Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Egmont Overture

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

 

 

Masur brings outthe inner voices without sacrificing any of the symphony's power or drama. The sound is exceptional and the New York Philharmonic shines in this superb recording.

I have to disagree with most of the reviewer here, this is one of my favourites of this symphony. I have listened to Beethoven since i was 11 yeas old. And i have heard many Beethoven Symphony recordings. Carlos Kleiber, Roger Norrington, George Szell, Lorin Maazel are some of my favourites of the 5th symphony. But this one is not bad at all in my view. The sound is not exceptional but not bad at all. So this is the only of Kurt Masur recordings of Beethoven that'l have a place among all the others in my cd collection.

Masur is very quixotic as a conductor. Sometimes his concerts and recordings are shockingly vibrant and energetic. However, most of the time, he is an overly intellectual conductor that creates dull, lifeless readings. Here, we find the New York Philharmonic in top form, playing a wonderfully balanced and well-rehearsed version of the fifth. But that is were my praise ends. Although the quality of the playing is near perfection, the energy and emotion (or lack there of) that Masur instills in the players is uninspiring. I will say I am impressed that Masur (correctly) chooses to take the repeat of the Scherzo - something the liner notes explain in detail - but that is not enough to save this performance from mediocrity.

Egmont, here recorded in its entirety, is interesting if anything because we rarely encounter the entire incidental music on disc. However, there are better versions of both available. Dausgaard's Egmont blows Masur out of the water. As for the symphony, there are seemingly hundreds of better alternatives, including Vanska, Barenboim, Zinman, Keibler, Szell, Karajan, Harnoncourt, and Jarvi, to just name a few. Pass.

Kurt Masur recorded some excellant Beethoven with Liepzig. Why was it done again and in New York? His approach is for the most part good and serves the music well. I'm not so sure of the ocherstra however. The playing is ok...but the sound doesnt seem unified and sections of the orchestra disjointed from one another. If doing a piece like this symphony, it should be an event and the ensemble should be together in all respects.

My choices for this symphony would be Karajan. If wanting an american orchestra then get Szell/Cleveland.

I am quite surprised at the lack of enthusiasm...but I prefer Beethoven unrushed and most of all ...without the strange mannerisms of Szell and company. I find the old Cleveland has some of the weirest rubatos and ritards where none are marked.

At least Masur observes the markings on the score and on top of this his orchestra plays exactly was is there.

The Egmont music is sung very well with some truly fine orchestral playing throughout.

If you are looking for a great NYPO/Masur recording, look for the Dvorak Eighth recording. The sound is amazing. The brass is rich and smooth. The strings, powerful. The wind solos are beautiful. Everything you expect in a Philarmonic recording is there.

Here, however, the orchestra has never sounded so tired and lifeless. The Allegro is slow, never really leaving the dynamic of mf. The woodwinds sound distant and fuzzy, espically the oboe solo. The second movement is also too slow. While the brass enter powerfully, showing the power of the Philarmonic brass players, the movement is uneventful and never exciting. The same can be said for the other two movements. In the finale, it is difficult for a conductor to make the orchestra sound dull and quiet. Here, the ending seems anti-climatic and leaving listener wanting more. The same can be said about the overture.

Kurt Masur recorded some excellant Beethoven with Liepzig. Why was it done again and in New York? His approach is for the most part good and servers the music well. I'm not so sure of the ocherstra however. The playing is ok...but the sound doesnt seem unified and sections of the orchestra disjointed from one another. If doing a piece like this symphony, it should be an event and the ensemble should be together in all respects.

My choices for this symphony would be Karajan. If wanting an american orchestra then get Szell/Cleveland.

The Penguin Guide gave this recording the full three stars, plus, the covetted rosette, and boy howdy, they must have heard a completely different recording. A lot of the symphony sounds strange in this interpretation. I think this was recorded in about 1993 but sounds terrible sonically, like it was recorded in the 50's or something. I don't have the issue that has a picture of Masur on the cover but the Warner Apex version (I'm not sure if the one with Masur on the cover is any better sonically but I doubt it). Just buy his Leipzig recordings from earlier in his career. STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS AS YOU CAN.