Classical Music Only | What You're Listening to Now, Or Very Recently | Any Mediums :
- Thread starter NorthStar
- Start date
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-5362572-1391596364-9117.jpeg.jpg)
Julot
New member
Beethoven's symphonies are a fascinating universe that one probably never stops exploring. I find the balance often hard to strike between the different qualities of this music. These days it is the revolutionary, almost loufoque aspect that interests me the most, but not at the expense of the musical consistency. As I was researching last week a version of the eighth (maybe the most atypical one), I discovered quite a few that were worthy of interest.
Thielemann's has the upside of being available in HD, which is probably better because, like most Thielemann recordings, it seems recorded from very far and very low and very little air. This interpretation is, in my opinion, a masterful, fascinating mistake. It makes of a mischievious, ambiguous symphony something that is majestic and solemn, like a mini-Eroica. But the sheer splendor of the orchestra's sound and the overall conviction make this work as much as it can. As Viennese, and about as reasonable, as a Sachertorte (that's a famous Viennese cake)
At the other end of the interpretative spectrum, Immerseel's period instruments version is much better recorded (even though unavailable in HD), and feels much more right and much more raw. It has a communicative energy but without turning it into rock music the way other Historically Informed Interpretations tend to lose sight of the bigger picture. I will go back to this version, probably use it for demos. Intensely satisfying.
Michael Gielen is in-between those two in that his is a chamber orchestra, quite "historically" informed, but not on period instruments. Gielen, he says in the leaflet, has dedicated his life to the Beethoven symphonies, and his version feels very different, makes you hear subtleties in the orchestration you haven't heard before, new phrasing too, and yet it also does not feel dismantled, disarticulated, and you can hear the intimacy the chef has with this music. Quite fascinating and probably a candidate for "only" version -- but who in the world can be content with only one version of Beethoven symphonies?
Thielemann's has the upside of being available in HD, which is probably better because, like most Thielemann recordings, it seems recorded from very far and very low and very little air. This interpretation is, in my opinion, a masterful, fascinating mistake. It makes of a mischievious, ambiguous symphony something that is majestic and solemn, like a mini-Eroica. But the sheer splendor of the orchestra's sound and the overall conviction make this work as much as it can. As Viennese, and about as reasonable, as a Sachertorte (that's a famous Viennese cake)
At the other end of the interpretative spectrum, Immerseel's period instruments version is much better recorded (even though unavailable in HD), and feels much more right and much more raw. It has a communicative energy but without turning it into rock music the way other Historically Informed Interpretations tend to lose sight of the bigger picture. I will go back to this version, probably use it for demos. Intensely satisfying.
Michael Gielen is in-between those two in that his is a chamber orchestra, quite "historically" informed, but not on period instruments. Gielen, he says in the leaflet, has dedicated his life to the Beethoven symphonies, and his version feels very different, makes you hear subtleties in the orchestration you haven't heard before, new phrasing too, and yet it also does not feel dismantled, disarticulated, and you can hear the intimacy the chef has with this music. Quite fascinating and probably a candidate for "only" version -- but who in the world can be content with only one version of Beethoven symphonies?
Attachments
Julot
New member
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-5449563-1393663044-3798.jpeg.jpg)
socfan12
New member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2013
- Messages
- 3,597
Do you have pic of the album cover?
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-4153135-1357063222-5083.jpeg.jpg)
tube-vds
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2015
- Messages
- 347
it's from the decca - wiener philharmoniker 65 cd box.
http://www.amazon.de/Wiener-Philharmoniker-The-Orchestral-Edition/dp/B00M8PBQT4
(this pic is actually cd nr. 63 with spartacus - the 2. symphony is on cd 65; but i'm to lazy to take a new pic
)Attachments
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-7673342-1446423633-2285.jpeg.jpg)
tube-vds
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2015
- Messages
- 347
You're welcome!
I really like this box - it has some nice historical recordings and the booklet is interesting too.
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-6637181-1423589699-8484.jpeg.jpg)