Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 [Import]

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Roger Norrington (Conductor), Sarah Walker (Performer), London Classical Players (Orchestra), Winton Kenny (Performer), Yvonne Kenny (Performer), Patrick Power (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Sarah Walker, Winton Kenny, Yvonne Kenny, Patrick Power
• Orchestra: London Classical Players
• Conductor: Roger Norrington
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
• Audio CD (July 8, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B000002SST
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,427 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 1

2. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 2

3. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 3

4. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: II. Molto vivace 1

5. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: II. Molto vivace 2

6. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: II. Molto vivace 3

7. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: III. Adagio molto e cantabile 1

8. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: III. Adagio molto e cantabile 2

9. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: III. Adagio molto e cantabile 3

10. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: IV. Presto - Allegro 1

11. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: IV. Presto - Allegro 2

12. Symphony No.9, Op.125 'Choral' In D Minor: IV. Presto - Allegro 3

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing performance, April 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Audio CD)

Roger Norrington clearly has done a significant amount or research in preparing for this magnificent performance. Of note is his focus on the tempi - to try to approximate what Beethoven might have had in mind while composing the music. For ears more used to the romantic/orchestral sound of Ormandy, Bernstein, Stokowski, et.al., this is a refreshing change. Additionally, the typical 100 piece orchestra, as the above mentioned conductors were wont to conduct, make the music loud rather than powerful. Mr. Norrington's use of a smaller orchestra allows the music to sing rather than bellow. What Mr. Norrington has achieved here is magic rarely heard - a performance so compelling that the music transcends the performers; rather than hearing artists performing, you hear Beethoven's music.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great period recording! (Hurwitz Shmurwitz), November 8, 2002

By 

new music guy (NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Audio CD)

I could only laugh when I read the amazon.com editorial review. It really is a wonderful bit of evidence that we live in a world in which a complete ignoramus, with a little hard work and some put-downs, is capable of rising almost to the middle of the field of music criticism.

While perhaps Norrington is going too far in implying that this is the way Beethoven "must" be played, it is difficult to argue with his tempi, since he is following Beethoven's metronome markings. It is certainly jarring to hear the trio of the scherzo and the turkish march so much slower than we're used to, and the recitatives and the entire third movement so much faster than normal, but it doesn't sound *wrong*. Just different. And very interesting. And by the end, exhilirating. The orchestra has a beautiful sound, and if not perfectly in tune at all times, it's close enough to not be overly bothersome. Some lines come out more than they would in a modern orchestra, in particular the horns and timpani, but they both sound great. My one quibble is with the soloists, whose consistently wide vibrato is irritating and doesn't fit in. Nevertheless, for all the (quite legitimnate) raves about Szell, I'd take this recording over his anyday.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unfortunate Review for an Incredible Performance, January 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Audio CD)

I demand a second opinion! David Hurwitz's review is an injustice, not only to Roger Norrington, but to Beethoven as well. Fast and fierce the performance is - and a more natural interpretation I have never heard. A century's worth of slow, maudlin romanticist interpretation has unfortunately coloured many eyes. But Beethoven was not a romantic, he was a composer of early music. His music, truly played, instills a sentiment of joy, Beethoven's favorite emotion, and mine as well, I am happy to say. Those who harken back to before Norrington or Harnoncourt would reduce the Ninth to mushy movie music, because it is what they are used to hearing, via tradition.