Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Choral

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I first heard this magnificent Beethoven 9th in the early 1970's on a poor Seraphim LP transfer, never dreaming it could sound as good as it does here. That first hearing turned my entire view of great orchestral interpretation upside down. Previously, I had felt that Toscanini's was the finest interpretation. But by the time I reached the first mvt. coda of this live 9th from Bayreuth, my perceptions of musical eloquence had been changed forever. I simply had no idea of what power, breadth, majesty, grandeur and originality this music contained until I heard Furtwangler.

This is one of about 10 Beethoven 9th recordings by Furtwangler, all of them "live." They are all fascinating. There is a general consensus that Furtwangler's three finest readings are this one, the 1942 BPO from Berlin, and the 1954 Philharmonia from Lucerne. Here is a summary:

1. This Furtwangler (1951) with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra & Chorus (Schwarzkopf, Hongen, Hopf, & Edelmann). It is less extreme than the 1942 and has more energy and passion than the 1954. Schwarzkopf is superb, Edelmann is excellent. The other Furtwangler 9ths listed here are better played (no wavering horn player in the Adagio), but this one has a special sense of occasion that makes it unique. The CD transfer here is identical to the one in the complete Beethoven set on EMI. So if you already have that one, there is no need to buy this one.

2. Furtwangler/BPO 1942, Bruno Kittel Choir, with Tilla Briem, Elisabeth Hongen, Peter Anders, and Rudolph Watzke (Music & Arts CD 4049). This is the most impassioned and dramatic of ALL 9ths. The BPO plays as if possessed, and the singers (except for Briem's shaky high notes) are superb. This is a performance of huge extremes: I feel the 1951 Bayreuth is perhaps the better balance of mind and heart. Furtwangler only conducted the 9th on special occasions. Likewise, this intensely anguished reading should only be heard every once in a while.

3. Furtwangler/Philharmonia 1954, Lucerne Festival Chorus, with Schwarzkopf, Elsa Cavelti, Ernst Haefliger, and Edelmann (best transfer is on Tahra 1054/7). Just 3 months before his death, Furtwangler is slower and more meditative. Wonderfully weighty and profound, this 9th lacks some of the fire and energy of the 1951 Bayreuth. This was the conductor's own favorite of all his live 9ths - and there are times when I feel it is his greatest reading.

Frankly, I wouldn't want to be without any of them. While there are other interpretations that I also admire (Abendroth, Weingartner, Schuricht, and Konwitschny), this Furtwangler threesome represents my favorite readings of all. There are times when I feel that 1942 Berlin is ultimate, but then I hear this Bayreuth and the Lucerne and I waver. Each of these has special insights and profoundly communicative playing. You really owe it to yourself to hear them - they are among the richest musical experiences you will ever encounter.

Now 50 years old, this recording, reissued many times, is likely to have outsold all other recorded versions of this symphony. It carries the atmosphere of a great occasion recorded live - the post war re-opening of the Bayreuth Festspiehaus in 1951. The performance itself, for all its occasional imperfections, has the headlong spontaneity of a first performance. The sound quality in this latest reissue is perfectly acceptable. The wonderful acoustics of Wagner's Bayreuth theatre help ensure success. You might be aware that you are sometimes carried in too closely to one or two woodwind instruments during the third movement, but the perspective is otherwise consistent. The taxing vocal contributions are never disappointing, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's singing being especially distinctive.

I have never heard any performer make any "feel good" statements about this symphony. Toscanini, who conducted it countless times during his long life, declared that he never got to understand it. Orchestra members complain that they feel they have been reduced to "accompaniment" status once the baritone begins his recitative in the last movement. A retired contralto soloist who performed it all around the world once told me, "It's a bugger, John. I still go weak at the knees when I hear the introduction to the last movement." Sopranos singing in the chorus report that the high notes they need to attack and sustain leave them hoarse and exhausted afterwards. Can other internet visitors offer further performing insights?

As I sit here listening to the beautiful third movement of this symphony I say to myself "I've heard many other recordings that are cleaner, more elaborate, better recorded, AND better played". Then by God WHY do I keep coming back to this recording? Simply because Furtwangler doesn't use this piece of music as a spectacle for himself like Herbert Von Karajan has done. The very first piece of classical music I bought was the much overhyped '62 Beethoven cycle by Karajan and after comparing the ninth in that set to Furtwangler's it's easy to see who the REAL maestro is. Furtwangler knew about dynamics and shading and tempo adjustments which are all minor little things that keep a person interested in the music. This recording aside from being mono and having a few audience noises crop up as well as a sloppy horn player in the third movement is my definitive Beethoven Ninth. Warts and all.

No one could call this 1951 performance of Beethoven's glorious 9th Symphony perfect. Some of the orchestral playing is uneven, the sound is rough and some of the singing is flawed. But, despite these technical flaws, what this recording achieves emotionally is beyond belief.

First and foremost is the indescribably inspired, unbelievably moving conducting of Wilhelm Furtwängler, the greatest conductor of the twentieth century. He infuses every bar with enormous warmth and majestic radiance, while holding his huge forces together flawlessly. His interpretation has an otherworldly, Olympian quality, particularly in the hushed serenity of the third movement and the exhilaration of the fourth movement, while remaining perfectly warm and human. Even by his standards, this is an outstanding performance. With the exception of the first horn, the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra plays magnificently, fully up to communicating Furtwängler's vision of this piece. Even the first horn, who bungles his entry in the third movement, contributes some elegant, beautiful phrasing. In the final movement, the chorus and solo quartet are generally excellent. Standing out even from this excellence is the radiant voice of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, here at her most straightforward peak. She redeems a slightly choppy first line with some sublime singing toward the end of the movement. Her high B's there are some of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. The contralto, Elisabeth Höngen, is not on this level. She is rather uneven throughout her part, but her voice is beautiful enough. Hans Hopf is an excellent tenor, with a juicy, ringing voice, and Otto Edelmann is a firm-voiced, resonant bass. The chorus sings excellently.

Some people may find the sound too primitive for comfort. The chorus in the last scene is placed rather too far back (though this at least enables the orchestra to be heard); with heavy surface noise in addition to the audience's display of respiratory ailments, this will definitely not be for those people who must have crystal-clear, silent digital sound. For me, though, these "flaws" are almost welcome. They show that this a live recording; they give a sense of occasion, of white-hot inspiration, that I find far preferable to the cold studio glare of many modern recordings.

I have three other recordings (Klemperer [1957], Karajan [1977] and Davis [1993]), and only Klemperer gets anywhere near this performance. So while this performance may not be perfect technically, it shows us the soul of this magnificent work in a way no other recording approaches; and for me, that is the most important aspect of a recording. This is one of the greatest recordings ever made of anything, and will never be even remotely approached.

By 1951, the DeNazification process had progressed far enough for the authorities to allow the reopening of the Bayreuth Festival. Furtwaengler was to be the conductor and the music was to be Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (the "Choral") in d minor. The result of that performance is this recording.

It is difficult to imagine a more life-affirming, transcendent event. While at times (see the scherzo) there is the same sort of acting out of rage and frustration that is apparent in other wartime recordings of Beethoven by Furtwaengler, that is consistent with an essential characteristic of Beethoven's argument. Similar, but to the opposite effect, is the third movement, which, in Furtwaengler's hands, seems to divorce itself from time. The lines are so long they seem to disolve into mist, but coherence and grace are never lost. Beethoven cannot live out of time, however, and this sound world, full of beauty worthy of the lotus eaters, is also rejected. The ultimate conclusion of Beethoven's argument, articulated in the justly famous "Ode to Joy", set to poetry by Friedrich Schiller, is astonishing. Everyone plays and sings her or his heart out. Emotions are so high, the first time I listened to this I expected the music stands to catch fire.

This is a remote live recording from 1951. While the sound is servicable, it is not outstanding, notwithstanding that the production is by Walter Legge. I imagine he did the best he could under the circumstances. Having said that, this reissue does refurbish the sound somewhat. Irrespective of that, if you pass on this recording because of audiophile concerns, you are making a serious error. This is the Beethoven Ninth you must own if you care anything about great art. If you don't have it, buy it today.

I'm a Beethoven fan and I own another 4 versions of the ninth, incluiding the famous Karajan from 77 and Bohm's with Placido Domingo. While this version is not the best played, nor has the best sound, I consider it to be by far the most emotional of all. Just by listening to the beginning of the first movement you realize the great understanding that Furtwrangler has of Beethoven. It has a WARMTH to it that is impossible to explain. Even in the unusually long third movement, it never grows tiresome, on the contrary, you really want to burst into tears.

Those of you who are more interested in great sound and flawless interpretation, don't buy this album, try instead Karajan's or Bohm's (his version with Placido Domingo is perfectly and flawlessly played, but lacks the intensity and emotion of this version). But if you're looking for something more, try this one, you won't be dissapointed, this is THE BEST of all.

This recording to my untrained ear is the apotheosis of Beethovan's internal vision of how his Ninth Symphony should sound.Warts and all it is one of the 2 or 3 greatest recordings of all time. Sublime? It goes beyond sublime and enters a sphere that is hardly. comprehensible. When I die, I want to go to this Heaven that Maestro Furtwangler fashioned on Juy 29th, 1951 at the Bayreuth Festival.

This is a subjective review of this recording --like most others here, I guess. I have to say that this is --up to this moment-- the best recording I have 'encountered.' Sure, it's hard to ignore this particular one as it has received so many, many glowing reviews; even the people not liking it very much do agree that it's a special recording nonetheless and give it a decent rating --there'll always be exceptions.
If --IF-- you can stand MONO sound, this will be the one to go for. It has power, energy, inspiration, perfect timing, and a radiant finale that will shoot you right among the stars --sorry for this slightly bombastic praise.
Needless to say, the vocals are great!
This one is often compared with Karajan's best version --be careful, he has more recordings of this symphony-- and with Böhm's ninth. All of these three have their fair shair of flaws, but if you really can endure the mono sound, then go for Furtwangler; although the vocals of Karajan's version may be deemed 'better.'
This version only gets better with multiple listenings --like a lot of Beethoven {and other great composers}, so I don't think you should give it a quick listening at your classical dealer --or even Amazon, for that matter; listen to it; delve into the music.
Have a great time and live a long and happy life.
Beware: once addicted to classical music, a lot of other music will lose its appeal. I think that's good. Who listens to that [stuff] anyway?
Hope you give Beethoven a try.

In this recording, the monumental last symphony of Beethoven is captured in pure excellence. The label for these series of recording is the greatest of the century. There is no question that this is the one and only Beethoven's Ninth. After World War II, the concert halls were once again opened in Germany and to celebrate the end of so terrible a time, conductor Furtwangler set about presenting Beethoven's 9th. Many have seen this symphony live, or at least heard about it. It is commonly known that it's Beethoven's grandest achievement. For the ignorant, it is considered pompous, grandiose, a conductor's showpiece. But for the truly appreciative of music, for those who have made classical music their passion and their religion, Beethoven's 9th is a great evocation of freedom, peace and universal brotherhood. Beethoven was the original Romantic composer, and he must have been aware of the deep impact his shockingly new symphony took in the music scene. The structure to the 9th is in four movements and it is in the key of D Minor, denoting seriousness. The first three allegro, vivace, adagio cantabile and the last movement strikes up the orchestra with its most dominant theme- the Ode To Joy. Taken from a poem by German freethinker, Schiller, it is a cry for peace and for the unity of all humankind. Beethoven appropriately set the words to music and individual parts for a bass, a tenor and a trio featuring a soprano. The full chorus joins in with dynamic majesty.

The Ninth is something of a mystery. It begins with something unexplainable, something fatalistic, the first movement has a powerful scope, a chaotic whirl of strings and trumpet, before finally subsiding. The second movement is a rapid scherzo-like theme, which was used for some time in the NBC Evening News. To my opinion and to my imagination, it is time and human history Beethoven is describing in music. The terror, the majesty of Creation, the sublime bliss, the many moods and the many mistakes and achievements humankind has done. The third movement, the adagio, is the most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard. Flowing, swirling elegant lines seem to breathe and sigh across time and space, there is a timelessness, a floating feeling when you hear the adagio. Finally, the last movement ends with the full chorus "Ode To Joy", in this recording all the vocalists are masterful.

I have seen the Ninth performed live twice. Once in New York City and once in Los Angeles, where Essa Pekka Salonen was conducting the LA Philharmonic. The Ninth is a breathtaking experience, and certainly a great introduction to the symphony. Don't think twice of buying this cd. It is the one to have and to treasure forever.

This recording was taken from both rehearsals and the live performance of the opening concert at the 1951 Bayreuth Festival. Wagner's grandsons, Wolfgang and Wieland, had reopened the Festival after the postwar confusion, and thus the occasion was signifigant for all involved. Furtwaengler conducts a star vocal ensemble, and the orchestra is for the most part worthy. Furtwaengler was an idosyncratic, highly subjective conductor. Those brought up on the more clinical, studio readings of the analog stereo and digital eras will be puzzled at the contrasts in tempi (say, third movement with the finale of the fourth). And yes, the recording is in mono sound. Nonetheless, the recording deserves its five star rating. Furtwaengler's interpretation achieves sonically what most of us feel or otherwise subjectively experience when listening to the Ninth: chaos, energy, reflection, and joy coupled with resolution of the first three moods. Many of us first experienced this recording while on limited budgets and only able to afford the budget EMI/Angel Seraphim release. Over the years, we may have purchased other readings of the Ninth. However, many find they always make their way back to the Furtwaentler recording. It's a disc set not only to listen to, but also to experience.