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

[Bryn]

Regarding Anima Eterna/Jos van Immerseel, there are, or at least were, two quite separate recordings, the earlier one, Sony (1999), I purchased from a vendor in the RFH, well over a decade ago. It was not, to my mind, a patch on their 2007 recording for Zig Zag Territoires, (the latter in a boxed set of all nine symphonies).

[richardfinegold]

I have that on CD, probably acquired 25 years ago. I had thought it must be the same performance as the aforementioned lp and was surprised when the lp album cover listed OK.
That’s all I can say folks. I’ll leave the sleuthing to others

[silvestrione]

I found, yesterday on the market in Bury St Edmunds (yes, really), a Philips CD of the Ninth with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Chorus, and Haitink, that appears to be different from the one in the list. It's live, from 1980, and is terrific. The recapitulation in the first movement, as always with Haitink, is a conflagration, and the Molto Vivace wonderfully vivace, and infectiously rhythmic (it is 4 minutes shorter than Klemperer!). The Adagio is a bit slow, but makes much of the cantabile second theme, and the thrilling trumpet outbursts towards the end. The last movement is appropriately diverse and unified, with singing of great panache and incisiveness, with the devotional, awe-struck moments too.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I found, yesterday on the market in Bury St Edmunds (yes, really), a Philips CD of the Ninth with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Chorus, and Haitink, that appears to be different from the one in the list. It's live, from 1980, and is terrific. The recapitulation in the first movement, as always with Haitink, is a conflagration, and the Molto Vivace wonderfully vivace, and infectiously rhythmic (it is 4 minutes shorter than Klemperer!). The Adagio is a bit slow, but makes much of the cantabile second theme, and the thrilling trumpet outbursts towards the end. The last movement is appropriately diverse and unified, with singing of great panache and incisiveness, with the devotional, awe-struck moments too.

Who were the soloists? Should help to track it down.........

[Petrushka]

Who were the soloists? Should help to track it down.........

I have this disc. The soloists are Janet Price (sop), Birgit Finnila (contr), Horst Laubenthal (ten), Marius Rintzler (bass)

Philips CD no: 410 036-2.

The disc will be included in the forthcoming Haitink/Concertgebouw box which is scheduled for release (fingers crossed after many postponements!) on January 27. However, Amazon are now saying March 10 (sigh).

[smittims]

Janet Price? Yum yum.

[silvestrione]

Janet Price? Yum yum.

Yes I am no kind of expert on singers, but I thought she was good...but the bass? One of the less-good things. A little rough-edged, assertive, to my ear, in that opening solo.

[richardfinegold]

I think I figured out my OK mystery recording. I must have been confusing it with a Vox recording of the Fifth by Klemperer. I believe that I also owned the Horenstein Vox Ninth, but that must have gone missing from my mothers collection sometime betwen my adolescence and when we cleaned out her apartment a few years ago.

Now I can sleep at night

[cloughie]

I think I figured out my OK mystery recording. I must have been confusing it with a Vox recording of the Fifth by Klemperer. I believe that I also owned the Horenstein Vox Ninth, but that must have gone missing from my mothers collection sometime betwen my adolescence and when we cleaned out her apartment a few years ago.

Now I can sleep at night

Only this week I bought the VSO Klemperer 5th as one of a 3 for £1 British Heart Foundation shop offer.

[richardfinegold]

I was listening to the Savall in multichannel today. The mc provides a much greater sense of space and scale than the 2 channels.
The performance itself is thrilling, with superb choral work

[Alison]

I have this disc. The soloists are Janet Price (sop), Birgit Finnila (contr), Horst Laubenthal (ten), Marius Rintzler (bass)

Philips CD no: 410 036-2.

The disc will be included in the forthcoming Haitink/Concertgebouw box which is scheduled for release (fingers crossed after many postponements!) on January 27. However, Amazon are now saying March 10 (sigh).

So much for the Christmas present to ourselves Pet! Perhaps I’ll get that Argo box of KCC/Stephen Cleobury instead.

[Petrushka]

So much for the Christmas present to ourselves Pet! Perhaps I’ll get that Argo box of KCC/Stephen Cleobury instead.

It's looking more likely to become a birthday present instead (in June)!

I've got the KCC/Cleobury box - which was last birthday's present to self - but for Christmas I've gone for the St John's/Guest box. It's a very frustrating business with the Haitink box, now due six months after the original release date. Not holding my breath as yet, though.

[Alison]

Which you would be your favourite of the four Haitink Beethoven 9s Pet?

[Petrushka]

Which you would be your favourite of the four Haitink Beethoven 9s Pet?

The LSO one, I think, Alison. I attended one of the performances that were used for the recording and much enjoyed it.

[Goon525]

Not that I can remember it too well, but I attended the LPO performance in 1974 which concluded a Haitink Beethoven cycle, which also included the piano concertos played by Ashkenazy. Six fabulous concerts, but early in my classical listening days. His subsequent recording of the symphonies probably was overtaken by later performances.