13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Among the Best Beethoven Symphony recordings, even 45+ years after they were recorded..., June 2, 2006
This review is from: Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies (Audio CD)
Bruno Walter (1876-1962) made his final recording of the Beethoven Symphonies in 1959-60, as age and ill health had taken their toll on him, but it doesn't show, except perhaps in Symphony 9 of this cycle. Recorded with the Los Angeles based Columbia Symphony Orchestra, made up of members of the L.A. Philharmonic, plus studio and freelance musicians, Walter's Beethoven shows a connection with his studies with Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) and the great Austrian/German tradition of conductors. (Mahler's other students included Otto Klemperer and Oscar Fried, two other great 20th century conductors.)
All the Symphonies under Walter's leadership show a large string section, and juicy, Romantic sound. Walter does not observe repeats in Symphony 5: I and IV; Symphony 8: I, or Symphony 9: II, which today have become the standard. Walter emphasized strings over winds, which some listeners today will not be accustomed to. Tempos are usually moderate in First and last movements, which were usually faster under conductors like Szell and Ormandy.
Symphonies 2, 3, 4, and 6 are among the best ever committed to disc, and in stereo, too! Symphonies 1, 5, 7 and 8 are very good, but not as good as some competing recordings by Szell (1, and 7), Reiner/Chicago (5,7) or Scherchen (8). Symphony 9 is the only poor recording in the set: a badly cracked and very obvious trumpet note at the final climax in I is really disconcerting, and the chorus and soloists in IV seem to not be on Walter's wavelength: slow tempos mar the excitement which should be found in the "Ode to Joy" movement. In Symphony 9, Walter emphasizes humanity and Romantic warmth over excitement. (For excitement, check out George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra, Sony Classical).
I consider Walter's Beethoven to be one of the CLASSIC stereo recordings of Beethoven Symphonies, along with Szell/Cleveland (Symphonies 1, 3, 4 and 9 - Sony); Bernstein/Vienna (DG) and Bohm/Vienna (DG, on 3 individual 2-CD sets). Highly recommended.
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