Customer Reviews

Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies; The 5 Piano Concertos [Box Set]

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

 

 

These import recordings of Beethoven's Nine Symphonies and Five Piano Concertos, along with some Overtures and his Triple Concerto, are an unbelievable bargain. As I figure it, eight CDs at $30 equates to less than $4 a disc! What you get is George Szell conducting his awesome Cleveland Orchestra of the late fifties and early sixties in idiomatic performances that easily can be called "definitive". Every symphony, piano concerto, overture, as well as the Triple Concerto, are gems. Beautifully performed, with re-mastered sound that suggests that these studio performances were recorded yesterday, rather than over forty years ago. Pianist Leon Fleischer teams up with George Szell in the piano concertos, and what a team they make. I was constantly on the edge of my seat listening to these performances. Leon plays beautifully with passion and technique to burn, and the Cleveland Orchestra provides superb accompaniment to match. Never have I heard such a meeting of minds as what this soloist, conductor, and orchestra display. Simply awe-inspiring. With the venue changing to the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, there is a fine performance of the Triple Concerto. The soloists are Istomin, Stern, and Rose. What a winning lineup!
These Sony pressings were made in Austria and contains only French Liner Notes about "Szell & Beethoven", repeated on each of the eight discs. Since I can't read French, it doesn't really matter. Besides, I bought this incredible set for Beethoven's glorious music. Grab these CDs while they're still available. Very highly recommended and much too good to pass up.

P.S. I am so glad that I bought this set when it was still affordable at $30, as I now notice that it's selling for more than $80.

Even though this set contains superb performances of all the symphonies and the piano concertos, I do NOT recommend that anyone purchase it, if they have the previously released Sony Essential Classics issues. This French released set (made in Austria in the year 2000) is virtually the same as both the 1990/92 series (pressed in USA) and the more recent Essential Classics issues (made in Austria). Each disc has the exact same SBK catalog number as the original early 1990's individual releases.

The recordings of the symphonies are relatively smooth and spacious, whereas the piano concerto recordings reveal some audible strain during orchestral tuttis. Yet even these early 1990's remixes are an audible improvement over the the very first 1980's CD releases.

That these recordings are worth owning goes without saying. Each of the Leon Fleisher and George Szell collaborations in the five concertos ranks in my top three or so list of the respective composition, rendering the cycle an obvious first choice. Some might argue there is somewhat more choice for a complete cycle of the nine symphonies - personally, I would not want to live with (only) one complete cycle by any one conductor and orchestra - none seems fully satisfactory. Having said that, Szell and the Clevelanders' remains among the finest ever.

What I would be curious to know, however, is whether these remasterings are (once again) identical with the second Essential Classics/Classical Masters release (2002 Germany/Austria) or if the concertos have finally received the quality of remastering they deserve (as did the Fleisher/Szell Brahms concertos in the 1997 Masterworks Heritage release)? If not, it won't be worth ordering the same release of (per se wonderful) interpretations for the umpteenth time...

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

If you want to hear an orchestra that possessed unparalleled
precision, Cleveland's is what you want. I first heard the Cleveland and Szell in Wash DC in 1964 and never since have heard an orchestra whose players sounded as one. When that first note is sounded, you hear the orchestra, not a bunch of individual
musicians. While I like Szell's interpretations of Brahms, Schubert and Mozart above all others, I have to say that I prefer Walter's for a good portion of Beethoven, although Szell's 7th is very good. The one Beethoven work that I found to be best under Szell, by far, is his 5th Concerto with Leon Fleisher. I have never found another interpretation of that work that even approximates the outstanding performance that those two
gave us.

As a self-declared audiophile, I continue to be amazed at those reviewers who carp about slight congestion of orchestral tuttis, or tinny high end on classic recordings from the 1950s and 1960s, While I would not necesarily recommend vintage recordings to neophytes awaiting an introduction to the classic, there are some recordings that the discerning listeners "hear through" the mists of time. Some recordings are harder to do this than others. Fortunately, this is not the case with this set.

These classics are truly "classic". Szell's disciplined Beethoven is the stuff of legend, as is Fleischer's performances of the concertos. (As is this pairs recordings of the Brahms Piano Concertos, Leon Fleisher Plays Brahms

As with all true classic music - as opposed to classical - there are few, if any, truly "definitive" performances. (Although, listening this week to HvK's Strauss: Metamorphosen/Tod und Verklarung (Metamorphoses/Death and Transfiguration) I think I've encountered another one of these rarities).

Are these performances definitive? Perhaps to some. I wouldn't want to be without Toscaninis Beethoven 7 from 1937 (talk about fair sonics!) Beethoven: Symphony No 7; Haydn: Symphony No. 101; Mendelssohn: Scherzo from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Carlos Kleibers 5th Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 or - Mackerras' recent traversal with splendid sonics on Hyperion The Beethoven Symphonies Live from The Edinburgh Festival [Box Set] But this set is truly something special.

It is not for me to say whether or not this is the best remastering of the Szell Beethoven Cycle. I do not own the Sony Original Jacket set or the Fleischer concerti set (currently selling for about $25-75 used). What I can say - with certainty - is that this set sounds fine, just like the Szell Mozart original jacket collection that I do own George Szell Plays and Conducts Mozart [Box Set] Which means this set of discs sounds very well indeed, well in line with other Columbia/Epic recordings of its vintage, and certainly better than many of the Bernstein NYP travesties from the Columbia vaults. The sound is clear, balanced, and lacking the shrillness of some early Columbia recordings.

The interpretations are classic - brisk, swift, without Toscanini-like rigidity (1950s rigidity anyways). It has often been noted that Szell rehearsed the Clevelanders to within an inch of their lives, and the results are apparant. Rather than resent this approach, these musicians gave Szell their all - this orchestra knew that Szell's prodigious talents had lifted them up from second class status to world class status as an orchestra. They played for Szell with all their hearts - and their brains. While It is a level of playing that the Clevelanders - always a great orchestra - have seldom attained since. If I had to cite a weakness in the set, it would probably fall to the 6th symphony where Szell can seem a bit forced and relentless. It's a pretty brisk walk through the woods, with few moments to contemplate the scenery.

So - don't be dissuaded by the jaded reviews of some. This set is a treasurable bargain. If you want first rate sonics, you can dip into the Telarc catalogue, but the music you will hear won't be conveyed with the same passion and furious intelligence as these. The same can be said for Solti's first 1970s cycle, although Sir Georg comes a lot closer to the mark than many people give him credit for.

Definitive? Perhaps. To these ears, they are sounding awfully close. At the very least, these recordings are - and should be - included in that small, rarefied group of recordings that are designated as classics.

Vintage Szell precision with re-mastered audio sounding as if recorded only yesterday. Maximum performance. Modest investment.

I purchased the Szell-directed Beethoven Nine Symphonies because I had listened to them while in college years ago. At that time, they were recorded on 33.3 long-playing vinyl and over the years, deteriorated. Being very familiar with the nine symphonies, and being especially fond of the Szell-directed Cleveland Orchestra, I purchased the box set as described in the title. I was dismayed that during the ends of several movements, the recording suddenly shifted to the next without finishing the previous, thereby truncating my enjoyment of some of the most dramatic music ever composed and performed. I would not recommed this box set to anyone who would like to hear the complete nine symphonies, but gave it two stars because at this stage of my life, something is better than nothing.