Beethoven - which Eroica?

[Dave2002]

Any bets on which version of the Eroica is being played right now on COTW? I feel it's a tad flat relative to modern pitch and sounds HIPish. I'll visit later to find out.

[Bryn]

Sounds a bit JEGgish to me.

[Tony Halstead]

The 'slow' movement is trotting along in a sort of matter-of-fact, sub-jovial way... What a good thing that it's not supposed to be a funeral march or anything too profound.

[subcontrabass]

Sounds a bit JEGgish to me.

From the limited information on the BBC website (Archiv:4778643, 3) that can be confirmed.

[Bryn]

The 'slow' movement is trotting along in a sort of matter-of-fact, sub-jovial way... What a good thing that it's not supposed to be a funeral march or anything too profound.

Marked quaver = 80 IIRC, but what would Beethoven know?

[Nick Armstrong]

Sounds a bit JEGgish to me.

[rauschwerk]

Marked quaver = 80 IIRC, but what would Beethoven know?

Too many conductors, in my view, have imagined that one should march to the quavers and they take this piece too slowly. Surely it is the crotchets to which one should march (quaver 80 is admittedly rather brisk but it's in the right parish). I like Gardiner's tempo and his subtle rubato.

[Bryn]

Well at least JEG approaches the composer's tempo marking, but Norrington gets closer in both the LCP and Stuttgart CD issues (and the in the BBC video of an LCP performance too). Also getting close, but not quite as close as JEG or RN, is Zinman. I recall a comment attributed to Reis that the overall duration for the work should be no more than 45 minutes. That would have been long before Beethoven appended his tempo markings which, with the repeat on the third movement restored by Jonathan Del Mar, result in a performance lasting around 40 minutes or so.

[rauschwerk]

Well at least JEG approaches the composer's tempo marking, but Norrington gets closer in both the LCP and Stuttgart CD issues (and the in the BBC video of an LCP performance too).

Hmmm. LCP/Norrington 12'31", ORR/Gardiner 12'41". Naff-all in it, I'd say.

[MickyD]

Had he ever gone as far as Beethoven, it makes me wonder how quickly Reinhard Goebel would have taken it!

[Bryn]

Hmmm. LCP/Norrington 12'31", ORR/Gardiner 12'41". Naff-all in it, I'd say.

Stuttgart RSO/Norrington 12'18"

[The 'stopwatch' target, based on Beethoven's metronome marking is 12'24".]

[teamsaint]

Stuttgart RSO/Norrington 12'18"

[The 'stopwatch' target, based on Beethoven's metronome marking is 12'24".]

this thread is developing a kind of "American Sports show " feel. Which is refreshing !!(if a bit surprising!)

[cloughie]

this thread is developing a kind of "American Sports show " feel. Which is refreshing !!(if a bit surprising!)

How long did Erich Kleiber take for his CAO and VPO recordings - away from my collection I cannot check!

[teamsaint]

How long did Erich Kleiber take for his CAO and VPO recordings - away from my collection I cannot check!

clearly not a real fan the Cloughie. Need to have your facts at your fingertips ....... !!
There just has to be a good thread in this.....fastest performances , slowest movements... most symphonies on a CD, that sort of thing...I'll start it if nobody else will !!

[cloughie]

clearly not a real fan the Cloughie. Need to have your facts at your fingertips ....... !!
There just has to be a good thread in this.....fastest performances , slowest movements... most symphonies on a CD, that sort of thing...I'll start it if nobody else will !!

Don't get me wrong ts - would love to do comparative lengths but physically away from my collection to check timings....And I like the Eroica albeit my affection is for the heavier interpretations but a few comparative timings will be interesting.