Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Concerto in C major; Symphony No. 10 (1st Movement)

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

 

 

This is a wonderful performance of the Triple Concerto, one well worth having in your collection. The soloists soar through Beethoven's complex part-writing with the greatest of ease, in the process bringing out tiny details in such a way that it's evident they're listening to what the music is trying to say - and enjoying themselves in the process. The English Chamber Orchestra backs them up with a performance that isn't as overtly powerful as other recordings of this piece, but compensates with a blissful élan that shows they, too, are "getting the message" of the music. Well done.

The real gem on this CD, though, is Barry Cooper's reconstruction of the Tenth Symphony. The E Flat major Andante sections that bracket the movement suffer somewhat from being reconstructed, as the other reviewer pointed out. They're well written musically and certainly competently played here; they're just not particularly memorable. However, the central C minor Allegro is Beethoven at his fiery, intense best. It's a demonic dance in 6/8 time that brings to mind the first movement of his Fifth Symphony, but reattempted by a composer with two decades' more experience and knowledge. It also bears more than a passing resemblance to Brahms' First, which lends an amusing irony to the fact that for many years, Brahms' First was nicknamed "Beethoven's Tenth." The main subject alternates with a haunting G minor second theme, and the development section trails off into nothingness before the recapitulation begins with frightening intensity. Walter Weller and the Birmingham SO, whose complete Beethoven symphony cycle was notorious for the mixed quality of the performances, are in top form here, playing the pants off this movement. They obviously believe strongly in the musical merit of this reconstruction, and their no-holds-barred, fiercely intense playing makes me believe in it too. This is a movement that no Beethoven lover should be without, and the fact that the Triple Concerto is so superbly played clinches this as a highly recommendable CD.

This CD is a good combination of known and unknown Beethoven works: the Concerto for Violin, Piano an Cello is a superb recording equal to all I have heard before. I was really moved by listening to the "remake" of the first movement of the 10th Symphony: I have never thought that I would ever listen to even a little fragment of the lost 10th. The rendition has a very high level of respect and understanding of Beethoven's ideas. I am very pleased of having purchased such a jewel.
Prof. Pedro A. Tesone, M.D., Ph.D.
Buenos Aires University School of Medicine

Nearly two centuries after the composer's passing, the public is able to hear what was formerly the domain of scholars and specialists. In assembling the fragments of what totaled 200 bars of usable music, none of which were longer than 30 bars, Cooper has produced a convincing and moving work. My only criticism is that the extreme contrast between the central Allegro section and the bracketing Andante parts may have been intended as two separate movements. A slow introductory movement followed by a faster and more energetic one corresponds to other late Beethoven, such as the 9th Symphony and 14th String Quartet. The decision to combine them and repeat the Andante may have been necessitated by the extremely limited amount of material available. As a unified piece, rather than the first movement of, at least to date, a nonexistent complete work, Cooper's arrangement is entirely successful.

The interested listener may wish to look up the site "The Unheard Beethoven," in which many of the composer's hitherto unpublished work may be heard.

The Triple Concerto is a beautiful masterpiece and this rendition and recording is quite stunning. The 10th Symphony, though less well-known and perhaps less a masterpiece, is also quite appealing. Any Beethoven fan would be happy to own this CD.

When you hear the "reconstruction" of the 10 symphony, you will notice that its made with 2 major sections, the first one will remind you a lot to the "pathetic" piano sonata.Also the main theme seems more than a variation of another basic them, than a theme itself.Also its very obvius that the arranger had most of the work, because seems more a basic Beethoven.But the second section is the one to remark.This one must be the section that Beethoven already finished, because the sound its more developed and seems a more elaborated work than the first section.
To finnish the movement, the arranger just repited the first section, and made a variation of the first theme, but it seems more the variation of a child than a serious composer.Its obvius that he is a history reseach than a composer.

I gave the whole cd a 5 because the concerto in C it absolutely beautifull.And the reconstruction is an 7 over 10, but this is a must have just to hear the second section of the reconstruction.