In Reply to: Beethoven's 7th posted by dbphd on May 31, 2007 at 13:41:37:
As mentioned below the Zinman on Arte Nova has excellent sound and is a good (very fast) reading. The Wand on RCA is about on the same level sound wise with a more relaxed and well pointed reading. The Reiner on RCA has incredibly natural sound (1955!) if not with as quiet a background of course. The conducting is also very natural and the playing is of a precision that must be heard to be believed! The strings are warmer than is usually the case with Chicago recordings of times past. The couplings are on the same high level (5th Sym and two Overtures) which is not the case with the Zinman and Wand.
One of my other favorites is the Bohm/VPO. Slower than most but beautifully phrased and played. Sound is just fair. I love the integrity of all of Jochum's Concertgebouw Beethoven but the sound is thin.
I find the Kleiber/VPO too dramatic. Beethoven as Mahler? The '77 Karajan is driven and metronomic with harsh sound.
The Casals at Marlboro has limited sound with uneven playing from the pickup orchestra but it dances like no other I've heard.
The Boston Bernstein is a sentimental favorite. His last concert and recording, it was made two weeks before he died. Very slow, it seems one can hear his struggle to finish the performance (he almost left the stage after the third movement). Not a great performance perhaps, but an affecting one.
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Follow Ups
- RE: Beethoven's 7th - long - classfolkphile 05/31/0723:00:43 05/31/07 (1)
- Thanks for the thoughtful comments. nt - Tadlo 06:39:39 06/1/07 (0)