A terrific bargain for LvB symphony fans

[keaggy220]

I found Beethoven: Complete Symphonies [BOX SET] on iTunes Plus (DRM-free music tracks with high quality 256 kbps AAC encoding) for $9.99.

Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Orchestra: Philadelphia Orchestra

It also includes these three overtures:

VERTURE TO "FIDELIO

CONSECRATION OF THE HOUSE OVERTURE (I think that's what it's called)

LEONORE OVERTURE NO. 3

The track times indicate a slow tempo throughout all the movements. I know downloads aren't for everyone, but this same box set is $40 on Amazon.

[DavidRoss]

...high quality 256 kbps AAC encoding....

[keaggy220]

...high quality 256 kbps AAC encoding....

Check that - high quality compared to most digital downloads.

I usually listen to music in my car so with all of the ambient noise I cannot detect the difference in a CD and a digital download...

[Chalkperson]

Umm, I guess you forgot to name the Orchestra, and the Conductor...

[keaggy220]

Umm, I guess you forgot to name the Orchestra, and the Conductor...

Oops! Thanks for the heads up - I edited the original post to include this info...

[Chalkperson]

Jeez, Muti's Bethoven...ask Barry...

[Barry]

Jeez, Muti's Bethoven...ask Barry...

Now I should say in advance that I haven't listened to this set in a fairly long time. But I used to know it quite well. My view was that the recordings of symphonies 4, 7 and 9 are top notch. The rest of the set varies between not-so-great and average. It's hardly a set I'd recommend for someone in the market for a Beethoven symphony set. But if someone just wants to learn the music and spend as little money as possible in the process, I suppose it's fine.

I've said before on here that I think Muti may have had the worst years of his career here in Philadelphia. He was outgrowing the excitement of much of his Philharmonia work, but hadn't yet matured interpretively. I also wasn't thrilled with what he did with the orchestra's sound.

[CharmNewton]

I believe that this is one of the better cycles available. Not one of the symphonies are dull. Muti conducts with passion, and the orchestra responds with precise, alert playing (I like his Brahms cycle on Philips very much as well).

If the cycle has one drawback, it is the recorded sound, at least as reproduced from my CDs, which are the original, full-priced edition. I've found that a good boost in the treble helps with all of them.

John

[keaggy220]

Thanks for the comments. The price of just over a $1 a symphony is amazing - especially since it is the DRM-free format. I wasn't expecting a highly regarded set, but for that price it's hard to go wrong.

I'm missing the first symphony, but I own CD's of all the others (and multiples of most) so I will probably skip it.

[DavidRoss]

I've not heard the Muti set, but regard Blomstedt's Dresden Staatskapelle cycle on Brilliant as not just a great bargain set, but a great set, period. It goes for around $2 per symphony, and if you want compressed files, you can rip it yourself in whichever codec floats your boat.

[Jack Kelso]

I, too found (another!) complete Beethoven-box on "Brilliant" with Wolfgang Sawallisch.

Personally, I find them well-played but rather unremarkable, a bit dull. Anyone else know of this discount box?

Jack

[Jack Kelso]

By the way, I have a new personal favorite "EROICA" recording:

Michael Tilson Thomas with the Ochestra of St. Luke's. WOW! And he takes the repeat of the 1st movement exposition, too!

Tschüß!
Jack

[DavidRoss]

Sawallisch...well-played but rather unremarkable, a bit dull.

Sound like "Slowish" to me.

This won't satisfy as broad a range of tastes, but Zinman's set on Arte Nova is also good and quite a bargain. HIPish, but not period instrument.

[Barry]

I, too found (another!) complete Beethoven-box on "Brilliant" with Wolfgang Sawallisch.

Personally, I find them well-played but rather unremarkable, a bit dull. Anyone else know of this discount box?

Jack

I know some of it and agree with your take on it for the most part.

Sawallisch also led a live Beethoven cycle early in his tenure in Philadelphia (mid 90s) and the result was the same; well played, average to a little slower than average tempos. The tempos weren't the problem. The performances just were lacking in the kind of tension that the great Beethoven performances have. And the same can be said of the Concertgebouw recordings.

Incidentally, as I've mentioned on here in the past, Sawallisch amazingly became a much more energetic and passionate conductor during the second half of his Philadelphia tenure, when he was in his late 70s. Some people attribute it to an emotional reaction to the death of his wife. Others say it was just a case of the orchestra coming together after he had made a number of personnel changes at the beginning of his tenure. I think it was probably a combination of those two things. He led performances of Beethoven 3, 6 and 9 late in his tenure that were much better than any Beethoven I had previously heard from him.