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Beethoven: 9 Symphonies 1963

Box Set, Reissued, Import

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Herbert von Karajan (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Format: Audio CD
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 359 ratings
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Audio CD, Original recording reissued, Box set, February 13, 1990
$43.94
$34.86 $5.33

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Track Listings

1 Symphony No 1 in C Major, Op. 21
2 Symphony No 2 in D Major, Op. 36
3 Symphony No 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica"
4 Symphony No 4 in B Flat Major, Op. 60
5 Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op. 67
6 Symphony No 6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral"
7 Symphony No 7 in a Major, Op. 92
8 Symphony No 8 in F Major, Op. 93
9 Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

THE classic recording of the nine Beethoven Symphonies - Karajan's 1960s effort - returns to the catalogue now on Eloquence at super-budget price. This set has already achieved Gold sales in Australia and the CDs will now be available not only as a boxed set but also separately.

Amazon.com

By general consensus, Herbert von Karajan's first (1963) Beethoven cycle for Deutsche Grammophon is the best of the four (!) that he recorded. The Berlin Philharmonic was in top form, and they had not yet made an artistic fetish out of the bland smoothness that typified the conductor's later recordings of this music (and just about everything else). Karajan's squeaky clean, emotionally cool Beethoven will always be something of an acquired taste, but this set makes the best possible case for it. --David Hurwitz

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.73 x 4.03 x 2.07 inches; 13.2 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Deutsche Grammophon
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 028942903623
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 1990
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ February 1, 2007
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Deutsche Grammophon
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000001GBQ
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 5
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 359 ratings

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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Jon-Marc Wigent
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a performance!!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I've known about these recordings for years. But, I kept putting them off until this remastered set came out.
    Pardon me for saying this, but I am a hugh fan of Herbert von Karajan! I own more of him then any other conductor in my collection. I have other cycles of these symphonies, and, for the most part, they are all good. But, listening to these performances is like hearing them for the first time. HVK sees everything as an ark. In other words, his vision is not episodic, but as if he were above all of it and seeing the whole structure as a complete unit. Few conductors can claim that. I have his recording of Tristan for Warners (remastered) and his Ring(remastered). Both of these have the same qualities as the Beethoven.
    Now, to the sound quality. It's fantastic! There is real transparency here, especially in the strings. Amazing considering when these recordings were made. There is no distortion that I could detect any where along the sound spectrum. I have a Pioneer Elite system, so if anything were to show up, it would've. HVK recorded four cycles of these symphonies, not counting the ones he did for video. I have the last set he did and, yes, the tempos are slower, but not so much as to bother me. The same happened to other conductors towards the end of their careers. But, these performances and their conductor make a bold statement. You'll never hear anything better!!
    36 people found this helpful
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  • D. Garcia
    5.0 out of 5 stars There is a saying...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2005
    Verified Purchase
    There is a saying in the construction industry "Tripping over dollars to pick up nickels." Or in the regular world "Can't see the Black Forest for the trees."

    I doubt if there IS an definitive rendition of all of Beethoven's symphonies. Even the composers own conducted versions changed over time and from performance to performance depending on the players or his intentions. Instruments were constantly changing and you know this guy was never satisfied, always stretching. We can only guess what his EXACT intentions would be today or tomorrow.

    What you want to remember is:

    1) The first version of anything you seriously like will color your listenings of subsequent versions. You'll be listening for qualities that aren't there and missing qualities that are there.

    2) Different versions bring us different views. Isn't that a good thing? Sound in all it's forms is preferable than a useless search for the best sound. I'd rather have that kind of an attitude than the bickering negative perfectionist snob attitudes of some of the reviewers here.

    Having said that... I love these versions. I've had them for some time. I have at least 4 versions of the symphonies. These are clear, well recorded, dynamic and straight forward. Beethoven's passion, mental range and personal warmth are within. You can easily hear the information that Beethoven wanted you to hear. Probably better than he could. No make that clearly better than he could. Ha ha!

    These are solid, lovely, beautiful, and astounding. Listen to them.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • John doe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good bargain
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Overall, very good quality for the price..I had wanted Beethoven’s symphonies for a long time, but I found the price(s) prohibitive..for $30, this is a darn good buy..
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  • Teemacs
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good set
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    Herbie von K. remains a divisive figure in the musical world, even after his death. It is fair to say that, currently, he is not flavour of the month. Even at the time of this set's first release in the early '60s, the critics criticised Karajan's "glossy and glamorous" reading of Beethoven, made largely possibly by having the best orchestra on the planet under his baton. It was, to use an Australian expression, all show and no go.

    And yet...

    Listen to that Fifth. Listen to how quietly Karajan takes the end of the third movement, and how he relentlessly builds the tension until the joyous explosion of the fourth movement. For me, this recording at least matches the famous (and justly praised) Kleiber recording.

    Listen to the Ninth. Listen to the delightful touches, to the ting of the triangle in the Turkish March, to the way the piccolo rises out of the orchestra as the volume builds towards the great string run that leads to the final appearance of the famous "Ode to Joy" chorus. And just listen to those strings sing and the way the double basses thunder along underneath it all. If I had to take one Ninth to my desert island, it would be this one.

    There are things that are not so good of course. In the Pastoral, in the first movement "feelings of joy on arriving in the country", one can only assume that Karajan is sampling the joys in his Porsche. However, whoever gets a complete set of Beethoven symphonies right, whatever "right" means? Not Karajan, but not anyone else either. In my opinion, this is marvellous music making, in which the good things handily outnumber the bad, and at this price it is irresistible - which is, of course, why I didn't.
    37 people found this helpful
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  • Mimmo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beethoven karajan
    Reviewed in Italy on November 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Ottima interpretazione e buona incisione. Prodotto altamente raccomandato.
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  • Maria
    5.0 out of 5 stars Era un regalo y le encantó.
    Reviewed in Spain on November 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Era un regalo y le encanto. Recomiendo su compra sin ninguna duda.
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  • PGB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive complete Beethoven symphonies
    Reviewed in Canada on September 30, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Von Karajan did the cycle four times: once for HMV (I think) - in mono, this 1963 version, and twice since.. He must have felt compelled to reinterpret them as his own musical development matured; each set has its merits and flaws. But, overall, this 1963 set is the one against which his others are usually measured (actually, not just Von K's, but the multitude of other conductors' interpretations). I say this because over the years, there's been some consensus that this is the definitive cycle, despite a few 'flaws': his brisk opening movement of the Sixth, for example, seemed to be particularly singled out for vilification. Funny, as it turns out, this would seem to have been Beethoven's intention, borne out by the recently revamped Bahrenreiter Edition, which is now considered the last word, and modern versions seem to be taken very briskly as a result.

    I remember when this set came out on LP as part of the Beethoven Bicentennial collection in 1970 at (for the time) a greatly reduced price - I believe it was $33 CAD for the entire cycle, which was a pretty good price for 8 LPs from DGG (DGG imports tended to average $6-7 each at the time). So this CD set I got for less than half that (in 2019 dollars) is a real bargain. And the stereo sound remains remarkable - DGG was known for their good sound in the sixties and seventies, and this remastering has taken nothing away from that.

    There are so many complete Beethoven available now that it's almost impossible to say which is the "best" - this one's right up there, and at the prices it commands these days, you can't go wrong.
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  • Client d'Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Les catastrophes du numérique
    Reviewed in France on January 16, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Je ne reviendrais pas sur la qualité de cette intégrale qui à marqué l'histoire tant du côté discographique que musical. On peut aimé ou détester Karajan, le fait est que l'on fait toujours référence à celle-ci (Pour ma part sa meilleure réalisation, même si celle de 77 est de très haute volée). Par contre je ne pourrais pas en dire autant du téléchargement MP3 que j'ai acheté. En effet les coupures sont désastreuses sur certaines symphonies dernière note du 2ème mouvement de la 5ème manquante, dernière note du 1er mouvement de la 7ème idem, importante coupure également sur la coda du 2ème mouvement de la 9ème, sans parler de transitions entre 2 mouvements très mal réalisées, (5ème, 6ème et 9ème). Cela est d'autant plus regrettable que j'ai déjà télécharger d'autres enregistrements sans aucun défauts de ce type. A t' on le droit de bâcler à ce point un enregistrement de ce niveau. (Donc les 5 étoiles sont à destination de l’œuvre et 2 pour le montage MP3.
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  • K.H. Friedgen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ein Meilenstein der Schallplattengeschichte
    Reviewed in Germany on March 21, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) hat m.W. insgesamt vier Gesamteinspielungen der Beethoven-Symphonien erstellt. Die erste mit dem Philharmonia Orchester London von 1951/55 ist leider mono (außer Nr.8) und darum - obwohl musikalisch wundervoll - klanglich nicht ganz konkurrenzfähig.
    Deshalb ist für mich Karajans erste Gesamtaufnahme mit den Berliner Philharmonikern aus 1961/62 nach wie vor die absolute Referenzaufnahme. Sie hält auch heute noch, nach über einem halben Jahrhundert, jedem Vergleich mühelos stand. Das Orchester ist ein Klangereignis, und Karajan konnte in seinen späteren Einspielungen von 1976/77 und 1983/85 diese Leistung trotz noch besserer Klangqualität nicht mehr erreichen. Höhepunkte sind die 5. und 9. Symphonie; die Fünfte reißt mich heute noch jedesmal vom Hocker. Die Schlußsteigerung im Finale hat einen Drive, der unnachahmlich und kaum zu überbieten ist. In der mitreißenden Neunten überzeugt im Finale vor allem die herrliche Stimme von Gundula Janowitz, aber auch die übrigen Mitwirkenden leisten Hervorragendes. Auch die Vierte ist besonders hervorzuheben, die Einleitung zum Kopfsatz ist von knisternder Spannung, und das Adagio habe ich selten so tonschön und farbenreich gehört. Gravierende interpretatorische Schwächen kann ich nirgends erkennen, obgleich ich nicht verhehlen will, daß ich in der Pastorale (Nr. 6) vergeblich die Poesie und romantische Verinnerlichung suche, die beispielsweise Bruno Walter (CBS) und Karl Böhm (DGG) in ihren Aufnahmen so unnachahmlich zur Geltung bringen. Karajans Naturauffassung ist eine andere: Hier denkt man nicht an einen einsamen Wanderer, der beschaulich durch Wald und Flur streift, sondern eher an einen Porschefahrer, der mit hoher Geschwindigkeit die umgebende Landschaft an sich vorbeibrausen läßt. Aber auch das hat seine Reize .....
    Restlos glücklich bin ich auch nicht mit der Siebten. Ohne Zweifel ist es eine tonschöne, in sich stimmige Darstellung, aber ich will gar nicht von den Spitzenaufnahmen Furtwänglers oder Klemperers (beide EMI) sprechen, denn Karajan macht sich hier selber Konkurrenz mit seiner frühen Londoner Einspielung von 1951 (EMI), die leider nur einen, wenn auch durchaus akzeptablen, Monoklang aufzubieten hat, dafür aber in sich schlüssiger wirkt, und erst recht mit seiner Wiener Stereoaufnahme vom März 1959 (RCA/Decca), die nicht nur farbenreicher ist, sondern auch eine Wärme und Geschlossenheit ausstrahlt, die ich hier an manchen Stellen ein wenig vermisse. Vor allem das Finale kommt mir ein wenig zu schwungvoll, fast gehetzt, daher, und die federnde Rhythmik des Satzes bringen die Wiener Philharmoniker überzeugender zur Geltung.
    Alles in allem aber vermittelt uns Karajan eine großartige Sicht auf Beethovens Sinfonien-Kosmos, der von keiner älteren oder neueren übertroffen worden ist, bei allen berechtigten Einwänden gegen einzelne Details. Nichts gegen Klemperer, Wand, Solti, Szell u.a. - als Gesamtaufnahme ist diese hier, obwohl inzwischen mehr als 50 Jahre alt, auch heute noch ein Vorzeigeobjekt!
    Wer eine ganz andersartige Alternative wünscht, sollte sich die legendäre Leibowitz-Aufnahme von 1961 mit dem Royal Philharmonic Orchestra zulegen, die m.W. nicht nur erstmals die Metronomangaben des Komponisten ernst nahm, sondern auch die Struktur der Werke schonungslos freilegte. Karajan ist mehr der überlieferten Aufführungstradition verpflichtet, erfüllt diese aber mit großer Spannung. Beide Einspielungen gehören in jede gute Klassik-Sammlung, und schließlich kommt kein wahrer Beethoven-Enthusiast um Otto Klemperers Londoner Einspielungen aus den Jahren 1957-60 herum: so wuchtig, geradlinig und kompromißlos wie er stellt niemand sonst diesen symphonischen Gipfel abendländischer Musik dar.
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