Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphonies no 5 and 7 / Ashkenazy (Penguin Music Classics Series)

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

 

 

Vladimir Ashkenazy, one of the best pianist of the XX century, is revealed here as a superb conductor.

He has recorded what in my opinion is the best edition of Beethoven's 5th and 7th Symphonies, far better than other versions as for example the overrated Kleiber recording. Ashkenazy's set is real powerful, but also gentle when needed, has a very good sound quality and, more important, always has the correct tempo.

Other very good recordings are Abbado's and Karajan's one with the Berlin Philarmonic Orchestra, but Karajan's one sometimes goes too fast, as for example on the world famous "Zardoz" allegretto from the 7th symphony, which in Ashkenazy's recording is full of power and dignity. I love this allegretto but in Karajan's version sounds like something urgent, like if the orchestra were trying to hurry up because they had to go somewhere after playing.

Some critics claims this Ashkenazy's recordings to be too "conservative". I really don't understand what are they trying to say. One can say that Karajan's romantic aproach to almost every score may be "not conservative", but, is it bad to be conservative when conducting Beethoven? Would you prefer to hear this played by an orchestra of electric ukeleles or what? I can't see the "conservative" point anywhere, to my ear is just the best Beethoven's 5th and 7th ever recorded.

I've listened to many other versions of this score, from the highly overrated Kleiber and Toscanini recordings to the good enough, Von Dohnanyi's, Reiner's, Furtwangler's or Mravinsky's versions, and ending with the superb Karajan's (except for the allegretto from the 7th) and Abbado's recordings. If you want the best Beethoven's 5th and 7th, just try this Ashkenazy jewel, and maybe give also a chance to Abbado's recording: Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7

PS. This Ashkenazy CD has recently gone out of stock, but, don't worry because there are at least 3 editions of this exact same recording and, if you don't care about missing the very good leaflet of this edition, the others are easily available, for example here: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7

Some push the music too much, some too little and it drags. Ashkenazy keeps it moving perfectly and perfectly balanced. I hear details which get lost in other famous conductor's conducting. I think famous conductors sometimes make it crash and bang just to "sound" exciting. But Ashkenazy is perfect - you hear many details like never before. Top recommendation.

"Vladimir Ashkenazy leads the Philharmonia Orchestra through these Beethoven classics in a powerful, if slightly conservative, manner." writes the critic. This is an understatement. Ashkenazy conducts as if possessed by Klemperer and Furtwängler's spirit at the same time, and this immensely powerful and gripping performance of 5th and 7th will blast any rivals away.

I'm usually not impressed by Ashkenazy as a conductor, except by his magnificent reading of Strauss' Tone Poems, and I rarely feel like replaying Beethoven symphonies conducted by anyone, but this performance of 5th struck me like a lightning from the bold opening and completely grabbed me to the final Allegro in which the surge of life-affirming force explodes. I immediately replayed each movement for closer listening. Interpretation-wise, the astonishing vitality and energy of Ashkenazy's reading reminds me Furtwängler's wartime account, while Philharmonia's playing is vibrant in every detail as if conducted by Klemperer.

The same can be said of this powerfully felt account of 7th. The broadly paced 2nd movement is suffused with elegiac lyricism and very subtle and opulent string playing - the most deeply felt reading of the movement I've ever come across. The build-up in emotional and rhythmic intensity is superbly executed in other three movements, pulsing with positive energy and elan. The finale is simply magnificent!

It was a big surprise to find these performances, outside the mainstream Beethovenians, that capture the transcendental spirit of the composer so masterfully. Recorded beautifully in digital stereo, 1981/83, Kingsway Hall, London.

Vladimir Ashkenazy's conservative view of Beethoven's 5th and 7th symphonies remains valid when fresh insights from Jonathan del Mar's edited scores are increasingly in vogue. While this fine coupling won't supplant classic recordings by Carlos Kleiber, and Leonard Bernstein with the Vienna Philharmonic, it is still one worth hearing. The Philharmonia Orchestra's level of playing is as fine as the Vienna Philharmonic's; both symphonies are played with much warmth as well as technical precision. Ashkenazy's tempi are slow, giving him time to wring out as much lyrical phrasing as he can from these scores. Alas his best Beethoven symphony recording with the Philharmonia Orchestra, that of the 6th symphony, isn't available here at Amazon.com. Yet you won't be disappointed with this coupling.

This is most certainly one of the best reditions I've ever heard, and as far as the Fifth Symphony is concerned, I've hear quite a few. In many recordings of these two symphonies, the tempos either rush the music too much, or are two slow and make it drag. This, to me, results in the orchestra sounding like it's "pushing" the tempo or at least like they want to. I found that this recording of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to be just the right speed to keep the music moving with all the vigor that the orchestra could put out-- being quite a lot in this case. The Seventh Symphony is just as powerful in its own more pastoral way. Ashkenazy takes the bold Beethovien themes and creates full sound that only an orchestra with the technical ability of Philharmonia can do. Since hearing this CD, one of my first, I have measured all other's to it. While it may not be the most definitive preformance, it is still definately worth hearing. I would recomend this CD to anyone that wants to hear a truely recording that is probably quite under-rated. Keep in mind that it is older, recorded in 1982 for the Fifth and 1984 for the seventh, but the age doesn't detract from the power of the music in any way. This is a must-have for any veteran Beethoven lover or someone just begining their classical music collection. It certainly worked out as a great place to start for me!

This might be great. I'm just not sure. On the one hand it's really wonderful to buy a recording and sitting down(I began with the 7th) to be struck with "Wow, that's different then my other versions..and I like it." Refreshing and all that. But then "Whoa, what was that! The Penquin Guide said 'well recorded'." I'm speaking about a very obvious 'digital artifact' or something noise in the first movement. Then in the second movement when the strings get quiet they sound like fuzz not violins. I heard once "early digital recordings had trouble with low-level detail"--is this what I'm hearing? Yuck. So then I think "Well I still like it because when it doesn't sound wierd it's very pleasant." Then in the forth movement the orchestra starts to fall apart..but..really gets it together in the final moments. Damn I'm lost! Should I feel ripped-off? The fifth is also enjoyable and sloppy in the forth movement too. I'm giving 4 stars because there are(!)some nice things about this reading, but it's makin' me crazy. Say what you will about the idiosyncrasies of Karajan, Bohm, or Solti when it comes to Beethoven, but at least their records are more or less consistant in quality of playing (and recording!) across four movements.