Ludwig Van Beethoven - 9 Symphonies - Karajan (1963)

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CD 1:

1. Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 - 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio

2. Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 - 2. Andante cantabile con moto

3. Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 - 3. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace)

4. Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 - 4. Finale (Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace)

5. Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica" - 1. Allegro con brio

6. Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica" - 2. Marcia funebre (Adagio assai)

7. Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica" - 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)

8. Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica" - 4. Finale (Allegro molto)

CD 2:

1. Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 - 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio

2. Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 - 2. Larghetto

3. Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 - 3. Scherzo (Allegro)

4. Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 - 4. Allegro molto

5. Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60 - 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace

6. Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60 - 2. Adagio

7. Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60 - 3. Allegro vivace

8. Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60 - 4. Allegro ma non troppo

CD 3:

1. Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67 - 1. Allegro con brio

2. Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67 - 2. Andante con moto

3. Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67 - 3. Allegro

4. Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67 - 4. Allegro

5. Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral" - 1. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande: Allegro ma non troppo

6. Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral" - 2. Szene am Bach: (Andante molto mosso)

7. Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral" - 3. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Allegro)

8. Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral" - 4. Gewitter, Sturm (Allegro)

9. Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral" - 5. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm: Allegretto CD 4:   1. Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 - 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace   2. Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 - 2. Allegretto   3. Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 - 3. Presto - Assai meno presto   4. Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 - 4. Allegro con brio   5. Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 - 1. Allegro vivace e con brio   6. Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 - 2. Allegretto scherzando   7. Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 - 3. Tempo di menuetto   8. Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 - 4. Allegro vivace CD 5:   1. Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral" - 1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso   2. Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral" - 2. Molto vivace   3. Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral" - 3. Adagio molto e cantabile   4. Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral" / 4. - Presto -   5. Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral" / 4. - Presto- "O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!"  By general consensus, Herbert von Karajan's first (1963) Beethoven cycle for Deutsche Grammophon is the best of the four (!) that he recorded. The Berlin Philharmonic was in top form, and they had not yet made an artistic fetish out of the bland smoothness that typified the conductor's later recordings of this music (and just about everything else). Karajan's squeaky clean, emotionally cool Beethoven will always be something of an acquired taste, but this set makes the best possible case for it. --David Hurwitz FLAC Check Comments