Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures [Box set]

Beethoven (Artist), Huggett (Artist), Goodman (Artist), Hanover Band (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 17, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 7
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Nimbus Records
• ASIN: B0000064AR
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #528,019 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hanover Band Beethoven, July 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures (Audio CD)

A lot of critical attention has been drawn to the resonant acoustic in which these performances were recorded. The original Gramophone reviewer for example commended the 'natural' balance and perspective, while the Amazon's reviewer David Hurwitz (an anti-authentic critic if there ever was one!) referred to both sound and performance as 'utterly grotesque'! I personally favour the former evaluation; while the reverberance may not be to everybody's taste, it does mean that the brass can let rip without overwhelming the rest of the orchestra, and gives the string tone a warmth and bloom not found on other period cycles. While the woodwind may at times appear 'disembodied' this is a very minor cavil and again this is a subjective issue. As for the performances themselves, I personally find them far preferable to such rivals as Hogwood and Gardiner; the directorship of Goodman allows more freedom of expression than the former, while avoiding the at times wilful excesses of Gardiner. Overall these are played with zing and character, two qualities Beethoven would have surely admired.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Nimbus Firsts!!, September 15, 2000

By 

Alan Craig (Grand Junction,CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures (Audio CD)

The Nine Symphonies part of this set was one of the first "period instrument" sets to come out on the market. Today Nimbus reissues it joined by a disc of Overtures and a single disc version (one of the first "period instrument" recordings here too, of the "Missa Solemnis in D" This set of symphony recordings was one of the first to use some of Johnathan Del Mar's performing edtions of the symphonies, The Hanover Band under both Monica Hugget and Roy Goodman present some good to very good performances of these works. I should also mention that these performances also competed with the Hogwood, AAM recordings on L'Oiseau- Lyre (Decca) at the time and I think stood up well then, and stand up well to the competition today. My personal favorites from the set are the symphonies 6,7,8 although all the pieces receive good performances. Though I still think that the Gardiner recording of the "Missa" is still a better one than the one in this set. This can either be a very good first set for the beginning collector, or a good second set for someone who may own a traditional recording of the symphonies.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful change, October 6, 2003

By 

John Protopapas (South huntington, Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures (Audio CD)

This is a thoroghly delightful set performed on period instruments and tempo. Well worth the price - I have repeatedly listened to the performances and they wear well. There is also a bonus - the recordings are encoded in Ambiasonic sound and will decode nicely on a home theater surround system. One caveat - the recordings were done in an accoustically live environment and if your system tends to the bright side, the recording will seem a tad on the bright side. If you have a complete set of the Beethoven symphonies with a contemporary interpretation, this set is a worthwile acquisition as a reference.