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Beethoven Symphonies - Page 23

post #331 of 944
7/2/05 at 9:55am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SiBurning
It sucks losing a bunch of disks at once, but it's sure fun replacing them.
Yes, you find other things along the way. It's a trap! RUN!
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post #332 of 944
7/2/05 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SiBurning
I lost the Norrington CD along with 23 other disks and haven't replaced it yet. Just replaced 2 Chopin CDs with 6 & 1 Aretha Franklin disk for the Atlantic box set and her first two CDs. Maybe when I get to replacing the Beethoven, I'll pick up the live Norrington.

... And Mackerras 6th. Thanks.

It sucks losing a bunch of disks at once, but it's sure fun replacing them.
The Norrington live recordings (Hannsler Classics) are available individually at yourmusic.com, but you have to search Norrington as the artist and then hit the link for "more" to bring all of them up. They have all of the cds, but they don't make it easy to find them. At 5.95 each, it makes the set very affordable.
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post #333 of 944
7/10/05 at 2:45pm

Zinman's Beethoven

I picked up the Zinman set at Borders the other night for 30% of list, which brought it in around $23. Haven't listened to it all, but have listened to some.

#1- Far and away the best Beethoven 1st I've every heard. Zinman & the Tonhalle Orch make traditional versions seem very stodgy (even Toscanini). But they carry more punch than any of the period performances I've heard. (Norrington, Hogwood, Schroeder).

#2- Nearly as good as #1, except I like the finale to "let it hang" and get a little sloppier than this.

#5- Lithe and energetic, good stuff.

#6- Kept me awake, which is more than I can say for most 6ths. Loved the sense of freedom in the 2nd movement. Most are too rigid there.

#7- I like a lot of Z's handling of grace notes and the occasional added flourish.

#8- Only listened to the first mvt. so far, but it is right up there with my two faves, Scherchen and Casals, fast and focused.

Will listen to more when I get a chance.

mark
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post #334 of 944
7/10/05 at 2:55pm
It's funny, but the more I listen to the Zinman, the less I enjoy my other sets. It makes the HvK seem totally pompous in comparison, Beethoven to goosestep to.

I have the Bernstein cycle on order. Hopefully I will enjoy it and won't be tempted to give it away or sell it. But Beethoven is such a special thing for me that the interpretations are either love it or hate it with no in between.
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post #335 of 944
7/10/05 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunnyears
It's funny, but the more I listen to the Zinman, the less I enjoy my other sets. It makes the HvK seem totally pompous in comparison, Beethoven to goosestep to.

I have the Bernstein cycle on order. Hopefully I will enjoy it and won't be tempted to give it away or sell it. But Beethoven is such a special thing for me that the interpretations are either love it or hate it with no in between.
I find that Herbert von Karajan tended to turn many pieces into music for goosestepping. Given the unpleasant associations with both himself and some of his pieces, that can be a daunting reality. However, with other pieces, he produced work of remarkable sincerity and depth. Despite his fame, success, and legacy, I find Von Karajan to be a daunting - and, ultimately, elusive - character.

Zinman certainly proves tempting, based on the reviews here. I am also called by the Gardiner cycle. I was impressed with what he did in Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio. I am no great fan of historical performances, except Harnoncourt, but Gardiner's cycle seems interesting.
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post #336 of 944
7/10/05 at 3:24pm
Can anyone comment on how Gardiner's cycle is overall? I don't tend to be a great fan of his... Very rigid in a lot of stuff. His Schumann cycle was great, though.
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post #337 of 944
7/10/05 at 3:36pm
I, too, would be interested.

It wouldn't be the first time I've spent money on a bad set if I did, but this place is too good a resource to pass up.

As to Gardiner, I find him controlled and a bit of a dry-stick. His Overture for the Abduction is technically precise, but I don't see the whimsy that a good comic singspiel should have. Mozart's irony and play come through, but Gardiner isn't a willing facilitator.

The performance is good, though. Probably my favorite Mozart record.
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post #338 of 944
7/10/05 at 3:54pm
I have the Gardiner Beethoven and I really enjoy it. It's a solidly nourishing cycle and maybe the best with a period orchestra (warmer than the Hogwood with better sound quality as well). I also have his Mozart piano concertos set which I also love. If you can get the Beethoven at the budget price (and it still is in stock at yourmusic.com for 29.95), it's well worth the expense.
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post #339 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PSmith08
I, too, would be interested.

It wouldn't be the first time I've spent money on a bad set if I did, but this place is too good a resource to pass up.

As to Gardiner, I find him controlled and a bit of a dry-stick. His Overture for the Abduction is technically precise, but I don't see the whimsy that a good comic singspiel should have. Mozart's irony and play come through, but Gardiner isn't a willing facilitator.

The performance is good, though. Probably my favorite Mozart record.
Hey, that's an opera recording I actually have! Agreed, Gardiner propels it forward in a very compulsively listenable manner. Though whimsy isn't part of his equation, his energy and enthusiasm could be strong assets in Beethoven.
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post #340 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
One nice part of the abundance of Beethoven sets and CDs in general, is there is something out there to scratch just about anyones itch.

Scott
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post #341 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark from HFR
Hey, that's an opera recording I actually have! Agreed, Gardiner propels it forward in a very compulsively listenable manner. Though whimsy isn't part of his equation, his energy and enthusiasm could be strong assets in Beethoven.
That's exactly right. His Beethoven is energetic and always moving. It's just a pleasure to listen to even if there is nothing there that would make you sit up and say, "Eureka!" I have to listen to the MacKerras to see if it has any of that quality. Btw, Gardiner's Late Mozart symphonies are really excellent, but most of them are now out of print and going for ridiculous prices.
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post #342 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunnyears
That's exactly right. His Beethoven is energetic and always moving. It's just a pleasure to listen to even if there is nothing there that would make you sit up and say, "Eureka!" I have to listen to the MacKerras to see if it has any of that quality. Btw, Gardiner's Late Mozart symphonies are really excellent, but most of them are now out of print and going for ridiculous prices.
The Mackerras uses the same "new" versions of the same score that the Zinman used, but I think Mackarrasn has better control than Zinman. Though his 9th is kinda of a let down, on other symponies I think he shows the inner voice of the symphony better. Well worth if you can pick the set up cheap.

Scott
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post #343 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:23pm
Bunny,

Thanks for the Gardiner tip. I went to yourmusic.com and immediately put them on order. Man, I hope they get more box sets at prices like that! It's about time someone realized how many more box sets they'd sell if they offered them at a good price.
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post #344 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:32pm
Did you see the Harnoncourt Haydn paris symphonies for 17.98? They have some of Thomas Fey's Haydn cycle as well. Also check out their opera sets, and the Takasc Beethoven string quartets are there as well at an excellent price. Another thing they also have a lot of are the boxed jazz sets. In fact, they have a lot of good classic jazz titles. Those are certainly worth a look.
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post #345 of 944
7/10/05 at 4:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunnyears
Did you see the Harnoncourt Haydn paris symphonies for 17.98? They have some of Thomas Fey's Haydn cycle as well. Also check out their opera sets, and the Takasc Beethoven string quartets are there as well at an excellent price. Another thing they also have a lot of are the boxed jazz sets. In fact, they have a lot of good classic jazz titles. Those are certainly worth a look.
Great! Let me know when you'll send the check to pay for all these!!
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