Customer Reviews

Beethoven - Symphonies 4 and 7 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic

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

 

 

The whole Abbado series never falls below a very high standard, but the Seventh Symphony is something quite extraordinary. If the Berlin Philharmonic has ever played better, I have never encountered the occasion, and I don't expect to. Enthusiasm, musicianship, and precision to this degree are seldom attained, much less combined. I cannot conceive that anyone would prefer von Karajan. I have not heard the Gielen set which is likely to be pretty good too.

Not the least consideration is that Abbado seems to show the same kind of excitement that his orchestra does--or more likelly it's the other way around. I would guess--without any particular knowledge of the facts--that the Seventh might be Abbado's favorite among the Nine, or maybe his absolute favorite, period.

Actually I think the fourth movement is probably played too fast; the tempo is given as allegro con brio, not hyperdrive, but it works anyway because (a) the Berliners can do it, and without sounding rushed, and (b) everybody is visibly having a wonderful time. I have no idea what the metronome marking is, but don't worry about it. Beethoven would like the result, as clearly the audience did.

I think the Fourth Symphony is fine, but it's the Seventh you really must have.

I purchased Abbado's 2001 performance of Beethoven 4 and 7 on DVD at nearly the same time as Karajan's 1982 studio prduction and what a huge difference!

Here, we see a live performance with Abbado's Berlin in top form. Abbado's "democratic" leadership of the orchestra shows itself in the life that the soloists bring to their moments, points where they get to bring their own unique voice into the mix, seemingly without musical restraint from the conductor. Whereas I get the impression at times that Karajan hates what he is doing, (which seems to transfer to the players' performance) Abbado's facial expressions are deeply tied to the nature of the music he's conducting at the moment, and of his joy in the sounds the players are creating (which also seems contagious.

Abbado's pacing between movements could be considered a little abrupt, but the finale transition seemed utterly appropriate. Also, his tempo on the second movement, while not utterly unique, gave a little bit in key moments such as the move to the legato, major key B section, a very soothing feeling. The biggest difference in the two interpretations by the same orchestra of Beethoven's seventh is the finale, which Karajan absolutely demolishes! If you listen and watch carefully, you will see as Karajan's tense, labored arms drag the tempo down almost to a standstill in the first 8 measures! Abbado's simple and energetic gestures, on the other hand, create the momentum needed to propel this movement forward for a thrilling conclusion.

I don't mean to simply create contrast to display this DVD's merits but in my particular case, I was just beginning to discover classical music DVD's and I had little else to go off of when I purchased these. I will say that the best thing to learn from it is to watch for players that had been around since the Karajan's studio production play under Abbado over 18 years later. While some of them are much older (and many are gone) those seen on both display a renewed vigor with this music under Abbado, a sense of freedom and life quite unlike the previous rendition.

I gave it 4 stars because as enjoyable as Beethoven 7 was, I was not overly impressed with the fourth. I think that partly has to do with the fact that I don't particularly care for the fourth in comparison with most of the others. That being the case, I would say that my critique is in the pairing of the 4th with the 7th. I think the 4th might work better with, say, the 1st or 3rd. I am not sure what it is about the 7th because, as exciting as it can be, it doesn't really seem to work, in my humble opinion, with the 4th. I think the producers of the series could have done better-they paired 3 and 9 together! Why not spread them out a little better? Or, why not pair up symphonies in the manner that Beethoven did? (i.e. 5/6 and 7/8 were written in pairs) This is my thought, I'm sure they had they're reasons.

Overall a very enjoyable experience.

Beethoven's 7th is one of the most exciting symphonies ever written. However, some conductors try to make it too exciting by playing it too loud, too fast or too dramatic. Great conductors let the music speak for itself. And that is what Abbado does in this very special performance. Yes, the tempos are fast but they sound absolutely perfect, even the extra fast finale. Why? Because the players are having so much fun playing it this way. If the conductor plays the finale too fast and the players cannot handle it, it sounds stressed, a very bad quality in Beethoven. The playing here by the Berlin Philharmonic is simply superb. This is one of the greatest Beethoven Sevenths I have ever heard. The world has to be thankful that is was videotaped.

The 4th is also superb, especially the brilliantly played finale.

Being an Abbado fanatic, I may be a little biased - but here goes. A review of the actual music has been well-covered, and having watched/listened to the entire Beethoven symphonies, as gorgeously filmed by Paul Smaczny and his reverent crew, I can only add something deeply personal.

Whatever changes this extraordinary conductor makes, whatever he injects or removes from the standard rendition, goes far, far beyond the music itself. What I refer to, if anyone else has watched from the "conductor camera" angle, is the transformative power of music - in this case, Beethoven's.

Abbado, here hardly a year from his brush with death, is a virtual powerhouse, filled with the joy of every note he sculpts with his entire body. These DVDs make up a portrait of a truly happy man, doing with flourish, what he passionately loves, and his happiness is infectious. Somehow he's transformed Beethoven's suffering and the joy into a healing potion that can have a profound affect on he or she who dares to open up the inner ear. As a psychotherapist, I decided to place one of my long-depressed patients in front of the Seventh Symphony, clicked on the Conductor Angle, and made him stay there.

Anybody want a miracle? Not only did he suddenly stand up and start conducting along with Abbado, but laughed and cried with, he said, JOY! Then he asked for the Third. Same reaction. After watching all nine over a few days, he went off his medication and says he's changed everything. Abbado is his hero, and if he, the once robust musician, now frail-looking and luminous, can have such a powerful life force, then anyone with a true will to live could discover it.
I couldn't agree with him more. Claudio told his musicians, shortly after his operation, that they were his medicine and his doctors agreed.

I believe that not only Beethoven, but Mahler, Dvorak, Bach, Brahms and Schubert among many others, would be smiling at him in complete accord from wherever they are. These symphonies shine in the hands of the Berlin Philharmonic, and all I can say is these excellent musicians showed their own joy with the "highly disciplined abandon" that has made them so famous.

Splurge. Buy these DVDs...and watch what happens to you.

The quality of this cd set is excellent both as to the music and the technical quality of the recording.