Beethoven's 7th recording?

[Dean_Lapinel]

I really enjoyed the power of Beethoven’s 7th symphony as presented in the movie “The Fall” (2nd movement). I listened to the 70’s dg CD conducted by Carlos Kleiber (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) and I didn’t like the audio quality.

Any recommendations of an excellent recording of the 7th?

[MANFIO]

I like Christopher Hogwood with the Academy of Ancient Music. Abbado is good too.

Do you have the quartet cycle? His quartets are a joy... I like them with the Quartetto Italiano and the Alban Berg. And also the cello sonatas, I like them with Yo Yo Ma.

[Guadagnini1]

I like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Reiner. They are one of the few orchestras that got the tricky dotted rhythms right in the first movement. Also the Von Karajan/Berlin Phil recording is very good I think.

[gowan]

I really enjoyed the power of Beethoven’s 7th symphony as presented in the movie “The Fall” (2nd movement). I listened to the 70’s dg CD conducted by Carlos Kleiber (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) and I didn’t like the audio quality.

Any recommendations of an excellent recording of the 7th?

Yes, audio quality is important but what about the interpretation?

This is not meant to be starting a posting war, but I've never heard an audio system that comes close to the sound of a live orchestra from a good seat in the hall. I have experience with $10,000 home stereo systems and they all fail to duplicate the live-in-the-hall sound. So for me the interpretation is primary and I'll gladly listen to a mediocre audio version of a superior performance.

I second Nate's recommendation of Reiner and the CSO but there, too, you might find the audio lacking.

[gowan]

I like Christopher Hogwood with the Academy of Ancient Music. Abbado is good too.

Do you have the quartet cycle? His quartets are a joy... I like them with the Quartetto Italiano and the Alban Berg. And also the cello sonatas, I like them with Yo Yo Ma.

Bravi Quartetto Italiano! I think they used to perform from memory if I'm not mistaken.

[Dean_Lapinel]

I like Christopher Hogwood with the Academy of Ancient Music. Abbado is good too.

Do you have the quartet cycle? His quartets are a joy... I like them with the Quartetto Italiano and the Alban Berg. And also the cello sonatas, I like them with Yo Yo Ma.

Thanks Manfio-

I found a sound sample and I like their interpretation. You were correct Gowan...audio quality was just a minor factor but since the interpretation is subjective I wanted to avoid that as an issue.

"Beethoven - The Symphonies / Augér, Robbin, Rolfe Johnson, Reinhart, AAM, Hogwood [bOX SET] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] "

I couldn't find sound samples of the other recommendations but this boxed set looks good.

Thanks all!

[Janito]

I have several sets.

The Harnoncourt/Chamber Orchestra of Europe recordings were the top of the bunch for many years, with good recorded sound.

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Harnoncour...l/dp/B000000SDB

Furtwangler's versions are interesting (and fast), but the sound is 'historical':

http://www.amazon.com/Furtwangler-Conducts...e/dp/B00001W09Z

(this box does not have 7th)

Bohm's set is excellent:

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphony-N...s/dp/B000001GJF

[bapiano]

Furtwangler, Reiner, Colin Davis (before he was a 'Sir), early von Karajan, Academy of Ancient Music totally rocks on Beethoven Symphonies.

No playback system will sound exactly like a real performance, but some sound darn good! Come to think of it, no one room sounds like any other room, conductor like another conductor, all orchestras are different.... there are many, many variables.

.. $10,000 is not a lot for an audiophile system. A pair of speakers alone can easily cost far more than that.

I love to listen to old mono recordings of symphonies and concertos. My dog and I both love a particular old recording of Serkin and Reiner performing Brahms Piano Concertos. Audio quality is somewhat lacking but the performance is 'for real' with no editing, which is extremely rare in almost all modern recordings. Only brilliant people performing great music.

[DR. S]

I'm more of a George Szell and the Cleveland fan. Has anyone seen the new movie, "Knowing", they use the Allegretto in this movie as well. The first few minutes of this movement is my all time favorite orchestral composition(until it goes into the 'tango' variation). So simple yet so sublime, Beethoven at his greatest.

[Dean_Lapinel]

I'm more of a George Szell and the Cleveland fan. Has anyone seen the new movie, "Knowing", they use the Allegretto in this movie as well. The first few minutes of this movement is my all time favorite orchestral composition(until it goes into the 'tango' variation). So simple yet so sublime, Beethoven at his greatest.

Yes, I saw "Knowing" and enjoyed the use of the piece in that film. I found that the music projected an ominous feeling in "Knowing" and tension in "The Fall". Imagery has a strong impact on how I feel the music. If you haven’t seen “The Fall” please rent the DVD. “The Fall” is a must see powerful yet quirky film.

[Andrew Song]

Everyone seems to have their own favourite Beethoven cycle, and there are certainly enough sets out there to go around...

Personally, Karajan's 1963 cycle is my favourite, but I know some here will disagree.

As for interpretation vs. audio quality, here's my take on the issue: if I'm studying the work and trying to learn more about specific elements of the piece, an older recording with poorer sound quality will work because I'm putting more emphasis on the interpretation than the actual sound coming out of my speaker; if I'm listening to music as an aural wallpaper for something else I'm doing, then I'll want something that's not fuzzy or hissy and preferably recorded with modern studio equipment (for some definition of "modern") so the extraneous noise isn't distracting.

[thom]

I have John Eliot Gardiner's set. His 7th is very good.

[K543]

Just to toss another hat in the ring, the Muti/Philadelphia 7th is very nice. And, if sound is no object, the historic Toscanini/Philharmonic recording is, well, historic.

[illuminatus]

I like Kleiber's recroding from the 70's(?)-the one from DG. Nobody has mentioned this, but I think Abbado's relatively recent recording is very good. It doesn't quite have the thoroughly luxurious, modern sound like Karajan's 60's recording, but not really period style recording either. Then, there's Pletnev's recording. Truely odd recording.

[zefir68]

I like Kleiber's recroding from the 70's(?)-the one from DG. Nobody has mentioned this, but I think Abbado's relatively recent recording is very good. It doesn't quite have the thoroughly luxurious, modern sound like Karajan's 60's recording, but not really period style recording either. Then, there's Pletnev's recording. Truely odd recording.

Kleiber's video of the 7th with the Concertgebouw Orchestra is also extraordinary. I always oscillate between the DG Vienna Philharmonic recording and the video in my top preference.

[Campanella]

Kleiber's video of the 7th with the Concertgebouw Orchestra is also extraordinary. I always oscillate between the DG Vienna Philharmonic recording and the video in my top preference.

Do you know his Munich live recording on Orfeo (C 700 051 ? I was in the audience. A magic evening. Kind regards

[zefir68]

Do you know his Munich live recording on Orfeo (C 700 051 ? I was in the audience. A magic evening. Kind regards

I do have it, it's quite rare, unfortunately. I greatly regret not having had the chance to see Kleiber live. You are very fortunate to have such an experience in your life. It's a great interpretation but not such a great quality of recording.

[cello-mom]

I have an old set of all 9 symphonies on Deutsche Gramaphon with Kubelik conducting 9 different orchestras. I think the 7th is with the Concertgebeau. Lovely performance . . .