Barenboim: Beethoven For All - Symphonies 1- 9 [HDTracks]

[KingStyles]

No, just the Klieber and I also have the Vaska complete set. I wish they would release the HD version of the Vaska set since it is also available as sacd. I was excited when they brought the vaska set to hdtracks because I figured they would release the hr version but they never did.

[crisnee]

I listened to the 5th today. The recording quality is great, but the 5th was so slow. It was like listening to a record on the wrong speed.

 

I love slow takes of lots of stuff. I'll have to check it out.

 

-Chris

[crisnee]

I listened to the 5th today. The recording quality is great, but the 5th was so slow. It was like listening to a record on the wrong speed.

 

Either you've only heard some unusually fast 5ths or something is wrong with your playback system. I have 7 or 8 recordings of the 5th and the Divan recording times out in about the middle. The times range from about 30 - 37 minutes for the complete symphony. I also listened to the first two movements today and they didn't sound slow to me.

 

-Chris

[Russell_L]

No, just the Klieber and I also have the Vaska complete set. I wish they would release the HD version of the Vaska set since it is also available as sacd. I was excited when they brought the vaska set to hdtracks because I figured they would release the hr version but they never did.

 

The individual albums of the Vanska set are available as hi-res downloads via eClassical.com. Note that they are 24-bit/44.1kHz, which is what they were originally recorded in.

 

Russel

[Kenneth Horne]

Is there anything different about these recordings? Anything unusual?

 

I just recently got the 2005 Barenboim Beethoven cycle, which is very good and very well recorded and also inexpensive. I'm wondering what the deal is here. Why he recorded another cycle so closely after the other, and what the apparent "world" aspect means.

 

I noticed that it's available on Amazon in mp3 format for $9.99, and the 2005 cycle in cd format for $15.

 

-Chris

 

Is the 2005 date not the date of reissue as a box set?

 

Here's the cycle on its earlier 2000 release

 

Amazon.com: Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies - Barenboim / Berliner Staatskapelle: Soile Isokoski, Rosemarie Lang, Robert Gambill, René Pape, Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Daniel Barenboim, Staatskapelle Berlin: Music

[crisnee]

Is the 2005 date not the date of reissue as a box set?

 

Here's the cycle on its earlier 2000 release

 

Amazon.com: Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies - Barenboim / Berliner Staatskapelle: Soile Isokoski, Rosemarie Lang, Robert Gambill, René Pape, Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Daniel Barenboim, Staatskapelle Berlin: Music

 

Yes it is.

 

-Chris

[firedog]

Downloaded it during the HDT weekend sale . So far have only heard the 5th. I like it. The recording quality/SQ is quite good.

[wgscott]

Good. I was going to feel personally responsible if you thought it was crap.

[JeffH]

I bought a copy. Used their 10% discount, so I got it for $18.88. I listened to 9th earlier today. Very nice!

[wgscott]

I listened to the 5th tonight. It was ok. I easily got my money's worth from this purchase.

[KingStyles]

I did enjoy the 9th though. Overall a good price for what you get.

[wgscott]

If you want to hear slow, try Karl Böhm. I actually like it. The 9th won't fit on one CD. van Karajan sounds like he ate too much meth, and just wants to get it over with as quickly as possible.

[chrille]

If you want to hear slow, try Karl Böhm. I actually like it. The 9th won't fit on one CD. van Karajan sounds like he ate too much meth, and just wants to get it over with as quickly as possible.

 

Or looking at it from another perspective. Karajan actually tried to perform Beethoven's symphonies closer to the speeds Beethoven marked. ie he is one of few conductors who actually tried to follow the metronome markings in the scores in that respect.

Too bad he didn't also separate first and second violins.

Does Barenboim do so?

Karajan's later recordings of the Beethoven symphonies are faster ie closer in speed to what Beethoven himself wanted, than his earlier ones.

 

Karajan explained the different timings in for example the last movment of the 7th with the fact that it took his Berliners quite a few years to be able to play that fast and still articulate clearly.

I haven't yet heard Barenboim's take ,but if they are slow it could simply be because the orchestra can't cope with faster speeds.

Or Barenboim's Beethoven ideal is closer to Furtwängler's.

Anyway if I could I would order them from HDTracks at bargain price ,but I live in Europe.

[crisnee]

West Eastern Divan Beethoven symphonies are available for listening on MOG and for sale on Amazon.

 

-Chris

[chrille]

West Eastern Divan Beethoven symphonies are available for listening on MOG and for sale on Amazon.

 

-Chris

I only buy hi res downloads some SACDs and the occasional LP.

[wgscott]

Or looking at it from another perspective. Karajan actually tried to perform Beethoven's symphonies closer to the speeds Beethoven marked. ie he is one of few conductors who actually tried to follow the metronome markings in the scores in that respect.

 

[crisnee]

I only buy hi res downloads some SACDs and the occasional LP.

 

That's okay; I buy only uber-recorded 45s and 60 ip reel-to-reels. It limits my music to Sara K. and to Tin Drums from the Rain Forests of Bretaslava, but hey, it's all about the SQ.

 

-Chris