Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Andante cantabile con moto
3. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Menuetto, Allegro molto e vivace
4. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Finale, Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace
5. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Adagio molto / Allegro con brio
6. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Larghetto
7. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Scherzo, Allegro
8. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Allegro molto

Disc 2:

1. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Marcia funebre, Adagio assai
3. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Scherzo, Allegro vivace
4. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Finale, Allegro molto
5. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Adagio - Allegro vivace
6. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Adagio
7. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Allegro vivace
8. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Allegro ma non troppo

Disc 3:

1. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Andante con moto
3. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Allegro
4. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Allegro
5. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegro ma non troppo
6. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Andante molto moto
7. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegro
8. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegro
9. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegretto

Disc 4:

1. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Poco sostenuto - Vivace
2. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Presto
4. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegro con brio
5. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Allegro vivace e con brio
6. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Allgretto scherzando
7. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Tempo di Meneutto
8. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Allegro vivace

Disc 5:

1. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Allegro ma non troppo
2. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Molto vivace
3. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Adagio molto e cantabile
4. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Presto - Allegro assai
5. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Recitative - Allegro assai

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40023 in Music
• Released on: 2000-11-21
• Number of discs: 5
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .96 pounds

Amazon.com
Beyond argument, Claudio Abaddo's second Beethoven cycle puts his previous DG traversals of the nine symphonies in the shade. His Berlin Philharmonic musicians, for starters, play with more precision, fire, suppleness, and ensemble sophistication than the Vienna Philharmonic did for Abaddo's live 1980s DG cycle. More significant, Abaddo's interpretations turn nearly 180 degrees from a soft-grained, middle-of-the-road vantage point toward the fleet tempos and tart sonorities favored by such "historically informed" Beethovenians as Charles Mackerras, Nicholas Harnoncourt, and David Zinman. Like Zinman, Abaddo makes use of the much-discussed Barenreiter edition, featuring Jonathan Del Mar's textual revisions based on original sources. One might characterize Abaddo's remakes as the Zinman with better playing.

Symphonies One and Two are cases in point. Both are jam-packed with crisp, fleet articulation and pungent accents. In similar fashion, the Third symphony's radical classicism hits home in a lean, driving performance redolent of the like-minded Kleiber-Concertgebouw and digital Karajan-Berlin recordings of the Eroica. Clarity, however, is often sacrificed for speed in the Fourth. If Abbado's new Fifth lacks the elemental thrust and surging bass line distinguishing Carlos Kleiber's and Gunter Wand's powerful readings, one hears important lines that often get lost in the mix, such as the cellos' countermelody underneath the finale's second theme.

The remaining symphonies boast reams of prodigious, effortless orchestral execution, but they often fall short in dynamic thrust, dramatic momentum, and even humor when appropriate. The finale of the Seventh, for instance, goes too fast for the swirling music to really take shape, and ditto for the wacky last movement of the Eighth. Abaddo's excellent live Berlin Ninth on Sony is hardly superseded by the present lightweight, ill-balanced traversal, although Thomas Quasthoff's riveting declamation in the finale is gorgeous and meaningful. DG's excellent packaging includes an interview with the conductor and informative annotations. All told, an uneven cycle as a whole, but its finest moments easily stand among the best modern Beethoven symphony recordings. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews

Clearing The Cobwebs
If ever there was a doubt over Abbado's ability over ten years to clear the cobwebs created by Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic then this is it. Whilst many people might greet this cycle with a cry of "ANOTHER Beethoven cycle???" they do it at their peril. Using the critically acclaimed new editions prepared by Jonathan Del Mar, Abbado puts together a cycle of rare insight and vision. Unlike John Eliot Gardiner who sacrifices beauty for speed, Abbado in this cycle not only adopts a faster approach to many of the symphonies than Karajan but still manages to pay as much attention to detail to the articulation and phrasing required in such complex works, with astoundingly clear results. At all times the Berliners deliver clear and highly skilled (would we expect anything less??) playing, responding well to Abbado's direction. Highlights are the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th symphonies, the latter receiving one of the freshest and most astounding performances in years. Take a chance and buy this set, it worth every cent and you will playing it for years to come. And not an original instrument in sight either.....

Most Amazing Beethoven Symphony Recordings
These are, as other people wrote, not ordinary Beethoven symphony recordings. There are many many recordings, but this set is superior to many. The score used for the recording is the newest version which I think is very accurate. If you know the symphonies well, you will find them different. There is a slight shift of the focus of the tone in this version because of the new edition. The overall impression is very fresh and clean. Compared to highly acclaimed Karajan's recordings of the 70's, there seems to be brighter and clean in the sounds in this one. Karajan's recordings have oil-painting like qualities. The sound is very thick and dark. The resulting sound is thoroughly modern. Abbado's recordings have water-colour painting like qualities. This was achieved in part by reducing the size of the orchestra. He is more classical in his approach.

Mostly Superb Insightful Performances, Questionable Sound
As Abbado writes in the liner notes of this set he is guided by the new critical edition of Beethoven's symphonies by Jonathan Del Mar, which he apparently follows quite closely, but which apparently allows some freedom of choice. According to Abbado he does depart from Del Mar's printed score in a few places. It seems that this in addition to the use of a modern orchestra makes these performances somewhat of a balance between authentic period and modern. However, they are closer in spirit, definitely in tempo and leanness of texture to period performance.
All of the playing is very "fleet of foot" and technically precise with perfect ensemble with the possible exception of the final movement of no.7 in which they almost seem to lose control and can't quite maintain
tempo because to put it bluntly it is almost ludicrously fast. Otherwise no. 7 is almost dead on. Symphony no.8 is Beethoven's funniest; none the less Abbado chooses a tempo for its final movement which is which is simply wacky.
Symphony no.9 is exceptionally well played and generally satisfying but a little too light weight. It is not a very lofty or spiritual performance
but it is very human one. Many conductors have emphasized the lofty aspects of this great work to the point of its detriment making it somewhat heavy and draggy. But Abbado probably goes too far away from that. It is a very human work by a very eccentric, human person but it aspires to the best in humanity. This performance could have benefited greatly from more of a sense of aspiration and perhaps some slightly slower tempos movements 2-4. But the final bars are not to be missed. They are taken at such a breakneck tempo without missing a beat or note
while retaining most of the drama; simply astonishing.
Symphonies nos. 1,2,4,and 5 are simply the best recorded versions available because although there may be other versions as equally well performed they do not have the same claim to authenticity along with modern instruments that these do. Other authentic or period performances simply do not measure up. The only fault I would give would be the opening of no.5 which lacks sufficient punch for it to equal the over all performance. Appropriately, the repeat has a little more almost making up for the openings slight weakness.
Although symphony no. 3 is also of very high quality it is somewhat less convincing and has a lot of competition out there. David Zinman's recording of the third with the Tonhalle Orchestra on Arte Nova might even be better.
I love Abbado's take on the sixth. It has the energy of other more authentic performances but is absolutely lovely. It is also very fun. The tempos of most movements are faster than more typical recordings especially the second movement "Scene By the Brook" which at 11:06 is the fastest I know of by at least 50 seconds. It does not really sound rushed and adds a dance like energy. Judging by the timing on Roger Norrington's recording of the sixth, Abbado's fifth movement "Shepherd's Song' at 8:26 is about 20 seconds faster than Beethoven's metronome markings which is reasonable and gives it lilting quality making it as much a celebration as a prayer which I think Beethoven had in mind. This version may not be lofty enough to make it the "greatest ever" but it may well be my favorite.
My biggest problem with this set may be that it could have been possibly the greatest one ever but the recording engineers blew it with rather distant sound which is much lacking in presence. Although it is quite clear and has body across all frequencies it is simply not worthy of the performances contained on these discs. It only worsens the slight lack of impact of the fifth symphonies opening. It is my thought they probably did not adjust for the reduced size of the orchestra used in these recordings. I don't know if this recording can be fixed but if it can the
the label should do so and replace the discs of everyone who bought this set. If it can't the label, conductor and orchestra should consider going back and doing the whole thing over again and along with the sound use it as an opportunity to fix the few problems with the performances and issue the new recording at a discount to those who purchased the first one.