Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by sbeck201, Jan 20, 2019.

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  1. royzak2000

    royzak2000 Senior Member

    Location:
    London,England
    Solti Decca 70s is Rock n Roll but that slow movement, not so slow, from Leibowitz is special.
     
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  2. Ere

    Ere Senior Member

    Location:
    The Silver Spring
    Regarding Solti's Ninth, I picked up the all-digital recording from 1986 recently and am enjoying it. What makes his 1972 performance special? I see it was issued by Mobile Fidelity on vinyl and also a nice-looking two-lp Decca Silver anniversary pressing is available. Any recommendations on pressings or issues for the '72?
     
  3. Nipper

    Nipper His Master's Voice

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I've got the Reiner coming in the mail any day now. I recently bought his 5th & 7th on CD, and found the 5th to be excellent (and the 7th was good too).

    I started with the '63 Karajan for the 9th, which is good, and I have many others, but never really settled on a favorite. There was always something not quite right - often with one or more of the vocalists. Last month, I listened to Blomstedt's 9th with Staatskapelle Dresden, and I instantly felt like I had discovered a favorite. Everything I'd heard from that cycle has been very good!
     
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  4. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    The Rene Leibowitz and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Chesky CD is now my top choice for the 9th, and I probably have around ten recordings on CD and SACD. Both the performance and the sound quality are excellent. Recorded in 1961 by Kenneth Wilkinson.
     
  5. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    I picked up the 1972 Solti on CD after reading good reviews, but for some reason it did not grab me like Karajan or Leibowitz. I listened to it once and probably won't play it again.
     
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  6. tenor1

    tenor1 Forum Resident

    I'm singing in the chorus on the Michael Tilson Thomas / San Francisco Symphony version so that one is my favorite! It's available on Hybrid SACD and downloads.
     
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  7. Nipper

    Nipper His Master's Voice

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    During the pandemic, one of my major pastimes has been immersing my self in LvB's symphonies. I just listened to the Munch 9th again last night. I recall that one reviewer called the performance "vulgar" for its intensity. To me it seems like the players are trying to rip the strings from their instruments at times. The poor mastering really jumped out at me last night, and I now wonder how much that is to blame for pushing this towards the bottom of my Ninth rankings.

    For the Boston Symphony Orchestra, though, their 1969 performance conducted by Erich Leinsdorf is superior. I picked it up on Amazon for $6.98, a great bargain. It features Jane Marsh (soprano), Josephine Veasey (mezzo-soprano), Placido Domingo (tenor), and Sherrill Milnes (baritone). This has become one of my top five favorites, out of the three dozen or so that I own (right up there with Reiner/CSO, Fricsay/BPO, Blomstedt/Dresden, and Schmidt-Isserstedt/VPO).


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    Last edited: Feb 20, 2021
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  8. Birchman

    Birchman Discerning Ear

    Location:
    Chugiak, Alaska
    Nipper, I'm not an aficionado but followed your suggestion and obtained a copy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra version though Amazon. I had become aware from a somewhat recent interview with Paavo Jarvi that Beethoven used what was then a new invention - the Metronome. It appears that all of Beethoven's symphonies are all noted with Metronome time signatures and many recent conductors choose to ignore those instructions. A case was then made that at least one German manufacture of the metronome has kept to the same standards since the invention and conductors can not argue defective metronomes in the beginning or now. From what I gathered Jarvi pushes himself and his orchestras to the limit to achieve compliance with the beat that Beethoven specified for each piece. I have listened to what Jarvi did with numbers Six and Two. Great recordings with a smaller Chamber Orchestra. I actually find myself drawn into the pieces in ways that other renditions do not. There is some criticism about Jarvi's 9th - mostly centering on the vocalists so I have not procured that production for comparison. Long way of getting to the point. The Boston Symphony rendition is great. I find myself speculating that Leinsdorf, either intentionally or unintentionally, is mirroring the metronome beat specified by Beethoven. I will look no further for my go-to digital Ninth. Thanks.
     
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