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Symphony No. 9 in d minor, op. 125
Ludwig van Beethoven, Sir Roger Norrington, SWR Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart
Symphony No. 9 in d minor, op. 125
Genre: Classical
 
Sixteen years after Sir Roger Norrington?s controversial readings of the Beethoven Symphonies, the maestro returns to this repertoire with a new recording of the Ninth Symphony. This recording is the first release of all n...  more »

     
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Sixteen years after Sir Roger Norrington?s controversial readings of the Beethoven Symphonies, the maestro returns to this repertoire with a new recording of the Ninth Symphony. This recording is the first release of all nine symphonies, scheduled to be completed by mid-2003. Recorded from a live performance during the European Musikfest in Stuttgart in the summer of 2002, these new performances will be a fascinating document for collectors, as they experience how Norrington?s conception of these scores has grown. Performed on modern instruments, by an orchestra steeped in the traditions of the German Romantic School, an artistic tension is set in motion, and both conductor and the orchestra are transformed. As with Sir Roger Norrington?s acclaimed recording of Beethoven?s Missa Solemnis (Hänssler 93006) "[Norrington] has a way of seeing the piece whole which makes the others' insights seem patchier.. " quote, BBC Music Magazine. The choice of instruments, whether old or new, plays a subordinate role for Roger Norrington. For him, it is the very essence of the work, with all its internal tensions and unique logic, as originally conceived by Beethoven that music be revealed.

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CD Reviews

REVOLUTIONARY BEETHOVEN
NotATameLion | Michigan | 10/27/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)

"While by no means my favorite recording of Beethoven's 9th symphony, I have truly enjoyed this disc and the others in Norrington's new live Beethoven cycle on Hanssler. Just as Helmuth Rilling's semi-historically informed performances revolutionized recordings of Bach, expect to see a lot more "middle path" recordings of Beethoven thanks to Maestro Norrington. Just don't expect many to attain this kind of excellence.I have strong feelings about Norrington's far inferior earlier Beethoven cycle on EMI (I don't like it at all--it turns people off to period performances). This performance of the ninth is so far above the old one in quality that it is almost funny. One can only assume the continuing growth of the conductor combined with superior (altogether different) forces for this second recording are the reasons for the vast improvement. Norrington (in recording #2 mind you) has a great grasp of this work as a whole. I have to say that I have never heard anyone do a better job with the inner movements. I also love the period percussion.As for the competition: If you want just one Beethoven 9th I still fervently believe Barenboim is the way to go. Norrington stacks up favorably with anybody else (Furtwangler is another great choice). This recording far surpasses Herrewghe as my favorite historically informed version.I give this recording my heartfelt recommendation."