RCA Living Stereo: Beethoven - Symphony Nos. 5 & 6 (1955)

RCA Living Stereo: Beethoven - Symphony Nos. 5 & 6 (1955)
Charles Munch & Boston S O
classical | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 390MB

RCA | SACD | rel.: 2005

Arkivmusic.com:
Charles Munch is not the first conductor one associates with Beethoven’s symphonies, but excellent, privately issued French broadcast recordings from the 1960s show him to have been a strong, vigorous Beethovenian. So, too, do a few commercial recordings for RCA during his Boston Symphony years, although these haven’t circulated very widely in the post-LP era. Indeed, RCA skipped over Munch’s Beethoven Fifth and Sixth during its Living Stereo reissue go-round in the 1990s, but here they are making a welcome addition to the new Living Stereo SACD catalog. The two-channel sound here is vibrant but hardly astonishing; the main point of interest remains the performances.
The Fifth benefits from fleet tempos, tight ensemble, and punchy attacks, with the woodwinds nicely cutting through the string-centered sonority. Munch tends to set a course and push through without offering any of the telling details of phrasing and pacing provided by, say, Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic (on a distant-sounding two-channel SACD reissue from DG, coupled with the Seventh), to say nothing of the splendid recent Vänskä/Minnesota surround version on BIS (coupled with the Fourth). Still, it’s a fine performance comparable to the early 1960s Karajan (also on SACD), but with greater textural variety.
The “Pastoral” Symphony is even better. My favorite recording is the genial Monteux/London Symphony on Decca (not reissued in a DSD version, alas); Munch comes very close to this standard, burbling along with gentle delight in the first two movements, and then pulling out all the stops in the symphony’s second half, with superb wind solos in the third movement, a powerful storm sequence, and a concluding hymn that’s managed so well that for once it doesn’t wear out its welcome. Again, Munch is stingy with repeats, but that’s not really critical in this symphony. A very good Fifth and an outstanding “Pastoral” gain a well-deserved new lease on life.

-1. Symphony no 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor: Charles Munch
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Symphony Orchestra
Written: 1807-1808; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 05/02/1955
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

-2. Symphony no 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor: Charles Munch
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Symphony Orchestra
Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/16/1955
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

sample & buy: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6

RCA Living Stereo: Beethoven, Mendelssohn - Violin Concertos (1955&59) (eac-log-cover)

RCA Living Stereo: Beethoven, Mendelssohn - Violin Concertos (1955&59)
Jascha Heifetz, violin; BSO, C Munch

classical | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 340MB

RCA | SACD | rel.: 2004

Musicweb:
There is certainly no chance of Beethoven’s extended first movement to his Violin Concerto sprawling under Heifetz’s fingers. His famed technique fully intact, and with Munch his willing Leporello, Heifetz unleashes a remarkably fiery view of this concerto. Perhaps that is reflected in his choice of cadenza (Auer/Heifetz), a cadenza that marries display, conceit, drama and virtuosic nonchalance in equal measure. True, perhaps he does not always let the music breathe where expected, but this may be because he’s saving the more interior emotions for the Larghetto. Again, here, the speed may be faster than expected (but it is after all Larghetto, not Largo) but this really is a meeting of minds. Heifetz soliloquises marvellously towards the end before embarking on a suave finale. There is an unfortunate drop in tension towards the end, and Heifetz is markedly too forward around the bassoon tune (around 3’30) but those caveats apart this is a magnificent reading. The cadenza in the finale is Joachim/Heifetz.
Mendelssohn takes less well to driven performances, yet it has to be admitted there is real excitement here that one rarely finds elsewhere. The ‘molto appassionato’ part of the first movement directive is taken at face value, to great effect. Heifetz reminds us of his knack of making the cadenza a highpoint musically as well as technically (not many musicians can claim this). The slow movement is a real andante, marked by a refusal to dawdle. Heifetz plays as if improvising (and trace of abrasive tone) and the entire seven minutes flows as if in one breath. The bridge passage between the last two movements (an ‘Allegretto non troppo’) is most effective, acting as a foil for the high-jinks of the Allegro molto vivace. And very lively it is, too, with all parties concerned exhibiting quicksilver responses. A vital rhythmic awareness permeates every bar.
One of the highlights of this series.

Tracks
Beethoven:
-1. Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61: Allegro, ma non troppo
-2. Piano Concerto in D major (after the Violin Concerto, Op. 61), Op. 61a: Larghetto
-3. Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61: Rondo: Allegro
(37:49)
Mendelssohn:
-4. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64: Allegro molto appassionato
-5. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64: Andante
-6. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64: Allegretto non troppo; Allegro molto vivace
(24:01)
recorded Symphony Hall, Boston 1955 & 1959

Jascha Heifetz: violin
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch

sample & buy: Beethoven, Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 (2000) DVD-audio

Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 (2000) DVD-audio

Daniel Barenboim - Berliner Staatskepelle

classical | 1dvd | iso | cover | 2700MB

Teldec

dvd4music.com:
Daniel Barenboim's widely hailed interpretations of the Beethoven symphonies, recently released as a boxed set, are now available in the new DVD-Audio format. This recording of Beethoven's most famous works on DVD-Audio offers a listening experience enhanced by visual details such as images of personalities and events contemporary with the composer's life, not included in the liner notes. With the legendary Staatskapelle Berlin, this DVD-Audio set will please Beethoven lovers everywhere.

Special DVD-Audio version features exclusive optional interactive content, including discographies, photos, and historical information not included in the booklet. This release was made using the most advanced DVD-Audio multi-channel advanced resolution technology (96 kHz 24 bit) and also includes a Dolby Digital ("AC-3") mix to enable playback on all existing DVD Video players.

Symphony No, 6 in F Major, op. 68
"Sinfonia pastorale"
-1. Allegro ma non tropp0 - Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande
-2. Andante molto moto - Szene am Bach
-3. Allegro - Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute
-4. Allegro - Gewitter, Sturm
-5. Allegretto - Hirtengesang: Frohe und dankbare Gefuhle nach dem Sturm

This DVD-Audio title can be played on a DVD Video, DVD-Audio or dual compatible player only. To benefit fully from this DVD-Audio with advanced resolution sound it requires a DVD-Audio compatible player.

Watermarked!

sample & buy Beethoven - Symphony 6 (DVD Audio)

Beethoven - Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 (2000) DVD-audio

Beethoven - Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 (2000) DVD-audio

Daniel Barenboim - Berliner Staatskepelle

classical | 1dvd | iso | cover | 3950MB

Teldec

dvd4music.com:
Daniel Barenboim's widely hailed interpretations of the Beethoven symphonies, recently released as a boxed set, are now available in the new DVD-Audio format. This recording of Beethoven's most famous works on DVD-Audio offers a listening experience enhanced by visual details such as images of personalities and events contemporary with the composer's life, not included in the liner notes. With the legendary Staatskapelle Berlin, this DVD-Audio set will please Beethoven lovers everywhere.

Special DVD-Audio version features exclusive optional interactive content, including discographies, photos, and historical information not included in the booklet. This release was made using the most advanced DVD-Audio multi-channel advanced resolution technology (96 kHz 24 bit) and also includes a Dolby Digital ("AC-3") mix to enable playback on all existing DVD Video players.

Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92
-1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace (14:27)
-2. Allegretto (9:37)
-3. Presto (9:38)
-4. Allegro con brio (8:34)

Symphony No. 8 in F Major, op. 93
-1. Allegro vivace e con brio (9:35)
-2. Allegretto scherzando (3:40)
-3. Tempo di Menuetto (4:57)
-4. Allegro vivace (6:56)

This DVD-Audio title can be played on a DVD Video, DVD-Audio or dual compatible player only. To benefit fully from this DVD-Audio with advanced resolution sound it requires a DVD-Audio compatible player.

Thx to Al!

Watermarked!

sample & buy: Beethoven - Symphonies 7 and 8 (DVD Audio)