Anyone got a recommendation for a good recording of Beethoven's 9th (or 7th for that matter)?
I've got the Von Karajan version from the early 70's, love the performace but the sound quality is bad - not sure if it was badly recorded, or because it's been 'digitally remastered'..
or maybe I'm reaching the limits of my system.
Sound is cluttered and quite harsh, hard on the ears, particularly at volume (which is the only way to listen to Beethoven)
I only listen to it about once a year when my delusions of grandeur surface... good for drowning out the counry from next door too...
I've got the Von Karajan version from the early 70's, love the performace but the sound quality is bad - not sure if it was badly recorded, or because it's been 'digitally remastered'..
or maybe I'm reaching the limits of my system.
Sound is cluttered and quite harsh, hard on the ears, particularly at volume (which is the only way to listen to Beethoven)
I only listen to it about once a year when my delusions of grandeur surface... good for drowning out the counry from next door too...
I have no definitive answers to your question unfortunately.
I was always of the opinion that Deutsche Grammafon were at the apex of recording technology and in choosing the best versions of any musical work.
I am less certain of that now.
Linn claim to be unequaled in this field but I can't verify this as I have no Linn recordings. One day, maybe.
Beethoven's 7th from Linn.
I was always of the opinion that Deutsche Grammafon were at the apex of recording technology and in choosing the best versions of any musical work.
I am less certain of that now.
Linn claim to be unequaled in this field but I can't verify this as I have no Linn recordings. One day, maybe.
Beethoven's 7th from Linn.
I used to think DG made great recordings but as my system has gotten better they sound thin and not nearly as good as the Deccas or even Phillips.
I like Jochum's Beethoven 7th on Phillips, probably no longer available. Kleiber's on DG is an amazing performance but the sound is pretty bad.
For the 9th Furtwangler was a real ear opener for me but the sound (although passable) is not the greatest.
Schmidt-Isserstedt did a beautifully recorded complete set of the symphonies for Decca that I enjoy very much, probably would be pretty hard to find though. Ansermet's set also has great sound.
It's fun to listen to many recordings of great works like this, everybody has their own way of looking at them. I'll have to look up the Cantelli - thanks. Ansermet was wonderful wasn't he?
Charlie
I like Jochum's Beethoven 7th on Phillips, probably no longer available. Kleiber's on DG is an amazing performance but the sound is pretty bad.
For the 9th Furtwangler was a real ear opener for me but the sound (although passable) is not the greatest.
Schmidt-Isserstedt did a beautifully recorded complete set of the symphonies for Decca that I enjoy very much, probably would be pretty hard to find though. Ansermet's set also has great sound.
It's fun to listen to many recordings of great works like this, everybody has their own way of looking at them. I'll have to look up the Cantelli - thanks. Ansermet was wonderful wasn't he?
Charlie
I saw the movie Copying Beethoven a couple of weeks ago and there are excerpts of the Ninth in it. The movie was mediocre and the sound from my laptop compressed but the music was great, really great. Turns out it was Haitink. Worth hearing IMO.
Detail copied from IMDB :
"Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125 'Choral'"
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucia Popp, Carolyn Watkinson, Peter Schreier, Robert Holl,
Netherlands Radio Chorus and the Royal Concertgebow Orchestrta of Amsterdam
Conducted by Bernard Haitink
Courtesy of Decca Music Group Limited, part of Universal Music Group International
Detail copied from IMDB :
"Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125 'Choral'"
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucia Popp, Carolyn Watkinson, Peter Schreier, Robert Holl,
Netherlands Radio Chorus and the Royal Concertgebow Orchestrta of Amsterdam
Conducted by Bernard Haitink
Courtesy of Decca Music Group Limited, part of Universal Music Group International
not harsh but poor recording if compared to the requiem (DG) with karajan Mozart collection cd
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I am also interested into a good recording of the 9th, I have the Deutsche Gramophon issue conducted by Karajan and the recording is bad, the voices of the chorus sound like they are behind a heavy curtain...I do not recommend buying this one.
For the 7th symphony it is quite the opposite - look for the recording of Deutsche Gramophon conducted by Carlos Kleiber - it has the 5th and 7th symphonies on it ( both are really masterpieces of performance and record quality ).
For the 7th symphony it is quite the opposite - look for the recording of Deutsche Gramophon conducted by Carlos Kleiber - it has the 5th and 7th symphonies on it ( both are really masterpieces of performance and record quality ).
I have several cycles of Beethoven's symphonies on CD's and LP's.
For CD, Gardiner's performance and sound quality stands out the most. Even though it's a period instrument performance, but it doesn't sound like it (and I hate most period instrument performances).
I also have Karjan's 70's recording on DG on LP. It actually sounds very good to my ears, no harshness or clustering.
For CD, Gardiner's performance and sound quality stands out the most. Even though it's a period instrument performance, but it doesn't sound like it (and I hate most period instrument performances).
I also have Karjan's 70's recording on DG on LP. It actually sounds very good to my ears, no harshness or clustering.
Check out the Beethoven Symphonies performed by the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and conducted by Frans Brüggen.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN The Symphonies. Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Frans Bruggen
"It was some years after founding the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century in 1981 that Frans Brüggen first turned his attention to the music of Beethoven’s Nine Symphonies and endeavoured to perceive that special orchestral landscape, in order to transform it into musical sound, with the use of period instruments rediscovering historical tonal colours."
It's the opposite of sterile sound.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN The Symphonies. Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Frans Bruggen
"It was some years after founding the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century in 1981 that Frans Brüggen first turned his attention to the music of Beethoven’s Nine Symphonies and endeavoured to perceive that special orchestral landscape, in order to transform it into musical sound, with the use of period instruments rediscovering historical tonal colours."
It's the opposite of sterile sound.
Agree on Karajan DG. Definitive performance, everything is there, but sound is screwed up. DG does a lot of processing downmixing from multi-channel, and this makes the sound unnatural.
For good sound and tasteful performance, I would recommend Osmo Vanska with Minnesota Orchestra. It is on SACD. Opinions are sharply divided about Vanska' s Beethoven symphony cycle, I am on enthusiastic admirer's side.
For good sound and tasteful performance, I would recommend Osmo Vanska with Minnesota Orchestra. It is on SACD. Opinions are sharply divided about Vanska' s Beethoven symphony cycle, I am on enthusiastic admirer's side.
Beethoven/von Karajan/Deutsche Grammophon is quite another world on vinyl! von Karajan always has been a freak in recording technique and sound quality, and DG was known for excellent pressings.
I have a DG vinyl collection of all nine Beethoven symphonies in a box with HvK and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and I love it!
Best regards!
I have a DG vinyl collection of all nine Beethoven symphonies in a box with HvK and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and I love it!
Best regards!
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