[LarryS]

I've finally decided to get Beethoven's 9 Symphonies on CD (have had my vinyl set for >20 years now).

I would like to get a set which has excellent CD audio quality. Well performed too, of course!

From you classical experts here, which boxed set would you recommend? Or should I go to singles? Remember, if you suggest singles, that will make more work for you since I will want your recommendations in that area too!

I already did a search here, and there are very few threads for poor old Beethoven.

Thanks!

Larry in Dallas
Happy, new owner of EarMax Pro & HD-600, in a classical CD buying frenzy!

 

[DarkAngel]

Unfortunatley you do both sets & individual performnaces. A great set to start with new modern recording, budget price, great performance is the Zinman/Arte Nova set:

Another option would be Karajan/DG 1963 set also at budget price:

There are more great sets but most are mid/full price, also you should get one set performed on period instruments by Gardiner,
Norrington, or Hogwood.

For individual CDs, the Kleiber/DG Sym 5/7 tops the list:

I own 5 complete sets and maybe 20 more assorted Cds of
symphony performances by various conductors.

 

[LarryS]

Dark Angel,

Thanks for the suggestions!

Larry

 

[reynman]

LarryS,

My wife and I own two complete sets:

London/Digital
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Georg Solti

EMI Classics
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Riccardo Muti

The London recording sounds fuller, richer. The EMI recording sounds more laid back. I'm not implying/saying one is better, just different. Both highly recommended, though my wife (oboist extraordinare) prefers the EMI Classics set. The Philadelphia Orchestra sounds better than our beloved CSO. Blasphemy!

Regards - reynman

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Just piping in to concur with DA -- Zinman or either of the van Karajan's (silver or gold) are all good choices. DA seems to prefer the 1963 (probably for the price, which does make it a good recommendation as an excellent starting point), which I believe is the silver (DA, feel free to correct me), but I prefer the gold.

Zinman might throw you with the rhythmical interpretation, though. Still highly recommended.

 

[aeberbach]

I like Karajan's on Deutsche Grammophon.
(never been disappointed with DG.)

 

[zowie]

I love the Kleiber 5/7 -- worth getting even if you buy a box set.

I don't like the Karajan gold, if we're talking about the one he did in the mid-80s. It made a big splash because it was the first Beethoven set on CD, but I think the sound is poor - glassy, cold early digital, and performance-wise I can't say I like it better than Karajan's others.

 

[DarkAngel]

Karajan Beethoven Sets
Zowie you are right the "gold" set Karajan did in the early 1980's has inferior sound & performance to the DG Galleria set he had just done in the late 1970's. Karajan basically did these over again because digital recording technology was available.

The late 1970's set is quite good with generally faster pace than the 1960's set, both have good sound quality. The 9th from the Galleria set is much better than any other Karajan performance, tremendously exciting/passionate finale that is uncharacteristic of Karajan, worth getting as single disk even if you buy another set.

There is also a Karajan/EMI set from the 1950's which unfortunately is mono except sym 8 is stereo, I have read sound quality is not great but I have not personally heard these.

Again I would recommend the Karajan/DG 1963 set first (also about 1/2 the price of 1970's set) and the 1970's Galleria set as second best overall.

 

[zowie]

I have the mono set on vinyl. The sound is pretty good for the era, not real detailed or extended at the frequency extremes but well-balanced, and I find myself going back to it a lot.

 

[redshifter]

i also have the earlier dg karajan set and it is great. also check out the 1971(?) set with karl bohm and the berlin phil. more attention to detail and melody than the karajan set--especially in the 6th symphony. i also recommend you check out furtwangler's recordings of beethoven's 9th. the furtwangler may not be the apex of sound quality, but the interpretation cuts right to the core of beethoven's music.

 

[Wes]

I'll second the Zinman set as a fine one, a great value, well recorded and interestingly interpreted.

But Beethoven symphonies are great partly because they respond to so many different treatments. Ideally, you should try some interpretations other than Zinman's rather brisk view, and you should try one of the early instrument ensembles. For standard interpretations, everyone else's suggestions are very appropriate (although I can't claim familiarity with all of them, I do like the Kleiber).

For early instrument performances, try Norrington (brisk and tendentious in interpretation, rather like Zinman) or Gardiner. Harnoncourt offers a middle-of-the-road approach with a more standard interpretation influenced by early performance practice but not attempting to follow it exclusively.

Probably, you should start with whichever mentioned set sounds most appealing (because it's an easy approach and the sets are almost always promotionally priced) and then try a few alternative individual recordings. Then, we'll see if you don't end up with a second or third full set as a supplement.

 

[Ross]

For a one box set, I'd go for Karajan's 1963 cycle.

For individual recordings, I like Kleiber in 5 and 7, Giulini in 5, and especially Klemperer in 3, 6 and 7. In fact, I regard those three Klemperer recordings as compulsory for anyone who considers themselves a fan of these symphonies.

For period performance, I much prefer Bruggen's cycle to Gardiner, Norrington or Hogwood. I don't much like Harnoncourt's cycle either, although it gets good reviews.

The Solti and Muti sets are pretty awful, as is Abbado and the Karajan "gold" cycle.

If you can tolerate scratchy mono sound, Toscanini's recordings are incandescent.

Ross

 

[Wes]

Right you are, Ross. I had forgotten about Bruggen. I heard his No.3 live once, and he had a very compelling way of using the unaccustomed sounds of the period instruments to a truly musical end. If he got that into the recordings, they should be very good indeed. But (sigh) there's only so much time, money, and shelf space.

On the other hand, Klemperer's interpretations I respect more than enjoy. I have a taste for the theatrical, the biting, the just-a-bit-overdone gesture--the hot sauce rather than the sweet and sour. And Klemperer, if you don't like him, is ponderous or even boring. To my mind, Klemperer's approach might be what Toscanini was reacting against or holding in mind as opposite to his own.

The point of this is not to disparage Klemperer, who certainly had a view that he put across about these symphonies (and that's maybe the biggest victory for a conductor), and still less to quarrel with your preferences, Ross, but to give LarryS more information--necessarily biassed but maybe not unhelpful--about his choices.

 

[LarryS]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wes The point of this is not to disparage Klemperer, who certainly had a view that he put across about these symphonies (and that's maybe the biggest victory for a conductor), and still less to quarrel with your preferences, Ross, but to give LarryS more information--necessarily biassed but maybe not unhelpful--about his choices.

But I LIKE biased opinions....

Actually, it's quite informative to listen to everybody's opinions of the different conductors. And also to hear of conductor's I had never heard of before too!

Since I already have Solti on vinyl (Ross, you really think Solti is awful?

), I will go for something a bit different and try the Zinman set. CanNOT beat the price, only costs about 2 CD's. Probably will get the Kleiber 5/7 along with it. Then...on my 'future list'...the popularly recommended Karajan '63. And provided I have had the opportunity to digest what I have, one of the period performance sets. And we'll see where to go from there

Thanks again for all the info!

Larry in Dallas

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wes I have a taste for the theatrical, the biting, the just-a-bit-overdone gesture--the hot sauce rather than the sweet and sour...

I just wanted to say that this was a really good way to phrase my tastes, also.