Customer Reviews

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not only is this the best digitally recorded Beethoven symphony cycle performed by an American orchestra, it is unquestionably one of the best available. Why it isn't on amazon.com's list of best Beethoven symphony cycles is a great mystery to me. These are spellbinding performances which Telarc has done a very good job of recording. The Cleveland Orchestra plays Beethoven's music as well as the philharmonic orchestras of Vienna and Berlin. Under Dohnanyi's inspired conducting, the strings and woodwinds have a lush, sweet, almost Viennese sound; the brass sections play as warmly as their counterparts in Chicago.

Dohnanyi and the Cleveland Orchestra have their share of great performances in this set. I can't think of a more perfect "Pastorale" than their version, perhaps better than Karl Bohm's with the Vienna Philharmonic. The 9th Symphony is another superlative performance too. The 3rd Symphony should be regarded as among the best, except that Telarc's engineers have overemphasized the brass section at great expense to both woodwinds and strings. Indeed, my main complaint is the fact that the sound is not as well balanced among different sections of the Cleveland Orchestra as I've heard elsewhere (e. g. Barenboim with the Berlin Staatskapelle or Abbado with the Berlin Philharmonic). Other excellent performances include those of the 5th and 8th symphonies. Dohnanyi's version of the 7th Symphony is among the swiftest; it is a credible version, but one which isn't as compelling as those I've heard from the Vienna Philharmonic (conducted by Kleiber, Bernstein or Bohm), Nikolaus Harnoncourt with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, or Daniel Barenboim with the Berlin Staatskapelle. Indeed, I will venture to say that this cycle is better than Karajan's classic Berlin Philharmonic cycle dating from the early 1960's, which many regard as a definitive cycle, including the music editors at amazon.com.

I think another reviewer put it best: This is the only Beethoven symphony cycle in which I can listen and just hear Beethoven. All the other Beethoven conductors I've heard have, to varying degrees, let their egos get in the way of the music, to the point where I'm not sure how much of what I'm hearing is really Beethoven and how much is (insert conductor's name here). Dohnanyi, on the other hand, is a superb interpreter of what Beethoven intended his music to sound like, mainly because he keeps things direct and honest: there are no weird tempo variations, no out-of-place dynamic changes... no "ba-ba-baaaa-BUMMMMMMMMMMM"s for him, as someone else mentioned. He's just conducting what's on the page, and doing it extraordinarily well. The Cleveland Orchestra backs him up with a precision I haven't heard anywhere else. I use the phrase "tightly controlled" power a lot to refer to this particular orchestra: they don't try to blast a continuous wave of sound at you; rather, they snap it out in bursts. In addition, the orchestra plays with a polish, precision, and almost perfect balance for which I haven't found a match. The result is a Beethoven symphony cycle that's both powerful *and* precise, something I haven't found anywhere else: all other conductors err too far toward one side or the other. I do have to demote this cycle slightly for Telarc's sound, which--although very well done--does allow the brass to overshadow the other instrument groups slightly, most noticeably in the "Eroica." Fortunately, Dohnanyi is keenly aware of what every instrument family is doing and when each should be prominent, so the orchestral balance in each of these symphonies is well maintained anyway. I just can't say enough good things about this symphony cycle: listen to the whipcrack of a last note at the end of the first movement of the Fifth, for example, or the awesome, majestic second movement of that same symphony. Listen to the regal power of the entire "Eroica" as recorded here. Check out how jubilant the Fourth symphony (normally something of a throwaway) sounds under Dohnanyi's baton. Listen to the unusually boisterous peasants' dance in the Sixth. Note how hypnotic and woeful the slow movement of the Seventh becomes, or the lush, tender slow movement of the Ninth, or how awe-inspiring the Ninth's finale is, with its chorus just exploding out of the speakers. I could extend this list on and on, but I'm just babbling now. The point is, this sadly-underrated Beethoven symphony cycle is my cycle of choice. I won't go back to other interpretations now, and I bet if you try these interpretations out, you won't return either.

Of all those complete sets of Beethoven symphonies out there, this is by far the one to get. It is not that well known (it tends to be over-shadowd by recordings by Karajan and all those other guys), but it deserves more credit than any other set out there. This is the only Beethoven symphony set in which I can listen to it and simply hear Beethoven. There's no weird interpretations, it's simply Beethoven. The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the best orchestras in the world, and they prove that in this set. The woodwinds are especially superb. None of the music seems to drag or to be too fast - it's just right (I'm a big fan of fast tempi - but you just can't complain in this set). The Orchestra is very crisp and tight at all times, which is rare in most Beethoven cycles. After every symphony is done, you always feel like your ears have been greatly rewarded. The sound quality is fine - I don't know what some of the others are complaining about. I can hear every section (including the low strings) with no problem. This set is a great treat for your listening pleasure. This set is without a doubt the best one on the market right now!

One thing is certain: these performances achieve a near miraculous balance that is rare in this body of work: Vivacious, yet measured; sonorous, yet deft; inspiring, yet not hysterical. With this recording, The Cleveland Orchestra once again justifies all the superlatives one associates with it. However, the players do not achieve this triumph on their own. Dohnányi, who is often derided for his performances outside the Second Viennese school repertoire, has an unerring ear capable of achieving refined orchestral textures while maintaining appropriate tempos. The singers in the 9th are all more than qualified, and the choral preparation is irreproachable.

The one drawback: Telarc apparently produced the CDs with the understanding that they would be played back on multi-thousand dollar equipment. My system is fairly elaborate, and includes a subwoofer. Nonetheless, I barely hear the lower strings when they play pianissimo. Ideally, this problem could be corrected in a newer release with more careful mixing. Unfortunately, record companies seem to have all but given up on Dohnányi and Cleveland, so this release may be as good as it gets. Despite my reservations about the sound, this is my preferred version of the symphonies and I recommend them enthusiastically.

This collection represents quite an excellent effort by Dohnányi. Although I find his interpretations to be in all but one instance sublime & extremely well performed, I still feel that the best interpretation of the Pastorale symphony no. 6 is by Vladimir Ashkenazy. Dohnányi is just a bit too aggressive & grandiose. I am being harsh by finding any fault in such a wonderful collection. I would highly recommend this set to anyone.

In my book, there are really only two great choices for the complete Beethoven symphonies: the von Karajan/Berlin from the early 60s, and this. (They're actually pretty complementary, too: the differences in tempii are noticeable, and each conductor does a lot with the choices they make). The Dohnanyi/Cleveland set benefits from more updated recording technology, but I also like Dohnanyi's approach. He's not afraid to pull out various sections to reveal details we sometimes miss with von Karajan. There is also a force and grace to some of the slower movements such as the 7th's... and when the 4th starts in earnest, it's wonderful. The 9th is superb, and I find the sound clear, but to be honest with you it will not rivet you the way a live performance will. (Unless you play it really loud, your stereo just will not rival the sound you hear from 250 musicians/singers in Carnegie Hall.)

This Beethoven set, symphony by symphony, is simply one of the very best ever recorded. Christoph von Dohnanyi gives a powerful and translucent performances throughout this entire cycle. I agree very much with another reviewer that Dohnanyi's strength is in what seems to be his unwillingness to engage in "musical editorial" upon Beethoven. But perhaps in that regard Dohnanyi has so very much more to say about Beethoven than many other conductors. The music is vibrant, punctuated, lyrical, epic in scope and dynamically beautiful. As for the recorded sound, it is slightly unimpressive at lower volumes (perhaps because of Telarcs desire to avoid overprocessing the recorded sound, and thus preserving the musics natural dynamics). However if you love masterfully played Beethoven, you will want to turn this set up loud. And when you do, the sound, by nature of the performances, is thrilling and very natural sounding. This set was recorded in the mid to late 1980's at the height of the Cleveland Orchestras recording legacy. They are precise and powerful in execution of each symphony. There is not a weak moment in this set anywhere to be found. The cost is a little more than some (less than some newer sets) but worth every last penny!

An outstanding cycle from a performance perspective. Dohnanyi and Cleveland are precision itself in many of the symphonies, especially 5 and 7. The real tragedy here is that these great performances were captured with Telarc's cavernous sound quality. The whole set sounds like was recorded in a cave. So don't buy this expecting a digital orgasm, but rather for the stunning musical interpretations. (Sorry Telarc).

This set is among the most dynamic, most beautifully played Beethoven cycles now available on CD. Dohnanyi has an intuitive feel for the scores, evoking both passion and remarkable insight. The Clevelanders' famed precision and Telarc's immediate sound make this boxed set a truly definitive one. You won't be disappointed.

This set of the nine symphonies are brilliant, and superlatively recorded. However, there are some orchestrative aspects that I don't really agree with, especially in the ninth symphony. However, to be fair, I must say that the tempo is suberbly gauged, textural boundaries and cadence points are much more clearly defined than any other version I've heard. The sheer immense grandeur of the work comes out very well. The solo quartet is admirable, although the vocal balance was better achieved in the Karajan 1963 version.
Dohnanyi's version of the fifth symphony is the finest that is currently available, with all the awesome power and stygian darkness, interspersed with flickering flames. The sixth symphony is beautifully executed, with a pearly, light and superbly clear texture. The seventh and eighth are..pretty good. The Karajan version does these two better.
Overall, the brilliant recording and beautiful execution make this set worthwile, but I would personally recommend buying it in conjunction with one or two others, specifically the Karajan 1963 version, so that you get a complete and impartial picture of these most monumental works.