Customer Reviews

Beethoven: The Symphonies

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To my knowledge this is the third appearance of Karajan's 1963 Beethoven cycle available domestically on digital disc. You can still buy the previous boxed set issues DG429036 and DG453701. The latter is Volume 1 of DG's Complete Beethoven Edition issued in 1997. The recordings in that set are Original Image Bit Processed and represent a considerable improvement in sound quality over the previous one. There is also boxed edition with paper sleeves available as an import, which I assume contains the same 1997 remasters.

I approached the purchase of this Hybrid SACD set with some trepidation because I couldn't find a pertinent review and because I had tried DG's SACD remastering of Karajan's 1977 performance of the 9th (in my opinion, the greatest on disc), but the sound was terrible. (If you want Karajan's 1977 9th, get the recent 2-CD reissue containing symphonies 5, 6 and 9--they are all great performances and excellent remasterings.)

Anyway, I am relieved to report that these new transfers are a major improvement in sound over the previous issues. On the (stereo) SACD layers, the bass is full and balanced in relation to the other registers, and there is considerably more instrumental color and solidity of tone as well as spatial differentiation within the orchestral fabric. There is still noticeable hiss, but it is overshadowed by the enhanced vibrancy of the sound. In effect, these SACD remasterings bring the sound quality up to nearly modern recording standards.

The CD layers sound much like the SACD layers, but with slightly less spatial differentiation and solidity. Even if you don't intend to play the discs on an SACD player, I still recommend purchasing this set over the other issues, unless your level of interest in the performances doesn't justify the additional expense.

In the future, I hope that DG will do as well remastering more of Karajan's great performances for SACD. In particular, I would like to have his 1976-1982 Bruckner cycle in this format.

I've never fully heard these recordings in any previous incarnation, so can't comment on improvements in the CD layer (of the 3 CD issues, the middle one, in DG's Beethoven Edition is the only one with Original Image Bit-Processing).

I am not really a 'Kara-fan', certainly not in Beethoven although I do enjoy his digital Leonore III Overture - I feel Karajan is at his finest in Sibelius and Richard Strauss, particularly his 1960s DG recordings.

For this set I started with the Eroica and did compare the SACD (stereo only of course) with the first CD incarnation of the cycle (in the maroon box). The old CD sounded fine with a full rich bass, but there is a definite gain in clarity and detail with the SACD layer. Slightly less bass perhaps, but this sound is more vivid and realistic, and sounds phenomenal considering its 40+ year age.

As an interpretation this Eroica gains in distinction as it progresses: the lack of the exposition repeat in the first movement is a snag, but after an intense Funeral March the last two movement are very compelling with wonderful hunting horns in the Scherzo. In fact the playing throughout is pretty stellar. This one ranks alongside Kleiber, Scherchen, Klemperer and Rattle - as well as my own favourite, Abbado's VPO recording on DG.

I found the SACD of the first 2 symphonies to have very slightly inferior sound and the orchestral sound is slightly more robust in scale than we are used to on modern recordings (but never bloated or overblown), and Karajan's interpretation of the First Symphony is not as compelling as the others - the performance is fairly genial, and the finale is relaxed, without the crispness and hint of tension that, say, Wand or Rattle bring to it in their fine recordings.

With the Fourth, Karajan is really back on form: excellent playing, with a characteristically swift performance of the slow movement which otherwise can seem too long (Klemperer's on EMI seems to go on forever). Vivid detailed sound again - with the superb Eroica coupling this is perhaps the best CD to sample separately, especially with a playing time of over 80 minutes.

Karajan's Fifth is a phenomenally powerful performance: here as elsewhere throughout the set woodwind solos are very clear, belying the view that Karajan's recordings were string-dominated, at least at this point in his career. You hear more wind, brass and percussion here than in Carlos Kleiber's famous recording. The Andante is perfectly judged, and if Karajan can't quite inject the unique charge that Kleiber puts through the scherzo and finale, there are compensations: the impetus and weight of sound are thrilling here, with instrumental lines more clearly delineated.

Sadly, the Pastoral coupling is a write-off: devoid of charm and rather introverted, and there are far finer Sixths from Boehm, Klemperer and a host of others.

The Seventh and Eighth are predictably good (neither are favourite works of mine), but these are just a precursor to a wonderful Choral which ranks alongside the best I've heard. I never cared for Karajan's 1977 version which is perhaps the best regarded of his 5 recordings - but this early 1960s performance sounds superb to me: the quartet of soloists (particularly the men) are excellent and the chorus are well in the aural picture, in the modern style (if not quite as vivid as in Abbado's fine live CD on Sony). Fricsay's otherwise excellent 1958 version with the same orchestra is slightly flawed in this respect. Elsewhere the performance is very powerful with magnificent playing, with a wonderful sense of spiritual repose in the Adagio.

All in all a superb SACD cycle: the First is slightly less than compelling and you will need another Pastoral, but otherwise this is a wonderful set.

DG has reissued their Karajan 1963 Beethoven cycle many times, and since it has been a front-runner for four decades, no doubt it will be updated any time a new technology appears. I have two versions, this new SACD hybrid, which I play through a regular two-channel system, and the "original image bit processing" that appeared in DG's complete Beethoven omnibus from the mid-Nineties, now available at mid-price. It was a decided improvement over the initial CD issue from the Eighties, still available as a budget box, which had nasty, edgy sonics.

The question is, how much improvement has SACD brought about? A lot if you have surround sound, of course. Through two-channel stereo I think there is noticeable improvment, too, in terms of a rounder, warmer orchestral tone--it's always good to eliminate as much digital glare as possible. I can't tell this new SACD hybrid from a modern recording, but the "original image" remastering was quite good in its own right. At Amazon the difference in price between the two boxes (new or used) is about 20%, so I would go with the SACD. Don't expect miracles, however; there is sitll a bit of glare in the upper ranges at loud volume, and the balance of the original tapes, which pushed brass and percussion to the rear, hasn't changed in two-channel.

I owned a copy of the '63 recordings when it was originally released on CD and though I enjoyed it, its sonics were lacking. The Super Audio re-mastering for this release is nothing short of spectacular. The music has warmth and a deep sound stage on all discs, which make this set a real pleasure to listen to repeatedly. Even if you don't own an SACD player, these recordings sound superb on a conventional CD player as well. From an artistic point, the presentation of the music has a continuity to it, which runs through the entire set, as well as a having a strong orchestral performance. Karajan and the BPO share a common vision of the music in these recordings and it comes through on most every disc.

Symphony No.1: Overall, Karajan balances the strings and woodwinds in this symphony, very well. The woodwinds soften the edge that the strings provide, giving this early symphony, modeled after Haydn and Mozart, a Beethovenian sound.

Symphony No.2: Here Karajan's touch give this symphony a quick light feeling to the music by maintaining a lively, but by no means rushed tempo, giving the details in the music a chance to emerge. The second and third movements especially benefit from Karajan's treatment of the music.

Symphony No.3: Orchestral playing and part playing is quite fine throughout, but where this performance gains it stature is in how it ends each movement- Karajan seems to know where he wants to take the orchestra, to great affect. In particular, the ending of the first, second, and fourth movement add drama, poignancy, and triumph.

Symphony No.4: There is vitality to this performance, only eclipsed by the Karajan's 1977 re-recording. Still, as in the other performances in this set, No.4 shines brightly. The opening movement is particularly compelling, setting the tone for the rest of the symphony, giving way to a sharply performed final movement full of energy and enthusiasm.

Symphony No.5: This is by far the best reading in the entire set. Throughout, notes are played with a bite, a sharp staccato edge, giving the music incredible weight throughout. Karajan and the Berliners expertly soften those edges where appropriate. Karajan dramatically puts fourth the Ying and Yang of this work, and simply is one of the best recordings of this of this symphony available.

Symphony No.6: This is where the set looses some of its magic. Tempos are rushed, with many of the notes played with too much weight and forcefulness. If this is your favorite Beethoven symphony, and you are more used to a languidly paced walk though the country, this is not the performance for you. On the other hand, if you want to experience a violent thunderstorm, there is no other performance to match it for its power and intensity of playing.

Symphony No.7: This performance of the 7th is not my favorite. What is interesting here is that Karajan and the orchestra seems to be going through the motions with this work, when all of the other symphonies are played with such purpose. The first, third and fourth movements comes across fine enough, but the second movement is where Karajan's approach to the music really fails to please. In that movement the Karajan uses too much legato draining the music of its drama and energy.

Symphony No.8: This is a fabulous account of No.8! The Berliners clearly love this work, and the performance is highly polished, giving the listener a balanced insight into the piece. The first movement draws on vigorous playing from the strings, offset agreeably by the woodwinds, in perfect balance. The second movement benefits from a lightness of touch controlled superbly by Karajan throughout the movement.

Symphony No.9: This is possibly one of the best accounts of this symphony put to disc! The music lends itself to turbulence and strife, save for the third movement and the final chorus, but Karajan's approach adds a significant amount of tension to the score, making the finale all the more joyous in its revelry. Quick tempos, accentuate the rhythms in the first movement, painting a musical picture of conflict and doubt that is omnipresent, rather than something lurking in the background, as in other performances. The second movement is given the same quick tempo treatment as the first, to great affect. The driving rhythms, performed at such a fast pace, continue to hammer the listener, never giving you an opportunity to feel relaxed and tension free. The Third movement is a sea of calm, and Karajan does a superb job of controlling the orchestra in a very deliberate performance of this movement. The final movement is where all the energy of the first two movements, and the tranquility of the third, pays off. Karajan's hard-hitting style has created an atmosphere that sets the stage perfectly for the "Ode to Joy" theme and choral finale. The Bass soloist, proclaiming that there will be no strife and discord, vigorously interrupts all the angst, and drama that is threatening the longing for a peaceful resolution, giving way to the strength of the choir. Obviously, this is how Beethoven intended the music to unfold, but Karajan's handling of the music adds to this musical drama, and like the fifth symphony, Karajan understood that ninth is a struggle between darkness and light. He also understood that darkness is relentless and could consume everything, unless an "Ode to Joy" or freedom as some scholars think the ode may refer to, is proclaimed loudly and clearly. The only disappointment to me in this performance is that the choral singing is not the best, but the choir absorbs the energy of the orchestra, making it easy to forgive lack of enunciation.

I'm reworking my original review for this outstanding cycle in light of it's reincarnation on SACD. It's an easy pick for the best intepretations of these symphonies available in the Super Audio format. The sound quality is not as high end as some of the finest digital cycles on SACD but the performances beat them all to hell. My original review was for the Original Image-Bit Processing that DG did back in 1997 for the Complete Beethoven Edition. That version of this awesome cycle has been long out of print and it's nice to have a sonic upgrade here.

The strings are sweeter, the brass more burnished. The bass is not as boomy as before. The sound has great impact and the stereo acoustics of the church where these recordings were made is still fantastic. The chorus in the 9th's finale sounds better but overall maintains the sonic problems of the time. The chorus is large and kind of back placed. It's definitely clearer than before but not the miracle one would hope for. Overall I would say very well done on the sound part. As for the performances, here are the contents of my original review. My thoughts on Karajan's famous early 60s Beethoven cycle...

This is Karajan at his absolute best, the orchestra and conductor seem to be a world removed from lesser conductors and ensembles. The Berlin Philharmonic has a real air of swaggering confidence in these recordings and Karajan seems to be on a mission to make a lasting impression, which he does! The exceptional rhythmic drive, the unbelievable intergrity of ensemble have to be heard to be believed.

The cycle I'm reviewing is like I said, the first of 3 DG cycles, the old mono EMI set is not competitive with the 3 DG cycles. So what distinguishes this first DG set from the other Karajan cycles, not to mention the dozens of cycles by other conductors?

SYMPHONY 1 is played just like mature Beethoven, not second hand Mozart or Haydn. You relish hearing this symphony played in the grand manner with complete conviction as opposed to the typical quasi-period fashion that is considered good manners today! Forget good manners, I want a great performance! Karajan does that but I would have liked a slightly slower tempo in the andante movement.

SYMPHONY 2 is one of the best you'll ever hear. It has everything, power, vigor, just hear the BPO go for the gusto in the codas to the outer movements, no one else can duplicate that! So intoxicating. The larghetto is wonderful too, even though I have heard more loving portrayals of this movement. But you really get the sense of joy that the musicians have in this music and is that perhaps Karajan moaning in pleasure? If you listen on headphones really closely, it's possible to hear the typically stone-faced authoritarian conductor elicit moans of pleasure from the music that his orchestra is creating before his ears.

SYMPHONY 3, this Eroica is one for the ages. With the opening movement taking flight you know this is going to be great. Karajan certainly looks back to the bold and dramatic Toscanini performances of old but what Karajan brings to the interpretation is that beauty of sound typically associated with him. It is not a hinderance at all, the whole work sounds suave, dark, cool and mysterious. The funeral march is great, all 17 minutes of it, Karajan's longest take and it is involving every step of the way. The scherzo and finale are also bubbling with life and total commitment. As good as this Eroica is though, I still would have to nominate Karajan's final digital Eroica from the 1980's on the "Karajan Gold" label as being the conductor's best. The first movement on that "Karajan Gold" Eroica is faster and more explosive while the funeral march, although faster and less mysterious compensates in it's sheer power with high-intensity dramatic contrasts.

SYMPHONY 4 is one Karajan never did better than in this 1960's set although some would say it was matched by a later digital record. I can't complain about a single thing here except Karajan's continual insistence to drop the final movement's exposition repeat. Speaking of repeats, yes I know Karajan drops most of Beethoven's repeats which is fine by me except in some cases. He keeps the repeats in the opening movements of Symphonies 1, 5 and 8. He also repeats the exposition in the finale of Symphony 1. Basically he keeps in line with his conducting generation on this matter, which is fine by me. Even with that thought, the short and sweet extra exposition run-through in the final movement of Symphony 4 he should have kept too!

SYMPHONY 5, wow this is a keeper! It is one of the most intense 5ths ever recorded. The opening movement is terrifying, forget about Carlos Kleiber! After the grim and powerful opening, Karajan gives his most loving and spacious account of the andante before moving into a precise, impactful scherzo which leads inevitably into the imposing finale. The brass are magnificent throughout this finale and near the end of the recapitulation there is a massive crash, a huge wall of sound that will pin you back to your seat! That's only if you are in a seat, you might be jumping in the air, waving your invisible baton with a serious case of conductor envy! This is a really macho performance, Karajan delivers one of the best 5ths of all time.

SYMPHONY 6, the Pastoral is smooth-sailing or rather it is smooth-sailing where smooth-sailing is not wanted. The first 2 movements are too fast and too slick. The scherzo of the peasants is done very well, with plenty of unbridled energy but it lacks a crucial repeat which makes this movement incomplete. The storm is ultra dramatic in the best Karajan tradition, you gotta love it. The finale sails along with astounding beauty and grace, so basically the performance has it's faults but also some merits and the Berlin Philharmonic are on their toes throughout. I saw Karajan's filmed version of the Pastoral on DVD directed by Hugo Niebeling and Karajan has a smile on his face almost the whole time. It's no doubt he loved this music, I just wish his first movement was not as hectic and I wish he kept the repeat in the scherzo. Karajan did later keep the repeat in his 1970's version, but then dropped it again for the digital 1980's version which is his worst Pastoral of all.

SYMPHONY 7, contagious energy and optimism are the hallmarks of this performance. Karajan always conducted in the Toscanini trend of the fast flowing tempo in the allegretto, which bugs me because at a slower speed like that of Furtwangler the allegretto is much more communicative spiritually. In the allegro con brio finale Karajan is barely matched by anyone, he drives the orchestra like a rollercoaster, just the way it should be! Nothing but greatness.

SYMPHONY 8 is a fantastic performance, however I still prefer the later digital "Karajan Gold" 8th over this one. There is nothing remotely wrong with this one, just that the later version sounds even more intense and has digital sound.

SYMPHONY 9, there is still plenty of controversy to go around about which Karajan Ninth is his best. I think this is Karajan's finest version even if it's miles away from the heaven storming spirituality of Furtwangler. Karajan clearly favors Toscanini, so did Szell for instance but whereas Szell can seem cold at times, Karajan is always on fire here. The adagio is more spacious in the 1970's version and that version has a truly volcanic conclusion in the finale's coda.

Upon further listening I have come to the realization that the Ninth included in this set is clearly superior to Karajan's later 1977 Ninth. The sound is much more vibrant in the Ninth here in 1962, Karajan is more alive and committed while the singers are far more impressive. Karajan also repeats the first section of the scherzo, something that he didn't do in his later remakes of this symphony. So definitely this 1962 account is superior to the 1977 version and the 1980s version as well, because the 1980s recording lacks the amazing singers that Karajan has here. As far as the Eroica is concerned, my allegiance still lies with the digital Karajan Gold version from the 1980s.

No matter, if you buy this set, you'll still get one of the better Ninths around even though Furtwangler's conception of this music will forever be superior to Karajan's in my mind and in the minds of many music lovers.

In conclusion, this cycle, with it's remastered sound, is the clearest investment if you are looking for a complete set of Beethoven's immortal symphonies. Karajan's digital Eroica is better in my opinion. Also, you might want to get Bruno Walter or Giulini's version of the Pastoral. If you want more great Ninths, check out Furtwangler in 1942 on Music and Arts and on EMI in 1951. For something more modern, Solti on Decca in 1972. Have fun shopping!

These performances have been in my music library since I first received the vinyl Beethoven Edition package for Christmas in 1970. I also have the digital Beethoven Edition CD, so I know the recordings well.

As excellent as all of those predecessors are, this release blows me away. Listening to the Ninth, I hear a clarity and spacial distinctiveness that I have never heard before. It's so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.

Note: I don't even own an SACD player (yet). I have as yet only heard the CD tracks. I should have bought this years ago.

Ever since this superb set was released more than forty years ago, there's been agreement even among its most fervent supporters that the Pastoral is, as Mark Twain might have said, a good walk spoiled. I beg to differ. Beethoven was no duffer. As many contemporaries noted, he strode out to the countryside at a brisk pace. And, I believe, once he got there, Beethoven did not seek to depict repose or bucolic bumptiousness or even metaphysical thanksgiving. Karajan -- sounding better than ever in this remastering -- seems to be telling us that Beethoven was alive to the shimmering, pulsating, unified vitality of nature. It's been written that Karajan did not like the Sixth Symphony. I have found no statement anywhere to that effect by this nature-loving conductor himself, and certainly no evidence of it in this glorious recording.

This comment in on the size of the CD Box. The box is HUGE!
There are 10 separate plastic jewel cases (the tenth being a bones CD recording of a rehersal of the the Ninth Symphony). So if you are short on storage space, be a where that this box is way too big!
Other then that the performance and sound is outstanding!!!

.....maybe.
SACD layer sounds better than CD layer; more spatial information, tighter bass and sweeter strings.

You will experience more sonic improvements, if you own audiophile High-End stereo system.
This set is especially suitable for the people who avoided DG Karajan recordings because of overly bright tonal qualities(Karajan glare).
With this set, you can enjoy Karajan/Berlin PO with decent sound (you still hear thin lower-mid range and upper-mid range harshness
with screechy first violin though).

Is his interpretation of Beethoven's music as profound and convincing as Furtwangler's?

My suggestion to you:
If you want to listen to the best Beethoven cycle, do yourself a favor,
Obtain the 9 symphonies by Furtwangler.

Buyers beware: this is a famous set, originally recorded in 1962 (published in 1963), and it is usually seen as the best of Karajan's three cycles. Now it appears in the SACD format. But it must be noted that this is a pedantic conductor's clinical Beethoven, lacking the gravity of, say, the Klemperer or Furtwängler breathtaking performances. In my view, this is to misunderstand the revolutionary power that these works actually have (i.e., as scores). Nonetheless, BPO sounds great, even if Karajan prevents the brass and timpani from playing as they should (they are often nearly inaudible). For example, check the final pages of the ninth symphony, where it sounds as if Karajan's orchestra just has flutes and strings, almost nothing else - despite the forte markings for trombones.

Standouts, nonetheless, are the third, fifth, and ninth symphonies, which boast excellent playing from BPO. But Karajan's accounts are miles away from the powerful and unforgettably moving interpretations we have from Furtwängler (M & A), Klemperer (EMI), Toscanini (RCA), Böhm (DG, three separate twofers), and - more recently - Abbado (DG). So if you look for the real Beethoven symphony experience: look elsewhere!

Sound is clear but not outstanding - and no SACD incarnation in the world will improve Karajan's lack of understanding.