Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Chamber Orchestra of Europe :: Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

A barnburner of a 9th

kek5 | Westerville, Ohio USA | 04/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This ranks, for me at least, as the best and most original 9th around. Harnoncourt has really spent some time thinking and rethinking how Beethoven should be presented, and the results his intellectual labors are something wonderful to behold. This is not Beethoven run through the ringer of interpretive novelty. Where other conductors play with extremes in tempo and dynamics to get a "new" Beethoven, Harnoncourt keeps his tempos on the moderate side of quick, his dynamics reasonable, but then consistently presents new and unexpected orchestral textures that are always well judged and very often quite striking in effect. Using (basically) modern instruments and a relatively small orchestra, Harnoncourt's version of the 9th is fleet, lean and very agile, but NOT small scale. While this version really hums from the start, it has to be said that the absolute highlight is the 4th movement...complete, white-hot, set-the-speakers-on-fire intensity (especially the Arnold Schoenberg Choir: this chorus really sings it's collective fanny off right at the end) that surpasses anything Furtwangler, Karajan or Bernstein ever put on disc. Just plain, flat-out thrilling.In any collection there is always room for another good 9th, and boy oh boy...this is it."

A unique must-have!

kek5 | 12/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As is the case with many other large-scale works, especially those including choruses and soloists, it is nearly impossible to find one recording that is perfect or that pleases everybody. This is especially true for the beloved, monumental Beethoven's Ninth. However, a few choice recordings are universally considered to be essential, i.e. Furtwangler, Bohm/VPO, Karajan/BPO '77. This recording deserves to be ranked among these fine interpretations. Harnoncourt's interpretation is as unique and well-informed as Furtwangler's, his orchestra and choir as disciplined as Bohm's, and the recording quality and soloists are comparable to Karajan's.
Harnoncourt's orchestra is unique in its texture and sound. The smaller orchestra, however, does not limit the energy and excitement of the piece, and the period brass instruments add real fire in the fourth movement (the weaker period instruments blast furious and terrifying chords in the intro without drowning out the rest of the orchestra!). On the whole, orchestral balance and recording detail are marvelous.
The soloists, while perhaps not the most popular or exciting, are without fault in this recording. The Schoenberg Choir, however, is without equal in musicality, energy, and CLARITY! You can actually tell what they are singing without any sacrifice in energy or musicality. This is a clear advantage over other recordings.
So if you want a fresh (but true) Beethoven with high energy and precise execution, this is the CD for you (and on top of that, Harnoncourt deftly explains his thought process for this recording in the most informative and interesting liner notes I've come across). Novice and experienced listeners alike would greatly appreciate this recording as a great representation of the Ninth, even if this was their only recording. If you are, however, building a Ninth collection (as you should), this is definitely a most worthy and essential addition."

Favorite

Randy Given | Manchester, CT USA | 07/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my favorite Beethoven Symphony series. Over the decades, I have listened to dozens of the series. I have purchased a handful of them. This is the set I keep coming back to. The interpretation is great. The precision is there. The recording is superb. Even the price is right. Not much more that I could ask for!"