Search - Beethoven, Huggett, Goodman :: Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures (Comp)

Excellent...period!

Micaloneus | the Cosmos | 05/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Beethoven set features the Hanover Band playing on period instruments with less musicians than the average orchestra. These were recorded in a spacious, atmospheric acoustic approximating were Beethoven would have premiered them. The result is thoroughly enjoyable and still sound and feel great after repeated listening.



I also find them far preferable to Hogwood, Norington and Gardiner. Though the Bruggen set on the Phillips label are also pretty good as well. But these seem to have a magical quality about them that is hard to beat.



It's interesting to read about what are the "best" performances, as far as I can tell there are no weak spots to be found. One person wrote - the first was the only letdown - and yet, I found the first to be something quite special. I personally thought the 8th was the only slight drawback to the set, and yet someone else wrote it was their favorite. So who really knows?



This also makes a good second set if you already have a modern interpretation."

Hanover Band Beethoven

07/22/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A lot of critical attention has been drawn to the resonant acoustic in which these performances were recorded. The original Gramophone reviewer for example commended the 'natural' balance and perspective, while the Amazon's reviewer David Hurwitz (an anti-authentic critic if there ever was one!) referred to both sound and performance as 'utterly grotesque'! I personally favour the former evaluation; while the reverberance may not be to everybody's taste, it does mean that the brass can let rip without overwhelming the rest of the orchestra, and gives the string tone a warmth and bloom not found on other period cycles. While the woodwind may at times appear 'disembodied' this is a very minor cavil and again this is a subjective issue. As for the performances themselves, I personally find them far preferable to such rivals as Hogwood and Gardiner; the directorship of Goodman allows more freedom of expression than the former, while avoiding the at times wilful excesses of Gardiner. Overall these are played with zing and character, two qualities Beethoven would have surely admired."

More Nimbus Firsts!!

A. Craig | Grand Junction,CO | 09/16/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Nine Symphonies part of this set was one of the first "period instrument" sets to come out on the market. Today Nimbus reissues it joined by a disc of Overtures and a single disc version (one of the first "period instrument" recordings here too, of the "Missa Solemnis in D" This set of symphony recordings was one of the first to use some of Johnathan Del Mar's performing edtions of the symphonies, The Hanover Band under both Monica Hugget and Roy Goodman present some good to very good performances of these works. I should also mention that these performances also competed with the Hogwood, AAM recordings on L'Oiseau- Lyre (Decca) at the time and I think stood up well then, and stand up well to the competition today. My personal favorites from the set are the symphonies 6,7,8 although all the pieces receive good performances. Though I still think that the Gardiner recording of the "Missa" is still a better one than the one in this set. This can either be a very good first set for the beginning collector, or a good second set for someone who may own a traditional recording of the symphonies."