Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

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

 

 

I always held Bernstein as the best conductor of american composers (his recordings of music by Aaron Copland is better than Copland's recordings). However, his Beethoven used to lack intensity and 'pathos'. But this ninth is different. The performance is excellent - and we can feel the spontaneity of the 'live recording' effect. The Vienna Philarmonic sound is completely sumptuous and overwhelming, especially at the climax of the last movement. This is the Best Beethoven recording ever made by Bernstein. His recording with the NYP is not as intense.

I am no music expert, but the kind of passion that Bernstein draws here from the Vienna PO and from his singers, in particular Gwyneth Jones, does not depend on expertise for recognition. In addition, the recording is very good.

If I were to recommend one of the versions I know of this work to a classical music neophyte, this is the one I would choose.

I have been listening to The Ninth since 1955, when I heard von Karajan perform it in Carnegie Hall: I was raised on "Lenny" Bernstein as the conductor of 'my' New York Philharmoic. B Living in Chicago and listening to the Chicago Symphony taught me what perfect playing (and singing) was all about so I had given up expecting perfection, or even reasonably accurate singing in The Ninth, after hearing innumerable recordings and performances. I had avoided listening to this recording, because of my adolescent experience with the young Bernstein, who was so often unbalanced.

But here the mature (even dying) Bernstein has it right.
Everything is very very good. Indeed, perfection (of the standards of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) is achieved except for the clarinet (who is slightly sharp) and the intonation of the bass (who is nonetheless more than adequate).

Listen and see if you agree.

Bob Eisenberg
Chicago

I agree with the comments made re: the excellence of the performance, but be forewarned that the recording is all too typical of DGs recording problems of the era.

specifically, there is digital glare on the strings. Lots of it. Perhaps it was cleared up in subsequent remastered versions (ie, the re-release of the complete cycle) I don't know. but if you're playing this on a good system, you'll hear a lot of scratchiness in the strings.

Otherwise, it IS a great performance!