Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 2. Andante cantabile con moto
3. Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 3. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace
4. Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21: 4. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace
5. Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace
6. Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 2. Adagio
7. Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 3. Allegro vivace
8. Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major, Op. 60: 4. Allegro ma non troppo
9. Overture, Egmont, Op. 84: Sostenuto, ma non troppo - Allegro

Disc 2:

1. Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 1. Adagio - Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 2. Larghetto
3. Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
4. Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36: 4. Allegro molto
5. Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
6. Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 2. Allegretto
7. Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 3. Presto
8. Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92: 4. Allegro con brio

Disc 3:

1. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 1. Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assi
3. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
4. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 'Erocia': 4. Finale. Allegro molto
5. Overture Leonore No. 3, Op. 72A: Adagio - Allegro

Disc 4:

1. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 1. Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven
2. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 2. Andante con moto - L.V. Beethoven
3. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 3. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
4. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67: 4. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
5. Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 1. Allegro vivace e con brio - L.V. Beethoven
6. Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 2. Allegretto scherzando - L.V. Beethoven
7. Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 3. Tempo di Menuetto - L.V. Beethoven
8. Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: 4. Allegro vivace - L.V. Beethoven
9. Overture Fidelio, Op. 72B: Allegro - L.V. Beethoven

Disc 5:

1. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 1. Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country - Allegro ma non troppo
2. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 2. Scene By The Brook - Andante molto mosso
3. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 3. Merry Gathering Of Country Folk
4. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 4. Thunderstorm
5. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68 'Pastorale': 5. Shepherd's Song: Happy And Thankful Feelings After The Storm
6. Overture To H. J. von Collin's Tragedy, Op. 62: Allegro con brio
7. Overture 'The Creatures Of Prometheus' To Salvatore Vigano's Ballet: Adagio - Allegro molto con brio
8. Overture 'The Ruins Of Athens' From The Music To A. von Kotzebue's Play: Andante con moto - Allegro, ma non troppo

Disc 6:

1. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 1. Allegro manon troppo, un poco maestoso - Ludwig Van Beethoven
2. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 2. Molto vivace - Ludwig Van Beethoven
3. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 3. Adagio molto e cantabile - Ludwig Van Beethoven
4. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 4. Presto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
5. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125: 4. Presto - Final Chorus From Schiller's 'Ode To Joy' - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80845 in Music
• Released on: 1990-07-03
• Number of discs: 6
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .86 pounds

Amazon.com
This is hedonistic Beethoven, though in listening to these accounts one wonders sometimes whether Herbert von Karajan may not have confused sex with love, and physicality with emotion. At least he seems more concerned with opulence of sound and weight of texture than with psychology or substance. Yet while his interpretation has neither great emotion, nor struggle, nor a sense of spiritual release, it certainly has great beauty and exhilaration. The readings are typical of the "massaged" style of performance Karajan cultivated in Berlin during the 1970s, and which Andrew Porter famously critiqued when he likened the results to Kobe beef. There is a certain softness under all that muscularity, though for the most part Karajan shows his usual strong grip and maintains the balance of lyrical and kinetic elements. The Berlin Philharmonic, at its peak when these recordings were made, is a marvel: even if its playing is rarely fiery or spontaneous, its sound is plush, succulent, and exilaratingly rich. Karajan uses a big orchestra all the way through, even in Symphony No. 1--which as a result sounds rather massive, though not heavy (the brisk scale in the violins at beginning of the fourth movement is delightfully airy). In addition to their polish, his readings are notable for their high energy level. This is particularly true of the Eighth, one of the most successful items in the set, which is interpreted in a way that clearly shows its connection to Seventh. On balance, the accounts run from very good to outstanding (Nos. 4, 8 and 9), but only rarely do they approach the transcendent. The recordings, made in Berlin's Philharmonie, are close-miked and mastered at a fairly high level, and sound is impressively firm. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

I respectfully disagree
I relish listening to each of the Karajan Beethoven cycles. But I will not join the persistent near consensus which hails the 1963 cycle over the 70's version heard here, nor the last cycle from the 80's. The 1963 Berliners were fiery, but rarely elegant; the 1970's Berliners, more elegant. After the 60s, the partnership with Karajan, although sometimes rocky, was a devoted one, and the results became extraordinary - the best was even better.

There is a balance of precision and emotion in this later period which Karajan and the orchestra achieved over decades together. Surely this perfect blend is what Beethoven might have idealized. Listen to the phrases he wrote, and try to gauge if they could be played with a greater combination of technical perfection and passion than heard in this cycle. One can hope for more fire as in 1963, but not more passion by these musicians. At the most important moments, this collaboration very nearly transcends the limits of human artistry, and that is all we could hope for.

The Seventh and Ninth are the richest treasures of the Karajan-Beethoven cycles, and this is, I think, the best Seventh (including the last version by Karajan/BPO). Richard Osbourne, the distinguished Gramophone magazine reviewer, over the years repeatedly gave rapturous praise to this recording, and I can't see the slightest reason to disagree.

All of the symphonies as recorded here are highest caliber and will not disappoint. This includes the Ninth. While the last recording from the 1980s set somewhat excels in recorded (digital) sound, the soloists in this rendering are arguably superior. The last version also benefits from a matured collaboration between Karajan and the BPO, which despite the occasional spats forged some of the most glorious recorded music available. But those differences are really only marginal. This Ninth commands its own respect.

Certainly, there are no better complete sets of these symphonies than any of those by Karajan and the BPO. (The Karajan/Philaharmonia set on EMI suffers by comparison for its 1950s technology.) Two complete sets, both by Bruno Walter, are equal to Karajan's interpretations: the monaural set with the NYPO (except the Phila. Orch. in Sym. 6), and the set in stereo with the handpicked-for-Walter (largely LA Phil) - sometimes underrated but really superb - Columbia Symphony Orchestra. However, there are comparable performances of individual symphonies, the most important of the Ninth, of course. The concert performances by Furtwaengler (war time BPO and 1951 Bayreuth Festival), Klemperer (1957 and 1961, both with the Philharmonia on BBC Testament), and Walter (especially fiery with the London Phil in 1947 on Music & Arts, among others in NY and Vienna), are certainly rivals to any of the Karajan recordings. But these are not part of complete cycles, and even Klemperer's marvelous EMI recordings of the 3rd, 5th, and 7th symphonies are studio versions, not on a par with his extraordinary concert performances. This recorded cycle was well worth it at full price, and the performances rarely equalled.

Bring me the desert island, please.
I've always been an admirer of Karajan's Beethoven. I pretty much cut my Beethoven teeth on the much lauded (by me, too) sixties set. In many peoples' minds I suppose it will never be surpassed.

However, in nearly every respect, this mid-seventies undertaking is a better set. I have, as have others, quibbles with certain decisions Karajan makes. For example, he seems to have no problem occasionally ignoring Beethoven's calls for repeats, while at other times he observes them scrupulously. It seems to me that if Beethoven says to do it, then you should do it. Karajan, apparently, doesn't agree.

One could quickly lapse into a minutiae-induced stupor over details. However, a couple will suffice: This is, without doubt, Karajan's best recorded Sixth. That said, it must be admitted his overall concept of this symphony has always been, for some, a weak link. I agree. Simply, there are probably better Sixth's in the catalog, although none could possibly be better played, interpretation not withstanding. Also, this Fifth is to be preferred over the earlier version, ignored repeats and all. The Ninth, arguably the crown jewel of the earlier set, is remarkable here. The soloists are all admirable, even if they aren't Janowitz, Ludwig, et al.

All-in-all, a magnificent undertaking, beautifully realized on CD.

Finally, as most know, Karajan undertook the complete symphonies one last time, near the end of his career (and life) in the early eighties. They are great. The sound is generally great (although not really better in any demonstrable way than here). But Karajan and his Berlin orchestra were having legal, personal and personnel problems which would finally force the Maestro to leave Berlin all together for his final few recordings. At this stage, probably the less said about the utterly disgraceful treatment the ailing Maestro was subjected to, the better. However, that final recorded cycle suffers, I think, from these problems. There are, at times, a certain sloppiness to the procedings Karajan would never have tolerated earlier in his life.

Happily, we have cycle two, in glorious mid-seventies Berlin sound, as a living testament of Karajan's superlative Beethoven.

Karajan's best Beethoven cycle for combination of performance and sound
This cycle of Beethoven symphonies, recorded 1975-77 is Herbert von Karajan's strongest. It is also the best of his Beethovens for both performances and sound. Symphonies 5 and 6 are the best here of any others Karajan did, as are Symphonies 1, 2, 3 and 9.

Much of "the best" depends on personal preferences, but I prefer these to the last cycle, recorded 1982-84 for DG. The 1961-2 cycle (DG) is also very fine.

I won't go into details in the interest of keeping this review concise. But Karajan takes slightly slower tempos in Symphony 5: I and Sym. 6: I, II, making a better case for each work.

The sound is rather low level, and you may have to crank up your volume a bit + add some extra bass, as Deutsche Grammophon often shorts the bass a bit in some of their recordings. But the sound is clean, and overall very fine.

Read my reviews of Karajan's first DG cycle, also with the Berlin Philharmonic, for other details. This cycle is recommended, and highly thought of by many critics.