Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 ~ Erich Kleiber, Concertgebouw

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If we limits ourselves to narrow classifications, I suppose we would call Kleiber a "classical" conductor, in the same we would label Furtwaengler and Mengelberg as "romantic." But as I grow older, I realize the uselessness of such pidgeonholing. Kleiber's "Eroica" is marked by great rhythmic control and consistency, intensity, and a clarity of textures that is rare, even amongst the more technically-minded of conductors. I normally prefer a broad Funeral March, but Kleiber brings it off at a more marchlike tempo, because of the great intensity he brings to the music. As for the Fifth, no one has ever matched the ferocious onslaught of the First Movement or the majesty of the Finale in this performance. And the recorded sound, particularly in the Fifth, is awesome. As for the orchestra, only Mengelberg elicted such potent playing from the Concertgebouw as heard here. Now, more Kleiber from Decca, please!

This cd provides Beethoven's interpretations for all seasons. Both admirers of the "old school" and of the "contemporary school" would find them spellbinding. They have a classic status and belongs to the Olympus of great interpretations of these works (alongside Furtwangler's and Klemperer's 3rd and 5th,Horenstein's and van Kempen's 3rd, Carlos Kleiber's 5th).
Decca has recently republished also the 3rd with E. Kleiber and the VPO, a performance even more entrancing than that on the present cd.

The Fifth Symphony on this disc is the real treat. Kleiber and company are lean and quick, with none of the Romantic affectations that often bring down performances of this work, even in the hands of such greats as Furtwangler and Mengelberg. The orchestra responds to his baton with crisp playing. The first movement will leave you breathless (even more so than will that of his son's performance in his famous DG recording), the Andante is serviceable (never heard a truly GREAT reading of this rather mediocre movement anyway) and the build from scherzo the finale is delightfully creepy without being heavy handed about it. And the finale, which I feel is a difficult piece to pull off being it can deteriorate into bombastic emptiness very easily, is totally convincing here, despite a relatively restrained tempo.

The Eroica fares less well, and Kleiber has made other recordings that are better. The performance is a bit brittle, with little expansiveness or "epic" quality. I have no problem with brisk tempi--I prefer them, actually--but this is also harsh, with no let-up. The slow movement is intense, however, and worth the price of admission. The other movements never quite strike the magic, or find the uniqueness, of this symphony. The heroism isn't there.

Transfers are fine. Sound is good early 50s mono. Recommended, mostly for the superb Fifth.

Erich Kleiber is widely admired for his musical artisanship. His unmistakable hallmark is luminous rigor, jubilant élan, enthralling and measured intimacy, transparent and neat phrasing, lyrical simplicity and abandon, spiritual and doleful, warm, fluent cantabile lines, void of rhetoric, neuroses, thick shadows and dismal suggestions. Famous for his enlightened strictness, Kleiber, a poetic rationalist, employed a clear and measured hand motion that favored technical perfection over any non-descript philosophical pattern; but never lacking emotional appeal, he also acknowledged and pursued the subtle art of 'rubato,' allowing a certain elasticity and freedom in tempo.

For Beethoven, a classic who poured his ebullient visions into the meshes of form, Erich Kleiber had a unique affinity, and felt a particular and special responsibility for the Eroica. Never satisfied with his performances, he was often found weeping after conducting it! Kleiber's Concertgebouw Eroica, projected in the empyrean of Titans, showing the heights of his inimitable interpretation, exuding light and hope, peace-inspiring in its opening, and passionate, fervent but controlled, in its climax, captivating the audiences of history, is the most moving and exciting on disc. Without flaw, and with so many things I wish other conductors would dare to see in Beethoven's Fifth, maybe pushing my luck, I also consider Erich Kleiber's Concertgebouw performance the best available!

For the Eroica, one should also pursue: Kleiber/Vienna, Sabata/London, Furtwangler/Vienna; and for The Fifth: Maazel/Vienna, Strauss/Berlin, Nikisch/Berlin, Furtwangler/Berlin, Weingartner/British... Please, Decca/London, will you (soon) release the rest of your Erich Kleiber discography?

Erich Kleiber is a wonderful director, who, in this record, found his own spiritual genius,spirit as well as Beethoven's. It is usual to get a masterpiece of Beethoven's works. All have been outstanding and are wonderful, but Erich Kleiber's surpasses them all out in this CD. Strange feeling in the hairs in the back of your neck.Reverence is what you feel for Beethoven and this master 5th Symphony directed by Kleiber.Eugenia.

These are without doubt two of the greatest recorded performances of the Beethoven symphonies. Decca have buffed up the historic recordings to very good effect and although the mono sound is obviously rather dated compared with today's glittering digital discs, it in no way detracts from the listening experience as long as you are more interested in the music than just the sound. The 5th is the most exciting version I have ever come across and should not be missed.

After reading other reviews of this recording I was expecting an excellent performance, and I was not disappointed. It is vibrant, with a powerful forward driving force in both the III and V symphonies. Beautifully cohesive performances which strongly remind me of Talich's recording od Dvorak's New World symphony in the way the works are treated as a unit. The sound is a little tubby by modern standards but the ear quickly attunes to this. Overall, performances well worth having and to my ears more satisfying than Kleiber's later recording with the Vienna Phil (although the sound recording is of better quality).

Erich Kleiber is widely admired for his musical artisanship. His unmistakable hallmark is luminous rigor, jubilant élan, enthralling and measured intimacy, transparent and neat phrasing, lyrical simplicity and abandon, spiritual and doleful, warm, fluent cantabile lines, void of rhetoric, neuroses, thick shadows and dismal suggestions. Famous for his enlightened strictness, Kleiber, a poetic rationalist, employed a clear and measured hand motion that favored technical perfection over any non-descript philosophical pattern; but never lacking emotional appeal, he also acknowledged and pursued the subtle art of 'rubato,' allowing a certain elasticity and freedom in tempo.

For Beethoven, a classic who poured his ebullient visions into the meshes of form, Erich Kleiber had a unique affinity, and felt a particular and special responsibility for the Eroica. Never satisfied with his performances, he was often found weeping after conducting it! Kleiber's Concertgebouw Eroica, projected in the empyrean of Titans, showing the heights of his inimitable interpretation, exuding light and hope, peace-inspiring in its opening, and passionate, fervent but controlled, in its climax, captivating the audiences of history, is the most moving and exciting on disc. Without flaw, and with so many things I wish other conductors would dare to see in Beethoven's Fifth, maybe pushing my luck, I also consider Erich Kleiber's Concertgebouw performance the best available!

For the Eroica, one should also pursue: Kleiber/Vienna, Sabata/London, Furtwangler/Vienna; and for The Fifth: Maazel/Vienna, Strauss/Berlin, Nikisch/Berlin, Furtwangler/Berlin, Weingartner/British... Please, Decca/London, will you (soon) release the rest of your Erich Kleiber discography?

I have bought these performances several times since the Sixties and always wind up wondering why British critics have extolled them for fifty years. Erich Kleiber was the closest ting Germany produced to a Toscanini, in that his interpretations were often tense, almost hectic, and highly controlled. On that everyone agrees; the disagreement is over how valuable you find those characteristics.

I am not inclined to like Toscanini, Szell, or Kleiber for their tight grip on Beethoven. The Eroica and Fifth Sym. here display little heroism or breadth. For those who appreciate the Toscanini style as channeled through Kleiber, and who can ignore the boxy mono sound (which for me is only tolerable because Toscanini's rCA sound was even worse), these are exemplary performances. I will continue to avoid them.