)
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Wilhelm Furtwängler (SACD)
Stockholm Concert Association Orchestra, Musikalista Sallskapet, Wilhelm Furtwangler
Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Singakademie, Wilhelm Furtwängler
Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Zürcher Sing-Akademie, James Gaffigan
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique & The Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Michael Gielen *
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Michael Gielen (DVD)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Ernst Senff Chor, Carlo Maria Giulini
London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
Carlo Maria Giulini *
Suddeutsche Philharmonie, Hanspeter Gmur
Radio Frankfurt Symphony Orchestra, Walter Goehr *
Hanover Band, Roy Goodman
Chor und Symphonieorchester der Bayerischen Rundfunks, Bernard Haitink
Concertgebouworkest, Netherlands Radio Chorus, Bernard Haitink
London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Bernard Haitink (SACD)
London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Bernard Haitink
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Freiburger Barockorchester, Zürcher Sing-Akademie, Pablo Heras-Casado
La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale Gent & Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, Philippe Herreweghe *
Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Collegium Vocal Gent & Academia Chigiana Siena, Philippe Herreweghe *
Northern Sinfonia of England, Sinfonia Chorus, Richard Hickox *
Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck (SACD)
French National Radio Chorus, French National Radio Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein *
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Jascha Horenstein (1st movement missing) (DVD)
Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein *
Vienna Pro Musica, Jascha Horenstein
Anima Eterna, Jos van Immerseel *
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Marek Janowski *
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mariss Jansons
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mariss Jansons (DVD/Blu-ray)
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Järvi
Chor & Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Eugen Jochum *
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eugen Jochum *
London Symphony Chorus, Eugen Jochum
Choeurs de l’Opera National de Paris & Orchestre de l’Opera National de Paris, Philippe Jordan (DVD/Blu-ray)
Wiener Symphoniker, Wiener Singverein, Philippe Jordan
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Marga Höffgen, Ernst Haefliger, Otto Edelmann, Philharmonia Orchestra, Chor der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Herbert von Karajan
Gundula Janowitz, Hilde Rössel-Majdan, Waldemar Kmentt, Walter Berry, Berliner Philharmoniker. Wiener Singverein, Herbert von Karajan
Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Waldemarte Kmett, Waler Barry, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Singverein, Herbert von Karajan
Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan (DVD)
Elisabeth Grummer, Marga Hoffgen, Ernst Haefliger, Gottlob Frick, Berliner Philharmoniker, Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale, Berlin, Herbert von Karajan
Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Agnes Baltsa, Peter Schreier, José van Dam, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
Janet Perry, Agnes Baltsa, Vinson Cole, José van Dam, Wiener Singverein, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
Lisa Della Casa, Hilde Rössel-Majdan, Waldemar Kmentt & Otto Edelmann, Wiener Singverein & Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan
New York Philharmonic, Westminster Choir, Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra e Coro di Roma della Rai, Herbert von Karajan
Dresdner Philharmoniker, Berlin Rundfunkchor, Leipzig Radio Choir, Herbert Kegel *
Münchner Motettenchor, Philharmonischer Chor, Münchner Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe
Wiener Philharmoniker, Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Wien. Erich Kleiber
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam, Otto Klemperer (SACD)
Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, Otto Klemperer *
Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Wiener Singverein, Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Concertgebouworkest, Paul Kletzki *
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra & Prague Philharmonic Choir, Paul Kletzki
Solistes Européens Luxembourg, Christoph König
Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Nikkai Chorus Group, Hidemaro Konoye *
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Leipzig Radio Choir, Franz Konwitschny
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Choir, Kazimierz Kord *
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Choeur de l’ORTF, Serge Koussevitzky *
BBC Chorus, Shirley Carter, Donald Bell, Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano), Rudolph Petrack
London Symphony Orchestra, Josef Krips *
La Chambre Philharmonique, Choeur de Chambre les Eléments, Emmanuel Krivine
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik (SACD)
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik *
Haydn Choir & Haydn Orchestra Of Bolzano And Trento, Gustav Kuhn

(continued in post 2)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

(continued):

Wiener KammerOrchester, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Mark Laycock
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Beecham Choral Society, Rene Leibowitz *
New England Conservatory Chorus, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf *
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf (DVD)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers, Raymond Leppard *
Orchestre du Conservatoire Central de Pékin, Chœur universitaire de Genève, Chen Liang-Sheng *
Prague Festival Orchestra, Prague Festival Choir, Alberto Lizzio *
Chorus Viennensis,Wiener Symphoniker, Wiener Singakademie, Robert Lloyd *
Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Alain Lombard *
Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Fabio Luisi (DVD)
Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Athestis Chorus, Peter Maag *
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & The New Company, Sir Charles Mackerras
Philharmonia Orchestra & Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Sir Charles Mackerras *
Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Radio Choir, Nikolai Malko
Academy and Chorus of St Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner *
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux, Oratorion Chor Karlsruhe, Igor Markevitch
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Dresden Philharmonic Childrens Chorus, Kurt Masur *
Gewandhaus Chorus and Orchestra, Kurt Masur (DVD/Blu-ray)
Gewandhauschor, Gewandhaus-Kinderchor, Thomanenchor Leipzig, Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur (SACD)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Choral Artists, Zubin Mehta
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta (DVD)
French National Orchestra, Pierre Monteux
London Symphony Orchestra, London Bach Choir, Pierre Monteux
London Symphony Orchestra, Wyn Morris *
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch *
Westminster Choir, Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti
Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, Kent Nagano
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, John Nelson *
Wiener Singverein, Wiener Philharmoniker, Andris Nelsons
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Václav Neumann (DVD)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe Yannick Nézet-Séguin
London Classical Players, Sir Roger Norrington
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Sir Roger Norrington
Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy *
Edda Moser, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers, Seiji Ozawa *
Marita Napier, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers, Seiji Ozawa *
Tokyo Opera Singers, Mito Chamber Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa
Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko
Chamber Choir, Mikhail Pletnev *
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers, André Previn *
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia Chorus, David Porcelijn
Ama Deus Ensemble, Valentin Radu *
Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Polish Chamber Choir Schola Cantorum Gedanensis, Wojciech Rajski (SACD)
Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Polish Chamber Choir Schola Cantorum Gedanensis, Wojciech Rajski (DVD/Blu-ray)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Sir Simon Rattle (SACD)
Wiener Philharmoniker, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Fritz Reiner *
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Donald Runnicles
Members of the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, World Orchestra for Peace & Würth Philharmonike, Donald Runnicles (DVD/Blu-ray)
Chorus of the Hungarian State Opera House, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Rico Saccani *
Tonkunstler Orchestra & European Union Youth Orchestra, Wiener Singverein, Yutaka Sado (DVD/Blu-ray))
Dresdner Philharmoniker, MDR Rundfunkchor, Michael Sanderling
WDR Rundfunkchor, NDR Chor, WDR Sinfonieorchester, Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Le Concert des Nations, La Capella Nacional de Catalunya, Jordi Savall (SACD)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins e. V. Düsseldorf, Wolfgang Sawallisch *
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Vienna Academy Choir, Hermann Scherchen
Philharmonic Orchestra Lugansk, Haydnkirche Eisenstadt Choir, Schewtschenko University Lugansk Choir, Kurt Schmid *
Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoper, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt *
L´Union chorale de La-Tour-de-Peilz, Choeur de Chailly-sur-Clarens, Orchestre National de France, Carl Schuricht
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Robert Shaw *
Copenhagen Phil, Ars Nova Copenhagen, Latvian Radio Choir, Lan Shui
Staatskapelle Dresden, Dresden State Opera Chorus, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Saarbrucken RSO, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Georg Solti
Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, Ignat Solzhenitsyn *
Taschenphilharmonie, Peter Stangel
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Mendelssohn Choir Of Pittsburgh, William Steinberg
London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Leopold Stokowski *
Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki (SACD)
Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, George Szell
London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, Klaus Tennstedt
London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, Klaus Tennstedt
Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Singverein, Christian Thielemann
Wiener Philharmoniker, Christian Thielemann (DVD/Blu-ray)
English Chamber Orchestra, Tallis Chamber Choir Michael Tilson Thomas
San Francisco Symphony & San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Michael Tilson Thomas (SACD)
Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Tiboris *
Janácek Opera Choir and the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Tiboris
Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini *
BBC Symphony Orchestra & Choral Society, Arturo Toscanini
Orchestra of the Teatro Colón, Chorus of the Teatro Colón, Arturo Toscanini *
Westminster Choir, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini *
NBC Symphony Chorus, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Robert Shaw Chorale, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini *
Orchestre et Choeur de la Francophonie, Jean-Phillipe Tremblay *
Malmö Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Robert Trevino (SACD)
Minnesota Chorale & Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä (SACD)
Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Hungarian Radio and Television Chorus. Tamás Vásáry *
Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Jan Willem de Vriend (SACD)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter
New York Philharmonic, Bruno Walter
Vienna State Opera Chorus & VPO, Bruno Walter
Orchestra and Choir of the Gürzenich of Cologne, Günter Wand
Chor der Hamburgischen Staatsoper, Chor des Norddeutschen Rundfunks, NDR Sinfonieorchester, Günter Wand
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, Bruno Weil *
Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Felix Weingartner
Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, Franz Welser-Möst *
Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, David Zinman *

(* = download only)

[Ein Heldenleben]

Magnificent Alpie , the Everest of BAL listings as well.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Magnificent Alpie , the Everest of BAL listings as well.

Thank you. Probably a waste of time, as TS is unlikely to consider more than half a dozen of them.

I first got to know the work via the Weingartner 78 rpm set, but there was a missing disc. So when I bought the Penguin Score of the work, my father very kindly bought me a Saga-Fidelity LP of the complete work, performed by the Amsterdam Philharmonic under Hugo Grautz. The sound wasn't great, so later I bought the Decca Ace of Clubs version (Ansermet) which I still rate highly. Both these were single disc recordings with a break in the slow movement, so I was very surprised when I discovered the Erich Kleiber recording (in the school record library) was extravagantly spread over 4 sides! The best compromise at the times was 3 sides, coupled with either the 1st or 8th symphony.
My first stereo version was the VPO/Schmidt-Isserstedt, following a rave review in Gramophone, though I still preferred the Ansermet. Later I bought the Vienna/Bohm symphony set, but I was disappointed with this in many ways - interpretation and unflattering recorded sound, and I hardly ever listened to any of them.

Then CDs arrived, and I bought the 1951 Furtwangler, thinking it might be something of a gamble. A staggering performance, only compromised by the final slightly muddy chord - but the wow factor eclipsed all that. Other CD versions followed: Maag (free with Gramophone) Ansermet again, Schmidt-Isserstedt again, VPO/Bernstein, Erich Kleiber, Masur, Stokowski and (you won't believe this ) LCP/Norrington, which someone passed on to me recently.

My admiration for the Ansermet has cooled somewhat, since hearing the Furtwangler. I'd really like to hear some other Furtwangler 9ths, rather than having 3 CDs of the same recording!

[Bryn]

For those with access to Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ian.pace.10...tion&ref=notif

[Petrushka]

I've got 83 versions on my shelves (Cloughie will no doubt exceed that!) and am currently awaiting delivery of another live BPO/Karajan performance from Japan scheduled to arrive next week. I also have a good number of off-air recordings of what is, quite clearly, a piece that means a great deal to me!

Splendid work from EA as usual but it's frankly impossible to choose just one as all of the very many on my shelves have something worthwhile to say and I wouldn't willingly want to discard any of them.

My brother had the first recording I ever heard of the 9th, Konwitschny and the Gewandhaus, on a Fontana LP set coupled with the 6th, but it was I, not he, who played it to death. I was 16 and have spent most of my life since amassing as many versions that interested me.

Previous BaL winners have been BPO/Abbado on Sony and the live 1957 Philharmonia/Klemperer on Testament (both are fine) but I really couldn't choose one so good luck, Tom Service!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For those with access to Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ian.pace.10...tion&ref=notif

Is this on the right thread?

[Bryn]

Is this on the right thread?

This is a thread treating ith Beethoven's 9th Symphony, isn't it? Is not the question of how the work itself is assessed not relevant?

[Petrushka]

This is a thread treating ith Beethoven's 9th Symphony, isn't it? I not the question of how the work itself is assessed not relevant?

'This content isn't available at the moment'

[Bryn]

This content isn't available at the moment'

You perhaps picked the wrong moment, or do not have access to Facebook.

The opening post there, by Ian Pace, who will be playing the Liszt arrangement of the 9th, later this month, reads:

"Various of the monographs on Beethoven’s Ninth are primarily about the reception, rather than grappling with its immanent properties. I’m thinking about Rosen’s retort to Taruskin, that the study of musical reception is a supplement to study of the music, rather than a substitute for it. There’s still much to contemplate about what is going on with the notes and sounds, and why these make the work continue to be meaningful 200 years on and have done in the interim."

[pastoralguy]

Fabulous work from Alpie! Bravo, sir!

One of absolutely favourite works to play. I remember in the early 80’s there was a repeat of a 1960’s tv performance by Klemperer and the Philharmonia in black and white. We had a new fangled video recorded by then and I watched that performance over and over again.

[smittims]

That 1960s Ninth has been on EMI video; I have it on a VHS tape. The concert was to raise funds to start the New Philharmonia Orchestra, and I think Klemps conducted for free.

I wish the BBC would repeat their 1970 colour films of Klemperer conducting all nine Beethoven symphonies. I can't think why they haven't done this.

[smittims]

Hi, Alpensinfonie, re 'other Furtwangler Ninths' there are I think ten or eleven surviving ones, all wonderful, but to I'd particularly recommend to you:

Orfeo have done a CD of the actual 1951 Bayreuth concert, unedited, where the EMI issue included patches from rehearsal to cover moments of imprecision. And my favourite, I think, is 7 January 1951 in the Musikvereinsaal (also Orfeo d'or) where Furtwangler takes 19'11" over the adagio, whihc woould enrage those who think it should be zipped through in a little over ten minutes.

[Bryn]

Hi, Alpensinfonie, re 'other Furtwangler Ninths' there are I think ten or eleven surviving ones, all wonderful, but to I'd particularly recommend to you:

Orfeo have done a CD of the actual 1951 Bayreuth concert, unedited, where the EMI issue included patches from rehearsal to cover moments of imprecision. And my favourite, I think, is 7 January 1951 in the Musikvereinsaal (also Orfeo d'or) where Furtwangler takes 19'11" over the adagio, whihc woould enrage those who think it should be zipped through in a little over ten minutes.

Ah, so Furtwangler knew better than Beethoven, eh?

[smittims]

Ha Ha, Bryn , I thought that would rouse you.