Beethoven's Third and Eighth Symphonies
Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 11/10/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is part of a complete performance of the nine Beethoven symphonies by the Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia conducted by Bela Drahos on the budget-priced Naxos label. It consists of the Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Opus 55, the "Eroica", and the Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Opus. 93.The "Eroica", first performed in 1805, represents the great turning point both in Beethoven's compositional life and in Western music. It is a symphony on a grand scale, twice as long as any earlier symphony by Haydn or Mozart. It is full of bravado and of rhythmic and harmonic daring. It is music that speaks directly and deeply to the listener of heroism and of the power of the individual to meet and to overcome adversity.The music opens with two large, crashing chords followed by a short rocking theme which Beethoven expands and develops throughout an opening movement of enormous scale and power. The second movement is a funeral march with deep somber themes of despair alternating with music of hope and strength. The third movement is a boisterous scherzo, featuring a trio played by the horns. The final movement is based upon a theme that Beethoven had used at least three times earlier, in his ballet, "The Creatures of Prometheus", in his opus 35 piano variations, and in an early contra-dance. It continues the "heroic" theme of the work as a whole. A summary cannot do justice to this music.Beethoven's Eighth Symphony received its first performance in 1814. It is a rollicking, lively work with many echoes of Beethoven's youthful studies with Haydn. The first movement is a lively and extroverted allegro vivace which sets the tone for the symphony. It moves forward full of confidence, joy, and humor. The second movement is a lyrical melody set over a ticking accompanyment. It reminds some listeners of the metronome which had recently been invented. To me, this music is a throwback in a sense to a slow movement from a Haydn symphony informed with Beethoven's own inspiration and originality. The third movement too returns to an earlier form. It is in the form of a gracious minuet, almost like that of Mozart's "Jupiter" symphony, rather than Beethoven's characteristic scherzo. (Compare the minuet in this symphony with the scherzo in the "Eroica".) It features a lyrical trio predominantly in the horns. The fourth movement reminds me of a Haydn perpetual motion finale in its good humor and unbuttoned boisterous character.The performances on this CD are very good. I think, together with the performance of the second symphony, this disc is the most successful in the Esterhazy Sinfonia's performance of the Beethoven symphonies. The eighth symphony comes through well, with the chamber orchestra used here. The third symphony is a work larger in scale, but this performance still succeeds. I particularly enjoyed the lucidity of the lines in the first and third movements. The listener can hear all the various parts, including the winds, and the sound is nicely balanced. There is good dynamic contrast and the heroic, heaven-storming character of the music comes through.The Naxos compilation of the Beethoven symphonies is a good way to introduce the new listener, or the listener on a tight budget to the Beethoven symphonies. If these CDs lead young people or other new listeners to this glorious music, or lead other listeners to revisit this music, they will have served their purpose."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1