Customer Reviews

Beethoven: 9 Symphonies (1963)

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I agree with the Amazon reviewer that, of all Karajan's Beethoven traversals, this one is the best, and I also believe it serves as a great introduction to Beethoven's symphonies as a whole. Like any interpretation of such well-loved works, there will always be a few points of disagreement, but overall Karajan's vision prevails. And at this price, one can certainly afford to augment this collection here and there with another conductor's interpretation.

Every symphony here bears the trademark Van Karajan clarity and precision, but unlike his later recordings of Beethoven, there is also plenty of fire and passion. I really like the tempos he chooses for the fifth and the seventh (my favorite). Ever since I bought Karajan's 1963 interpretations of these two a number of years ago, I've never really liked any other conductor's treatment of the finales of these two symphonies, Karajan's seem that perfectly done to me. The first, second, fourth, and eighth are all excellent interpretations, and they will remind any listener that, although they are not considered among Beethoven's colossal achievements, perhaps they should be (especially the fourth). While he might have put a bit more bounce into the eighth, which is without doubt Beethoven's jauntiest symphony, I find that's just a minor quibble on my part.

With the third, sixth and ninth, you won't be disappointed by any means, since none of these interpretations is anything but excellent. But after you listen to them for a while and decide that these symphonies are essential to living a long and happy life, you might want to cast around for alternatives to complement Karajan. It's generally acknowledged that Karajan's 1977 recording of the ninth is his best, and that it is among the greatest interpretations of all time. It's also available on a single disk. For the third, Otto Klemperer, hands down. After Karajan heard Klemperer conduct the third in the 1950's, he visited Klemperer backstage to congratulate him and said that he hoped he would live long enough to one day conduct the slow movement of this symphony as well as Klemperer had done it. High praise indeed. For the sixth, either Karl Bohm or Klemperer again.

That said, I think any lover of Beethoven, or anyone just starting out on getting together a Beethoven collection, should have this set. And it's rare to find such a generous price attached to such a formidable collection.

Over his 35year tenure with the Berlin Philharmonic Herbert von Karajan recorded 4 complete Beethoven symphony cycles. This 1963 one is his masterpiece. Just as there are people who like either the even- or the odd-numbered symphonies better, this set will not please everybody in every single aspect, but it is as good as anybody can get on an artistic proposition of this format. The cycle conveys a very clear artistic vision. Probably better than anything else Karajan ever recorded it epitomizes the unique sound he was able to create with 'his' Philhramonic. This makes the cycle very homogenous, all symphonies have the same overall very high quality. In contrast to some of his very early Viennese recordings, his pace is quicker, and as always he creates a wonderful transparency of sound. My personal favorites are #7 and #9, the latter is done wonderfully both in terms of soloists and choir. An extremely moving experience. The sound quality of this '63 recording is very good, but with Deutsche Grammophon one is generally never disappointed in that regard anyway.

This 1963 recording has been remastered twice. (It's been "reissued" a zillion times but I think it's only been "remastered" 2 times.) The version you should get depends on the amount of money you want to spend and the level of sound fidelity you're looking for.

-- ASIN # B000001GBQ: this item you're looking at DG429036; the least expensive version (also same as import package ASIN # B000056OBA)

-- ASIN # B000001GZ4: 1997 remaster DG453701 (done as part of the special 87-disc 20-volume Beethoven Complete Edition). This version is about $25 more and also has a nice color book with history and photos. Used "Original-ImageBit-Processing" technology.

-- ASIN # B0000C03AH: 2003 remaster to SACD DG474600. This version at a hundred+ bucks is 4 times the cost of the basic set.

(And no doubt in the future there will be another remaster using another whizbang technology like "holographic projection" sound.)

I recommend the 1997 remaster (B000001GZ4). It has the best value combination of price and sound quality.

I have 3 different Beethoven Nine Symphonies sets now:

(1) 'The Beethoven Collection' by Janos Ferencsik (ASIN: B000001VVY)
(2) 'Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies' by David Zinman (ASIN: B00000IFP6)
(3) 'Beethoven: 9 Symphonien' by Herbert von Karajan (ASIN: B000001GBQ).

The first one is a budget set and has taken early retirement since I acquired the latter two, which I found to be far superior. Yet, there is a difference between the latter two.

The critically acclaimed David Zinman edition is slightly lightweight, but has the advantage of speed and dramatics and really grabs your attention. For those times when I feel bored and need something exciting to perk me up, that's when I reach for the David Zinman edition. It is Beethoven driven at a very fast pace, as mentioned by numerous others earlier.

The widely acknowledged 1963 Herbert von Karajan edition has a large grand orchestral sound which is warm and lush; I reach for it when I want to unwind and enjoy sweet orchestral music. The quality of the recording is still excellent despite its age, and if you are coming over to classical music from smooth Jazz, this is an easier transition.

I strongly recommend these 2 sets - if you like your Symphonies hot and exciting go for the Zinman edition; if you want something warm and lush, go for the 1963 Karajan edition, or better still, grab both sets like me.

This is (with the probable exception of the Pastoral) an outstanding set of recordings. Karajan captures the fire within Beethoven's music and brings the phenomenal best out of the Berlin musicians. The reason that this set is treated with contempt by some 'well-informed' reviewers is that it comes as the benchmark in Beethoven performance. Some people have been familiar with these recordings for 40+ years and consequently when different performance styles came about, they were treated as a 'much needed breath of fresh air'. Well, of course they were to such people. However, this doesn't detract from the immediacy or brilliance of the music making in this set. In many ways this is the ideal introduction into Beethoven's symphonic canon, without the extremes or quirkiness of the 'period influenced' Harnoncourt or Gardiner. As has been mentioned, the sixth is a slight disappointment, overly rushed and lacking the spacious, joyful sigh of relief that is required in the final movement. Thus, a separate purchase of Bohm or Walter's recording of this work is to be recommended. However, with this set being as inexpensive as it is, this extra purchase scarcely makes it uneconomical.

The 9 Symphonies play a great role in my life because of their sheer beauty and touching deepness. So I have obtained a lot of recordings of these pieces through the years, some of them on CD, some on casette, some on LP. And there are the concerts, of course. As a natural consequence, I have listened to a lot of different interpretations of these masterpieces. All interpretations (well not all but a great majority) have their moments but when I listen to Maestro Karajan's recordings of these, I always discover something that wasn't there the last time I heard. Karajan has always been critiqued for being too mechanical, too much in control but he always introduced something new to the music through his interpretation... The artistical point of the 1963 Karajan cycle has already been talked about a lot, I've got nothing more to say about it, I can only repeat that this cycle is perpahs the best cycle you will ever find. It is one of those works which become to be the yardstick for the later recordings to be compared with.

I was most pleasantly surprised to discover that the sound quality is phenomenal for a 1963 recording, it is better than more recent ADD records. The sound engineering is also very good, it is like having the full orchestra play for you in youor living room. The deep notes of the double basses go right through you while the violins tease your ears in a most pleasent way. So, the sound quality is just great.

I also would like to talk about the CD design, which is something very important for me. I know it is strange but I like to own CDs that have good design. Of course the included material is a lot more important but... Anyway, there are two CD cases with the first one including the first 6 symphonies on 3 CDs, and the other presenting the remaining three on 2 CDs, with the last CD contains the 9th. CDs have mirror surface with the classic DG logo and the contents are listed on the CD itself as well as the booklet. The booklet offers a good read on the 9 symphonies and the cycle presented with the set.

I hope you will enjoy the set as much as I do...

This cycle of Beethoven symphonies is great for a number of reasons. The Seventh symphony is especially pleasing. Compared to many other recordings of this symphony, it is the most exciting. In the fourth movement, the intensity is incredible. Other performances lack compared to this one. The playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is superb. The Eroica symphony is great as well. Then there is the 9th Symphony. This has to be the very best recording of the Ninth Symphony ever recorded and it's my guess that it won't be passed. This set may not have the best recordings of every symphony, but it is the best cycle available of the symphonies, and it does come with at the very least two of the greatest recordings of Beethoven's symphonies. This box set is a great introduction to Beethoven, a great addition to collections that already have lots of Beethoven, and a landmark set for Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.

This set slips just a little every time I listen to it. Karajan's reputation of skating over the surface of the music, of going for texture at the expense of deeper expressivity and architecture, is often more than a little justified. There are moments of greatness here, but it's hard to tell sometimes if this is real interpretive greatness or merely the broken clock telling the right time twice a day.

As a *general* rule Karajan scores better in the "dramatic" symphonies. The first two are uninvolved--I don't feel his heart is in them, and for a really convincing middle-of-the-road reading try Felix Weingartner with the Vienna Philharmonic. You'll have to deal with 1930s sound (very good 1930s sound), but it's worth it, and Weingartner's handling of the First Symphony's slow movement is a revelation. Karajan's Third gets a reading that is often considered one of the very best--some feel the very best. But to my ears it's too smoothed over--I don't hear the danger, the revolutionary aspects. Compared to Furtwangler, Wengartner again, or especially Cluytens, this is a tame performance. Additonally, Karajan omits the first movement expositional repeat, which really throws things off kilter structurally. Earlier conductors can be excused for this in the age of the 78, but in the era of the LP there's no reason, and without it, one doesn't notice Beethoven's subtle handling of transitions so well. Karajan's Fourth is charmless and forgettable--the old man had no sense of humor (the young man probably didn't either). The Fifth is a whirlwind, especially the first movement, which is impressive for its sheer power, if not any interpretive insights or nuances. It won't displace Carlos or Erich Kleiber, but it's very fine and worth hearing to sample the BPO in full cry. The Sixth is a travesty. Karajan isn't taking us on a trip to the countryside--he's flying over it at 40,000 feet in his jet. Expression is nil, phrasing is non-existent, humor is lost. I'm not expecting Bruno Walter--that's not HvK's temperment--but he has nothing to say here and even sounds a little embarrassed by the whole naive thing. The "redemption" finale is mechanical--this *can* be very moving if done by a conductor who has conviction. The Seventh is *the* masterpiece of the set: exquisite tempi, fine clarity, an Allegretto that is taken at the right tempo and with the right rhythmic inflections (the repeated notes in the opening phrases have dashes, dammit) yet not a sense of rushing past the drama. Carlos Kleiber and Karajan have this symphony nailed like no others. The Eighth is a real powerhouse, especially in the first movement, but I almost wonder if this is what this music is about. Karajan attacks the development in the first movement as though he were conducting the 5th. It's thrilling, but...well, you be the judge. We could do with more humor in the second movement and sensitivity in the third. For comparisons, hear Cluytens, Norrington (that's right!), Walter, Casals. The Ninth is headstrong and agitated, maybe a little too so. There are spots where it needs to breathe, such as the first movement's funeral coda. The scherzo is oddly unsatisfying to me--maybe this is just a personal thing. But I don't get a strong sense of rhythm (never Karajan's forte anyway) and I do get too much speed, but not enough "creep." The timpani could also be more forceful here. The slow movement could be more heartfult, without becoming excessively romantic. There's little "spiritual" in this reading from someone who was supposed to be such a spiritual conductor. The finale is very fine, with a well-matched quartet of singers and particularly strong contributions from Janowitz...but why is the tenor always the weak link in a 9th? Sound is good for the time, but a little unfocused, especially on the low end. Despite my reservations, the price of this boxed set is definitely right, it compared favorably to DG's other slim box set--Bernstein's--and no complete cycle "has it all," so Karajan scores no worse than some other distinguished maestros. But you'll be wanting alternatives for most of these performances, especially the charmless even-numbered symphonies. The curious Beethoven listener should check out Furtwangler's wartime performances on Music & Arts, Cluytens cycle from the late 50s on Seraphim (which has an especially magnificent 3rd), Abbado, Klemperer, Walter, both Kleibers, and even Hogwood (for the 4th and 5th) and Norrington (for the 8th). And Weingartner is coming back into the catalog, with some recordings that rank among the best ever. I find when I just want to hear a familiar symphony is good, warm sound I grab one of these recordings, but when I want to be challenged I go elsewhere. Karajan devotees, of course, will consider these criticisms to be blasphemous, and will continue to think that Herbie recorded The Best Everything Out There Ever.

I have nothing to add to everyone else's praise of this cycle. I would add the caveat that you'll want to augment this set with a better version of the 6th, such as Bohm's recording with the VPO, as Karajan just doesn't seem to understand this work. I'd also get Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 7 by Kleiber/VPO as they are excellent interpretations, better than the ones on this set (and some of the best around.) Finally the 1st and 2nd are a little rambunctious for such classical structures, you may want to investigate Szell or Bohm for a leaner, more classical approach. That said, the 3rd, 4th, 8th and 9th on this set are excellent, some of the best in the catalog, and the 5th and the 7th are very good as well. Overall it's still one of the best overall cycles, as you get 6 very good recordings, 4 of which are excellent, and only one real misfire in the Pastorale.
I would suggest you also look for the better remastering, Beethoven: 9 Symphonies. That set features all of the symphonies from the same cycle as this, but with Original Image-Bit Processing utilized during the remixing/remastering. I compared the two, and in terms of sound the rerelease is much better. In my opinion, I think the sound quality on the release I'm referring to may even beat the '77 set (of course it beats it artistically).

I have been listening to these recordings for 32 years and with the exception of the 6th I don't think they have ever been bettered. For me Karajan is the only conductor to play the funeral march of the Eroica with the gravity, dignity and depth it deserves, and his 1962 recording is the greatest there is. The first movement is just magnificent in its boundless energy and true "brio"-which is where Klemperer, in his stereo version, just leaves me cold because his tempo is far too slow. I only wish Karajan played the coda of this movement as Beethoven wrote it, but then again in his day nobody played it correctly. The Fourth in this Karajan cycle is the best except that the exposition repeat is missing (Karajan omitted all 1st movement repeats except in 1, 5 and 8), and the slow movement is just ravishing. By comparison his 1977 set is disappointing. The 8th and 9th are at the top of the choices of available recordings. The 7th is a bit over fast in the finale and the recording a little cloudy, but that cannot stop me enjoying every bar. This set should be heard by everyone just getting acquainted with Beethoven. The principal oboist throughout the whole nine symphonies must be heard to be believed.