Beethoven's Symhonic Cycle

[PeterG]

It often seems that people either love or hate the 9th. What puts me off it is the singing and the "played to death" main theme.

[mogrooves]

What puts me off it is the singing and the "played to death" main theme.

Refrain from visiting Japan in December!

[Oreb]

I think there's a consensus that the first two were sub-par but after that...LOOK OUT!!!

No love for old Otto Klemperer's EMI cycle from the 50's. I grew up on those. Can't say I've heard anything better since.

I mentioned Klemp's 6 in my post as well. He was a great artist.

[PeterG]

No. 3 being my fav I have collected many versions on old secondhand vinyl simply because I love all the arty covers. To my surprise I haven't been able to find a Karajan version on vinyl yet.

This is what I have on vinyl so far:

Beethoven's 3rd Symphony

1957 - Minneapolis SO - Antal Dorati
1961 - LPO - Otto Klemperer
1961 - Berlin PO - Ferenc Fricsay
1963 - Pittsburgh SO - William Steinberg
1963 - Sudwestfunk SO - Paul Kletzki
1974 - Munich PO - Rudolf Kempe
1974 - LPO - Sir Adrian Boult
1975 - O der Wiener Volksoper - Eduard Lindenberg
1982 - Academy of St. Martin in the Fields - Neville Marriner
19?? - Vienna PO - Pierre Monteux
19?? - Pro Musica O Berlin - Karl Reuter
19?? - Milan SO - Ernesto Cantelli
19?? - Berlin SO - Jascha Sternheim

[notallwhowander]

Well, the 7th is working its way into my brain. I love that little dance melody in the first movement, the one that starts soft and then they raise the roof with. It's been stuck in my head all day.

[Oreb]

Well, the 7th is working its way into my brain. I love that little dance melody in the first movement, the one that starts soft and then they raise the roof with. It's been stuck in my head all day.

Wagner called 7 "the apotheosis of the Dance". An opinion of his I DO agree with.

[PeterG]

No. 3 being my fav I have collected many versions on old secondhand vinyl simply because I love all the arty covers. To my surprise I haven't been able to find a Karajan version on vinyl yet.

As if by some karma I found a 1970s Karajan version yesterday!

[Facelift]

As if by some karma I found a 1970s Karajan version yesterday!

Here's a nice Karajan article:

http://www.dw.de/critic-explains-all...ting/a-3234603

[PeterG]

Thanks.

[llanwydd]

I don't know the first through the fourth very well so I'll rank the others.

1. 6th (by far)
2. 9th (first one I heard. I was hooked immediately.)
3. 7th (especially the 2nd movement)
4. 5th (classic but overplayed)
5. 8th (goofy ultra-German sound. I picture cuckoo clocks and alp horns.)

[PeterG]

I don't know the first through the fourth very well so I'll rank the others.

1. 6th (by far)
2. 9th (first one I heard. I was hooked immediately.)
3. 7th (especially the 2nd movement)
4. 5th (classic but overplayed)
5. 8th (goofy ultra-German sound. I picture cuckoo clocks and alp horns.)

Man, you have to hear the 3rd.

[Dusty Chalk]

Great, now I have 867-530naaa-eee-aaaahn stuck in my head.