Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
2. Andante cantabile con moto
3. Menuetto, Allegro molto e vivace
4. Finale, Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace
5. Adagio molto / Allegro con brio
6. Larghetto
7. Scherzo, Allegro
8. Allegro molto

Disc 2:

1. Allegro con brio
2. Andante con moto
3. Allegro
4. Allegro
5. Allegro ma non troppo
6. Andante molto moto
7. Allegro
8. Allegro
9. Allegretto

Disc 3:

1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
2. Allegretto
3. Presto
4. Allegro con brio
5. Allegro vivace e con brio
6. Allgretto scherzando
7. Tempo di Meneutto
8. Allegro vivace

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78478 in Music
• Released on: 1999-04-27
• Number of discs: 5
• Format: Box set

Amazon.com essential recording
If you're looking for a real bargain set of Beethoven's complete symphonies, look no further. David Zinman leads the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich through the big nine. Unconventional--this is the world-premiere, modern-instrument recording of the New Barenreiter Edition (translation: slight variations in the scoring)--and with Zinman's typically fast tempos, these are spirited, though probably not definitive, performances. Herbert Von Karajan's 1963 cycle of Beethoven's symphonies must still be considered the essential versions and, costing only 10 dollars more than this set, it's just as much of a bargain. But, for Beethoven lovers on a tight budget, folks looking to add one more Beethoven cycle to their music library, or experts who want to hear what the fuss of the Barenreiter Edition is about, this set shouldn't be passed up. Zinman and Tonhalle have delivered a winner, with excellent sound and a great sticker price. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews

Leaves other cycles in the dust
I was hooked on this cycle from the first listening, and I would have made this purchase at double the price if need had been, but the fact that the set was a mere 25 dollars at the time has made it one of my greatest investments. At 5 bucks a CD, the price is very low when compared with others. This is, of course, a huge bonus relative to its value.
There are several points of interest in these recordings, all of which seem to tie into each other. Your typical Beethoven cycle will be played with a large orchestra. In these recordings, Zinman reduces the quantity of strings, using combinations of about 12, 10, 8, 6, and 4, or 14, 12, 10, 8, and 6. This still gives the music a symphony orchestra feel, but there is more of a chamber music flavor to it. The balance between the various instruments is about as close to perfect as can be achieved, certainly far better than any of the mainstream Beethoven cycles we are used to hearing; this is partly because of the sound engineering, partly because of this reduction of forces, and partly because of smart performance choices by Zinman and his crew. I noticed several things in these symphonies that I had never heard in other sets, because they had been covered up. It's like opening up a book that you've read 100 times and discovering that there are extra chapters you didn't know existed.
Tempos are another eye-opener here, and for many they may seem too fast. Zinman adopts Beethoven's rapid metronome markings for these performances. However, this isn't a rash decision made on his part, in fact it is very calculated. Beethoven was certainly eccentric, but he wasn't wrong about his own music, only ambitious. Beethoven knew what orchestras were capable of, and he pushed them to their technical limits, much like Mahler did in his time. Zinman has the genius to make these tempos sound precisely like they are meant to be, rather than rushed. Other recordings, like Karajan and Solti, among others, seem dragged and sluggish comparatively. The Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra responds to these demands with technical precision and musicality that match or exceed any orchestra in Europe, and for that matter, any orchestra in the world. Dynamics are observed uncompromisingly. The accenting is impeccable, and plays a major part in allowing the listener to hear every voice. The melodic lines are shaped very carefully and thoughtfully. I can't stress enough the high degree of character, sophistication, and taste that is present in these performances. They are powerful, but not raunchy. They are graceful, but not anemic. They have tremendous momentum, but things are never out of hand. Everything sounds original and thought out, and I think all of this combines to create a remarkable, cohesive collection of music that Beethoven himself would certainly have praised. For lack of a better phrase, this cycle wipes the floor with the competition. DON'T PASS THIS UP!!!

At 20 bucks for the whole cycle, how can you pass this up?
I'll give the cycle 5 stars in part because of the price and also in part because Zinman is well known and liked around here - having made some fine music with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for over a decade. As a second or third set of all nine Beethoven symphonies, these disks seem irresistible; even as a first set, they could be a fine choice.

Zinman is in tight control of his orchestra throughout. The tempos are consistently brisk and sometimes driven. The players are highly professional, if not quite at the level of, say, the Berlin Philharmonic. Zinman attempts an "authentic" sounding performance, though with modern instruments. Strings tend to be light, and winds and percussion are out front. Zinman also conducts from a new edition of the scores, reflecting recent scholarship (resulting, for example, in alternative endings to the 9th, based on different performance scores Beethoven himself used).

These performances (like other "authentic" performances) can be a revelation in comparison to the grand-romantic style of Beethoven performance that had become conventional. But these performances also can be enjoyed by anyone on their own terms; Zinman knows how to make music.

Numinous! A "Must Have!"
The Beethoven symphonies are essential to any good music collection and the music lover has a ridiculously large number of recordings to select from. The selection process just got easier. The Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (under the scorching direction of David Zinman) has recorded the 9 on the Arte Nova label. Now this would be a superb recording under any circumstances, but when you take into account that the entire set (5 CDs) sells for a terrific bargin price these recordings have no rival!!! Zinman uses the new critical Barenreiter Edition of Jonathan Del Mar, which means that many errors of the Breitkopf edition are corrected. Plus - and it is a real asset - Zinman tends to stick to Beethoven's blistering tempi. The little Turkish march in the 4th movement of the 9th just flies! The 8th symphony rips along like Haydn on crystal meth! I cannot recommend these performances too highly - they would be well worth a "full" price, but at this price it's a "no-brainer." Buy these, it will remind you why Beethoven is considered one of the titans of music.