Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Peter Maag, Orchestra di Padove e del Veneto :: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8

As with this whole series, these are distinguished interpretations. Maag gets the dancelike rhythms and the power of the Seventh Symphony just right, and he takes the exposition repeat in the first movement, providing the element of surprise Beethoven undoubtedly intended. (If you can listen to this moment as if you'd never heard the music before, you'll understand why this repeat is so essential.) In the Eighth Symphony, the dominant mode is humor, and Maag understands this very well. He gives the little emphases just the right amount of lift, and the springy rhythms throughout the piece keep our attention focused. Hearing the wind parts this clearly (and played this well) gives us a fresh perspective on the music, although there are moments when the strings should have been clearer. --Leslie Gerber