Beethoven: 9 Symphonies/Leonore Overture No. 3 (Volumes 1-5)

Beethoven (Artist), Toscanini (Artist), NBC (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 5
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003EYI
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,860 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven

2. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Marcia funebre, Adagio assai - L.V. Beethoven

3. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Scherzo, Allegro vivace - L.V. Beethoven

4. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: Finale, Allegro molto - L.V. Beethoven

See all 8 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Poco sostenuto - Vivace - L.V. Beethoven

2. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegretto - L.V. Beethoven

3. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Presto - L.V. Beethoven

4. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegro con brio - L.V. Beethoven

See all 8 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegro ma non troppo - L.V. Beethoven

2. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Andante molto moto

3. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegro

4. Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: Allegro

See all 9 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Allegro con brio - Arturo Toscanini/NBC SO

2. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Andante con moto

3. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Allegro

4. Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: Allegro

See all 9 tracks on this disc

Disc: 5

1. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Allegro ma non troppo

2. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Molto vivace

3. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Adagio molto e cantabile

4. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Presto - Allegro assai / Recitative - Allegro assai

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive Beethoven, July 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beethoven: 9 Symphonies/Leonore Overture No. 3 (Volumes 1-5) (Audio CD)

Beethoven's symphonies are the benchmark of the classical repertoire. Nothing has that often been tried, nothing has that often been failed. Not the man himself, Arturo Toscanini. This is definately the definite Beethoven. It is a masterpiece of interpretation of these masterworks, never achieved again and probably not to be achieved in the future. Highest recommendation for these CD's. Everybody who at least loves music a little bit shoul not be without this wonderful set. In case you don't believe me, ask the famous German critic Jürgen Gahre.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Only Toscanini and Karajan came close..., October 14, 2000

By 

madamemusico "madamemusico" (Cincinnati, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven: 9 Symphonies/Leonore Overture No. 3 (Volumes 1-5) (Audio CD)

Many, many conductors have recorded the Beethoven Nine, but only two have come close in a complete "cycle," Toscanini and Karajan. This was/is Toscanini's only "approved" integral set of the Nine. Karajan made four, one with the Philharmonia and three with the Berlin Philharmonic. My overall favorite Karajan set is the third (second with Berlin), made in 1974-76, though his later Fifth is better-played.

Anyway, to return to Toscanini...this set is very, very good. It was made better than earlier when, for this issue, the technically shoddy 1953 "Eroica" was replaced by the superior 1949 recording. Yet there are two readings here that are, if not poor, rather weak, the Fifth and the Ninth. This Fifth strives for a rugged, "structural" reading, yet it is not quite powerful OR lyrical enough, whereas Karajan's 1983 Fifth is a masterpiece on both counts. Likewise, this Ninth--though well-played by its own standards--lacks much of the fire and forward momentum of his earlier versions; and, in the last movement, the solo singers actually sound awkward as they try to negotiate their a capella passage near the end.

But this doesn't mean that Toscanini is not the conductor to hear for great performances of all nine symphonies--far from it! He's just not at his best in all of THESE performances. My recommendation is to buy the newly-remastered versions of Symphonies 1-4 ("Immortal Toscanini," Vol. I), the New York Philharmonic versions of Symphonies 5 & 7 (on Magic Talent), the BBC Symphony versions of Symphonies 4 & 6, the single disc from this set with Symphonies 5 & 8, and the Grammofono reissue of his 1939 Beethoven Ninth. This will give you all nine symphonies on 6 CDs instead of 5, unfortunately, but you will be pleased with what you hear. And, if you want a more modern-sounding Ninth, there's always the late Karajan versions (both the 1976 and 1984 recordings are excellent).

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beethoven, as Only Toscanini Could Play Him, March 31, 2002

By 

D. J. Zabriskie "zabdart" (Park Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beethoven: 9 Symphonies/Leonore Overture No. 3 (Volumes 1-5) (Audio CD)

While this may not be a definitive reading of Beethoven's
9 symphonies (there were always problems with the NBC Symphony),
it is, nevertheless, a benchmark collection, a touchstone by
which to compare all other readings. This collection gives
the listener an excellent idea of what Toscanini is all about;
even if his take on Beethoven is not everybody's cup of tea.
If you want more sumptutious sonorities, go to Karajan; if
you want more romanticism go to Bernstein. Solti probably

recorded a better set than any of these, but the virtues
of a Toscanini performance are evident throughout these
recordings. And what virtues they are! Toscanini's propulsive
rythymic momentum is a marvel to behold and always gives the
listener a sense of "purpose" and direction to the music. His
reading of the Seventh, despite some gaffes by the orchestra,
may be the best recording of that symphony extant! Listen to
the clarity of the orchestral textures: how each section of

the orchestra shines on its own, bringing out the inner voices
as no subsequent recording has done, and how these sections
blend so marvelously into a whole which retains clarity and
definition! If you need more beer and brown gravy with
your Beethoven, fine! You won't get it here... just the
extraordinary revelation of all the little goodies to be
found in Beethoven's symphonies, if you study the scores
carefully and play them with rigor and taste!