Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 - Eroica / Schubert: Symphony No. 8 - Unfinished,d.759

Franz Schubert (Composer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), James Levine (Conductor), MET (Metropolitan) Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: MET (Metropolitan) Orchestra
• Conductor: James Levine
• Composer: Franz Schubert, Ludwig van Beethoven
• Audio CD (July 19, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records / Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001GLQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,056 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major 'Eroica': Allegro Con Brio

2. Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major 'Eroica': Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai

3. Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major 'Eroica': Scherzo. Allegro Vivace

4. Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major 'Eroica': Finale. Allegro Molto

5. Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro Moderato

6. Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Andante Con Moto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clean, modern classicism, with lovely sonics, November 2, 2005

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 - Eroica / Schubert: Symphony No. 8 - Unfinished,d.759 (Audio CD)

The Amazon reviewer overstates the case, but I must admit I've waited a long time before buying Beethoven from James Levine. He has campaigned successfully to get the Met opera orchestra recognized as a symphony orchestra, using four concerts a year in Carnegie Hall as a vehicle. But there's lots of great Beethoven and Schubert to compete with--what does Levine offer?

First, he anticipated the movement toward swift, steady tempos for Beethoven, and the lean orchestra sound he got in 1993--nicely caught by DG's clear, truthful sonics--predates Abbado and Rattle in their new Beethoven cycles. Harnoncourt is the most aggressive conductor in this style, but Levine is pretty lean and muscular, too: he doesn't pause for expression, and the opening chords of the Eroica are slashing. Every movement is played for high energy; the climaxes at the end of the first and last movement are thrilling.

Schubert usually calls for more tenderness and inward reflection. But Levine sees Schubert in the light of Beethoven, and his "Unfinished" begins with a true Beethoven allegro and never slows down. Yet he isn't fierce or punchy a la Carlos Kleiber. The second movement andante, which is very beautifully played in every respect, shows considerable contrast in mood but not tempo: it's on the fast side, with thrilling climaxes and tender solos from the excellent Met winds.

Altogether, these are very good performances in excellent sound, much like updated Szell (who was Levine's mentor in Cleveland). I thoroughly enjoyed them, particularly in terms of orchestral richness, but one finds more style in Furtwangler, Toscanini, Klemperer, Bernstein, Karajan, etc. It's a hard field to be nearly great in.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction to these symphonies, August 13, 2001

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M. Ruybalid "Michael" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 - Eroica / Schubert: Symphony No. 8 - Unfinished,d.759 (Audio CD)

I bought this recording a few years back, mainly because I wanted a recording of the Schubert 8th. Not only do I like the way the Schubert 8th is played here, but I absolutely love the performance of the Beethoven 3rd, a symphony I had not previously heard. Even though I have NOT heard other recordings of either of these symphonies since I bought this one, I was impressed with the tempos, especially on the 3rd. Some take the first movement of the 3rd WAY TOO SLOW, as I have read that Sir Georg Solti did, but Levine's tempo truly makes this movement sound like a musical celebration of a world leader that Beethoven admired at the time of its composition, Napoleon. Both symphonies are well balanced in my opinion, and Levine makes them both pleasing to the ear (at least to my ear). There may be other recordings of these symphonies out there that are better for you, it all depends on your taste. Shop around, but do not ignore this recording (even though it appears to be out of print, but used copies are out there). It is not "a waste", as Mr. Hurwitz puts it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rewarding, February 2, 2009

By 

David Saemann - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 - Eroica / Schubert: Symphony No. 8 - Unfinished,d.759 (Audio CD)

An album this beautifully played and this compelling deserves serious consideration, even if these are not the most memorable versions of these symphonies that I ever have heard. There is no gainsaying the execution of the Eroica by the Met Orchestra. It is virtually in the same league orchestrally as the great traversals by Karajan and Toscanini. Where it does not equal the work of those two maestros is in insight. The 1st, 3rd, and 4th movements are generally very appealing as interpretations, even if they (particularly the 4th) are slightly anonymous. Where the interpretation really falls down is in the Funeral March. Levine seems to view it as one long legato phrase. Over and over, opportunities for dramatic expression are smudged in the concern for beauty of tone. Karajan uses beauty of tone as an adjunct to felicity of expression. Levine pursues beauty of tone for its own sake. I don't want to sound petty. Any interpretation played this well has to be a major statement of the music. I just don't think that Levine lives up to his potential here. The Unfinished is another case entirely. It is a searingly dramatic performance, with a wide dynamic range and savage sounding strings. If you are looking for the cushy sort of Schubertian string ethos one finds, say, in the Bruno Walter/N.Y. Philharmonic rendition, you won't find it here. There is a Vienna Philharmonic way of performing this music that is completely alien to the playing here of the Met Orchestra. In sum, this is a thought provoking and highly accomplished CD that unfortunately is not all it could be.