Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos | Hans Hotter, Ludwig van Beethoven, ... |...

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos | Hans Hotter, Ludwig van Beethoven, ... | Pure pleasure

classical music:

Beethoven: The Com...

	Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos Hans Hotter, Ludwig van Beethoven, ... EMI Classics, 2000 average customer review:based on 28 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A Giant Among Conductors

Two days after 9-11, in a stunned state (as we all were here in New England) I sat down at a local used CD shop and almost absent-mindedly plunked into the player a used copy of Klemperer's recording of the Third. I was barely aware of the passing of the first movement but when the Funeral March began something extraordinary happened. It wasn't the Funeral March per se (which would have struck me as trite during those days of bottomless tragedy) but this recording of it. Klemp, a German, and a damned good one, understood. He'd seen it, in fact he'd seen worse, much worse. He was almost using Beethoven's music to convey something no composer could ever convey.

Klemperer's way with music, especially German music, was unique. Issues of tempo and "control" are superfluous, he was a deeply soulful conductor and that's what matters. Soulfulness, in case you haven't noticed, is the magic elixer that makes Germanic music truly come alive and I'd argue only German conductors, and especially those of an era when good German souls were in deep torment, are best qualified to wrench every bit of it out of a piece of music. No man who was a German could stand at a podium in, say, 1958, conduct the Ninth, or Mathis der Maler, or the St Matthew Passion, and not feel a bit of the cosmos orbiting around the proceedings, and not exactly in a pleasant way. This often wasn't mere music making, it was penance, it was offerings to God for forgiveness, compassion, understanding. It may be that the greatest tragedy of modern times may have, ironically, led to two or three decades of the greatest music making ever.

I love quite a few Beethoven cycles (most though are pre-Seventies) but this set is special. Please accept it on its own terms and please accept the total committment and sincerity of the conductor.

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Pure pleasure

Probably, a Beethoven symphony set cannot be more seminal than this one. Klemperer's gritty, powerful, and solid interpretations are classic benchmarks in the recording history.

There are many things to appreciate here, for example the outstanding finale of no. 9, with prominent trombone playing and excellent percussion beats - it sounds like no other recording, and I think it is the finest account available.

In sum, a set carved in granite, heated by a sunny day of musical passion - warmly recommended.

(The piano concertos included are also very fine, but consider Szell/Fleisher for reference.)

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Fantastic Value for a Complete Set

For anybody wanting a complete collection of Beethoven's symphonies this is probably the best place to start. I find that all of the symphonies on these CDs are excellent portrayed. Of course, once you get to know and love each symphony you will probably want to buy individual recordings of each one. This box set is amazing value, not just for sheer content, don't forget you get the concertos as well, but the quality is top notch.

Upon seeing the price I was a little dubious that there would be the odd poor version, especially the 5th symphony, as that tends to be on so many compilations and most often a very poor performance is used. However, the performance contained here is of high class, for me it is just the right tempo to show it off in all its triumph.

My personal favourite, the 9th symphony, also didn't disappoint. I'm biased, as I love it so much, but this is the highlight of the collection. The conductor and the orchestra do a fantastic job of capturing all the right emotions involved and all the vocal performers are spot on throughout the final movement. It is as every bit as good as my other favourite recordings, which is very good for one included on a low budget box set.

The only niggle I have is with the 5th piano concerto, the "emperor". To me this is not how it should be played, the melody and even the mood is somewhat different to how I prefer it.

To summarise, if you dont know much about these pieces and want a nice cheap set to hear them, you cannot do any better than this. If you know these pieces but cannot afford individual recordings of each one then, again, this collection will not disappoint.

Great quality, great quantity and great price.

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Klemperer's Genius

The people who are criticizing Klemperer's tempo are missing the big picture. Listening to these recordings was powerful and moving. Klemperer uses tempo to give the listener the oportunity to hear each note that Beethoven used. Anybody who wants to hear a powerful interpertation of the great symphonies should buy this box set.

Wonderful Performances

I have admittedly not made it through the entire set as of yet, but feel sufficiently blown away by the First Symphony and the Eroica - particularly the second movement of the latter - to weigh in here. With respect to the tempo issue, I must - at least so far - argue in favor of Klemperer's decision to slow things down a bit. I think the effect is, as someone else has observed, a clearer and more visceral experience of Beethoven's composition. It brings out the feeling. The sound comes up a little short on the low end, but it isn't a major distraction. My only problem lies in EMI's inexplicable lack of any discussion of the performances. The notes are bland, dry descriptions of the pieces themselves, with some basic history thrown in. Given the fact that there are probably hundreds of different CDs of Beethoven's symphonies out there, all with similar explanatory notes, it is infuriating that nothing is said about these particular performances. This is in contrast with the EMI Bach set (with Yehudi Menuhin) in which there is a wonderful essay that discusses Menuhin's work in historical context.

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reviews: 1, 2, page 3, 4, 5, 6

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