Customer Reviews

Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies [Hybrid SACD] [Box Set]

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When Kurt Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus recorded this complete set of Beethoven symphonies for Philips back in 1972 and 1974 the then-newish quadraphonic recording process was used for the LPs. But as far as I know they were never issued in that format, but only in plain-vanilla stereo. They were then reissued on CD again using plain stereo. I believe that this release is the first time they have been issued in four-channel (as opposed to SACD's possibly five-channel) format and I must say the sound is simply ravishing, both in SACD and regular CD formats. Just listen to the wind solos in the 'Eroica' or the singers in the Ninth (and it's a starry cast -- Anna Tomowa-Sintoff, soprano; Annelies Burmeister, mezzo-soprano; Peter Schreier, tenor; and Theo Adam, bass, all joined by the Radio Chorus Leipzig). I knew and loved the set in its original LP stereo format, and much preferred it to the Karajan set then all the rage. And I find that I remember many of the neat little phrasings, tempo adjustments and the like from those days long ago, and it's like a homecoming of sorts. But the sound is really superior to what was available back then, and that's clearly to the good. I am willing to bet that anyone hearing any CD from this set without knowing its age would be surprised to find it is more than thirty years old.

The Pentatone label (started by some former Philips honchos) is in the process of reissuing a number of old quadraphonic recordings from the 70s. I have been impressed with some of their earlier issues using what they call their RQR (Remastered Quadro Recordings) process. There is an interesting essay about this process in the booklet, as well as nicely written short essays about each of the symphonies in the set. The packaging is classy. It is a compact box containing 5 SACD discs in paper sleeves, plus the informational booklet, the whole thing taking up a little less space than the conventional 2CD jewel box.

The readings themselves are fairly straight ahead. Nothing fancy, nothing weird, nothing that calls attention to itself just for the sake of it, and yet the Ninth is powerful, the Sixth pleasantly relaxed (except for the 'storm'), the Third heroic as one would want. These may not be as exciting as some, but they are solid meat-and-potatoes readings that wear well; my recognition of their value after coming back to them all these years later is testament to that.

TT=5:45

Scott Morrison

I was rather skeptical when I bought it. I was vaguely recalling the LPs. But now I think it was a moment of grace when I made my mind to get this set. This a perfect match between a marvelous piece of sound engineering and a magical performance. The experience is overwhelming and I doubt any qualified listener can have enough of it. I listened again the other versions I have (Karajan '63, Furtwangler, Celibidache, Osawa, Scholz, Bohm, Reiner) and no one caught my ears anymore. My only frustration is that the booklet tells nothing about Masur and the orchestra. And there were so many things to tell...

I lived in Berlin in 1972, about the time these recordings were made. East Germany really was a depressing (and kinda scary) mess and obviously getting worse (or at least more confused.) It was a country that had noting to be proud of except doped athletes. In music, however, they could fall upon heritage that went beyond politics. They made good music in the German Democratic Republic (the DDR for fans of political trivia), and in my experience music was very well attended. (That might say something about Eastern German TV and radio. Music was also heavily supported by state and extremely inexpensive when compared to the West. About two bucks could get you into a nice opera. And, for what it's worth, Masur, unlike some German conductors a few years older, did the right thing when the political chips were down in 1989.)And let's note that the Gewandhaus was top boy. As might be expected, Masur's Beethoven is elegant in the German style of the day. SACD fans have a lot of choice when it comes to Beethoven and most of it pretty good. The Masur set, well priced as it is, matches the best of a very good bunch.

However, if you like Beethoven in SACD you must get one of the performance by the Minnesota under Vanska. The style reminded me for all the world as being something that used to come from the Great American Machine Orchestras of the 60's-70's: athletic and technically perfect. I remember being in London in the early 70's when the Chicago came to town. On the big time critics of the day knocked the band for playing with an annoying perfection. Under Vanska the Minnesota matches any of the "big sound" orchestra in amazing musicianship. But in one respect, it's a little hard to fully compare the Vanska performances with anyone else's. The Minnesota was recorded by the Swedish company BIS and they are absolutely at the top of their game. On a half way decent SACD multi-channel system, the sound is jaw-dropping. Vanska's 9th is, in my humble view, one of the great works of recorded music. The performance is top notch and sound spectacular. With a piece as glorious as the 9th, this combination rewards one with a deeply satisfying experience. Try, it, you'll like it. But get Masur too. I might too if I'm pretty sure I can sneak it past my wife. She has a good ear for music, but just doesn't understand why a person needs to own the equivalent of three sets of Bach cantatas, the complete works of Mozart (along with dozens of duplicates on the likely subjects) or four or five sets of major Beethoven and three of the piano sonatas. But SACD is no joke: good news all around.

Having long loved these recordings from the days of LP, I eagerly share my thoughts and feelings about them, and include some measuring points with other Beethoven Symphony Sets...

First, as others have stated, these recordings were done at the "height" of the "quad" days, which lasted about 18 months, total...like so many other things, it just didn't "fly"...

When released on LP, they were only mastered in regular stereo, so we have not seen them in their originally intended "spacial" format until now. When they were first released, they were hailed all over the place, and rightly so. While "everyone" was eagerly acquiring the HVK set on DGG, there were a "great many" who were quietly going the route with Masur...for very good reason.

At the time, HVK was "hot" so to speak, and everybody had to have everything he did, and, of course, it was ALL declared "definitive"...no matter what it was! Personally, I grew to discount HvK's work, and, with many more years of experience listening to it, and his newer set, along with about 20 other cycles, it still is not a top choice for me.

These recordings, done in just under a two year period, always "played" well, meaning, there was nothing "out of the way" or "lacking", while at the same time, nothing was "theatrical" or "showy" as many were, and still are, want to do with Beethoven's great symphonic works. If you want that, then I suggest HVK, Thomas, Barenboim, etc. These recorded performances are ROCK SOLID interpretations, nothing bread-and-butter here, but REAL meat-and-potatos readings that continually bear up to playing after playing. They signify, to me, sort of like the "last" of the old performances... Today, everybody is busy "re-defining", "re-thinking", etc., these works...which is ok, certainly...but how much "redefinition" does Beethoven really need, afterall?

The playing is, of course, solid and spectacular..., what else would one expect from the Gewandhaus Orchestra, with Masur in the lead..., and now with the digital remastering, and with the 4 channels at last being presented to us, these recordings are truly breathtaking to behold. The original stereo LPs were pretty darned awesome, but now they are awe-inspiring to listen to. We truly are very lucky that beautiful, long-lost recordings like these 4 channel versions of these symphonies are being made available to us by the studios.

Nothing lacks here, in any of the recordings, and I can heartily recommend EVERY on of them to you as viable, core recordings, for anyone's collection. The Third is as heroic, knoble and dynamic as you could wish for, the Fourth is fleet and persuasive. Of course, the Fifth is the "Fifth" and I find myself want to say anything about it. The Sixth is lovely, and will stand with anyone's enterpretation, anywhere..perhaps overshadowed only slightly by Bohm's on DG. The Seventh is a total knock-out, and is beaten by few (see below), and the Ninth is truly a glorius, head-above-the-clouds performance, solid, for sure, but breathtaking.

The sound on these discs is simply exemplary, and Pentatone (began by some of the Philips people who went out on their own, lucky for us), has shown us what they REALLY CAN DO! I defy anyone to listen to these recordings blindfolded and tell me that they were recorded before 1975!

This, again, is a CORE set that I would urge everyone to add to their Beethoven collection...you will NOT regret it, believe me.

Now, that all said, I will try to give you some measuring points here for exemplary Beethoven Symphony Sets that I personally rate Top Notch and would not want to be without, and "why".

HvK, first cycle, on DG, remastered in SACD...

I keep these for what they were...in truth, the first complete homogeneous Beethoven Symphony cycle I owned. The SACD remastering is truly quite good, in fact it is spectacular...but, after years of listening to other recordings, HvK is not top drawer with me.

Solti, first Chicago cycle, on Decca...

These recordings have long been a treasure of mine since they were first released way back when! Somehow, Solti's interpretation, etc., has always seemed "right" with me, and I would not ever want to be without them. I consider them a "must have". *(be aware, however, that #9 is broken up over two discs, which is very irritating....you may want to pick up the single recording of the Ninth, like I did, and put it in the set so you can listen to this great work uninterrupted.)

Harnoncourt, on Teldec (or Warner Classics)....

Revolutionary, enlightening recordings...years from now, this set will still be at the top for the wonderful interpretive genius of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. These are fleet, but noble, interpretations, and no collection should be without them.

Hogwood, on Decca...

These, the "first" period instrument recordings of Beethoven's symphonies have stood up to the onslaught for over 25 years now, and they still enlighten, satisfy, and "open a window" onto what we think Beethoven and his contemporaries "heard"....as always, Hogwood is exemplary in his leadership of the Academy of Ancient Music...all works are truly notable, with the Ninth being an especially noteworthy, though what many consider a too-fast, performance, w/Auger/Rolf-Johnson/Reinhard/Robbin/London Symphony Chorus.

Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic, DG...

Abbado's rethink, while radical, is actually quite viable, and I like it! He comes to these works, now, a second time, and totally re-thinks what he once thought.... They are unique, and I personally feel, are solid enough to warrant shelf-space, and the monetary outlay for them. They are like a new window onto Beethoven, and his architectures...a very interesting set.

Schmidt-Isserstedt, Vienna Philharmonic, Decca...ASIN:B00005ND3N Beethoven Symphonies/Vienna Philharmonic/Schmidt-Isserstedt (Box Set)...see my review under this recording...

These, the "supreme" Beethoven Symphony recordings, are alas, out of print...and Decca sorely needs to reinstate these wonderful old recordings for our enjoyment. NO other set has ever moved me, or satisfied me as much, as this set. Yes, they are old recordings, but they are absolutely top notch, and again, they are like a monument to the last of the "old days" and truly are a measure to bring into the modern age to judge against. These recordings, all of them, are just "the best"... I could not imagine ever giving them up, ever! THESE ARE A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE'S COLLECTION.

Vanska, Minnesota Symphony, BIS...

Well, here we are, and what can I say....?

These, certainly, are the PINNACLE recordings of Beethoven's Symphonies...PERIOD! NONE are better "spacially" or "soundwise", few are better interpretively...

They will, when Vanska completes the set, rightly take their place at the top of the stack, probably for many years to come. They truly are awe-inspiring renditions, and recordings...helped, of course, because of BIS's determination to "TOP NOTCH"! This set cannot be overlooked by anyone who wants a complete Beethoven symphony cycle.... But, read and consider those alternatives listed above, also...NO ONE CYCLE can be the "BE-ALL" or "END-ALL" of sound, interpretation, etc.

To reiterate...

This review is for the Masur, Gewandhaus recordings, and NONE match them for Masur's intrepretive style, nor the Gewandhaus' efforts...NONE! But remember, these are SOLID, meat and potato readings...

Don't fear to make the investment for this set, it will become one of your favorite parts of your collection.

This review is for readers who are interested in the music and the performances. If your interest is mainly in the sound technique, look elsewhere. The sound is excellent, warm and spacious, and that will satisfy us.
As my headline suggests, it is probably too much to ask of one complete set to be "perfect" in every way. Karajan's 1962 reading is exceptionally good in this respect; but his "Pastoral" has consistently and rightly been awarded a black mark; and in the Finale of the 7th, he drives the orchestra so hard that they have no reserves of power left for the climax. Small blots on a superb set with consistently high calibre of interpretation and playing.
It is on the strength of this consistency that Karajan is marginally preferable to most others. In the competing recordings from roughly this era, we encounter conductors with evident sympathies for some, but not all the symphonies: I mention Klemperer/Philharmonia, Jochum/Concertgebouw, Leinsdorf/Boston, Walter/Columbia, Szell/Cleveland, Isserstedt/Vienna as among the outstanding complete surveys. Masur and the Gewandhaus Orchestra fit into this environment.
Now the first thing that needs to be said is this: Masur is not the kind of conductor who would push himself between the music and the listener. He is neither brazen nor flamboyant; instead the quality that strikes you first is complete honesty to the score. This is rare enough to draw attention to. The orchestra, which he rebuilt after the catastrophies of the War, belonged by that time among the finest in the world - an orchestra with perhaps the most cultured sound of all, in this respect easily on par with the Vienna and Berlin orchestras. But this is little known, because most people seem to think of them as little brothers of the other orchestras. For those who are interested, I add that it is the oldest surviving symphony orchestra in the world, with a performing tradition going back to the middle of the 18th century which they have never abandoned.
There are strengths in this set you will not easily encounter elsewhere. I will not hide the weaknesses.
On the positive side, Masur's Eroica must be reckoned among the most majestic, and totally convincing performances on record. Equally so with the Pastoral Symphony, where Masur chooses the "right" tempo and colouring with unerring instinct, though ultimately it is the superlative playing of the Leipzigers that raises it above its nearest rivals (Böhm, Walter).
The similarity in style between Symphonies 1, 2 and 4 put these performances on a similar high level, although it would be silly to claim the same towering merit for them. There is much competition; and on a one-to-one comparison, Masur is on a level with the best, though not evidently superior - except perhaps in No. 4.
In the other three symphonies, the level of excellence drops slightly. If only Masur had approached the 7th the same way as his Eroica, all would have been well. But he doesn't, and as a result, the performance comes across as under-powered in the two outer movements. Masur might have been worried about exaggerating the propulsive force of those movements; it is a pity, but they sound quite pale compared to other high-voltage movements in Beethoven's symphonies. No. 5 suffers, I think, from the same reluctance of the conductor to exert real muscle; and the last movement comes across as a bit stolid, instead of the exaltation that we get from e.g. Karajan. Finally No. 8 seems to have been somewhat routinely discharged; there is no real exuberance here. It is the one symphony of the set that seems to me a weak performance.
In spite of my reservations about Nos. 5 and 7, I grant that you may like it that way. Klemperer conducts them in a similar manner, too heavy-handed for my taste. Masur is not heavy handed, but too slow, I think.
I have to add now that I've lived with this set for over 20 years. I feel that it is the kind of recording that has longevity engraved on it. One can even get used to its deficits; after all, seeing that I dislike his 5th, I just switch my allegiance for this symphony. It is better than sighing once or twice in every symphony conducted by e.g. Leinsdorf. Of all the complete sets of the last 50-60 years, I would have to agree that it is one of the two or three best. And if you're serious about Beethoven, and want all the symphonies in one portrayal by a master conductor and a truly great orchestra, then you can't go wrong with this one.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy these recordings. The quality is excellent all the way around! I can't imagine not having this set in my Beethoven collection now that I've heard them.

This is an absolute bargain for the quality and scope of what you are getting.

Sonically the multi-channel recordings are consistently outstanding - allowing the music to breathe new air. The interpretation by Kurt Masur and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig Orchestra is a revelation, at times driven and forward moving, at other times laconic and reflective - revealing layers in the music that are not apparent in the more 'famous' recordings to date. Once you have heard this set you will understand much more clearly why Beethoven was seen by his contemporaries to be smashing apart the symphonic form in length, scope, theme and complexity.