Beethoven: Symphonies (DG Collectors Edition)

I love every second of this Beethoven box set. Maestro Böhm is a master of the Austro/German repertoire and certainly excels here. For years I had this as a vinyl LP box from the Britannia Record Club. I’m delighted that it has made it onto a remastered CD set. Sounds great too.

I remember having this box set on vynl in the 1970s which was always a favourite of mine. The pastoral and ninth are sublime (in particular the slow movement of the ninth which has to be one of the finest recorded) and there are no real disappointments here. Warmly recommended.

An essential purchase. No matter how many recordings of Beethoven symphonies you have, you must have these too.

Wonderful music played superbly by a top class orchestra in an amazing city. Reminds me of my too short stay living there in the 1960s

none come any better this.even with sound a bit crowded in places. a super bargain

This set is one of what we must have.

It's good to have Karl Böhm's recordings of Beethoven's symphonies in one set. These are some of the finest traditional performances of these great symphonies. There are good classical styles in the interpretations of the first two symphonies. In the later symphonies, the interpretations make Beethoven's intentions clear. His intentions were to introduce new symphonic styles that are not the same as the styles of Haydn and Mozart.

Böhm’s Beethoven competes in a league of its own. That is not to say it is the best recorded Beethoven, but that there isn’t anything else quite like it. Very definitely ‘big-band’, but leaning more towards the Classical than the Romantic, with admirable clarity of textures. Whilst this can work well, there are too many instances in which one would like a greater expression of feeling. Occasionally, Böhm lets his guard down. Thus the Pastoral is perhaps the greatest committed to disc, with a very first movement that shows every detail, a leisurely brook, jocular peasants, an absolute whale of a storm, and a finale with such feeling and uplift that one is left in a trance, marvelling at the beauty of the world. Elsewhere, the Ninth also works surprisingly well, but one would like a little more impetus in the last movement (listen to Böhm’s live Bayreuth recording to see how well he could do). When the coda comes though, it is as uplifting as any - or is it just relief that it is over?! The last three movements of the Eroica are pretty good, but the first is rather bland. The fourth has long been praised, but it’s not as hair-raising as Klemperer or as fun as Abbado MkIII. Eight sparkles, Seven sags, Five is fairly forgettable. One and two do not stand comparison with Toscanini or Szell.I’d probably leave this, and pick up his Pastoral and 1963 Ninth separately.

tutto ad ottimi livelli

Aus meiner Sicht neben den beiden Einspielungen von Frans Brüggen einer der gelungensten Beethoven-Zyklen nach Furtwängler. Böhm arbeitet sehr subtile Details heraus, interpretiert viele Stellen anders als viele seiner Kollegen und trifft damit mein Beethoven-Verständnis (oder sollte ich sagen: meinen Geschmack) in sehr angenehmer und zeitloser Weise. In vielen Aufnahmen aus der gleichen Zeit verschwimmen die Stimmen zu einem schwülstigen oder gar langweiligen Brei, sind Tempi für mich teilweise nur schwer erträglich, nicht so bei Böhm. In seiner unaufgeregten, subtilen Interpretation sind viele Details zu hören, viele Instrumente (gerade die Bläser) werden herausgearbeitet ohne aufdringlich zu werden und fühlen sich die Tempi für mich immer richtig an. All das macht Böhms Beethoven einfach interessant und spannend.

personal listening

Cette intégrale très équilibrée des symphonies de Beethoven enregistrée à la fin des années 60 et début des années 70 par l’immense Karl Bohm est à connaître absolument. Tout comme dans les concertos de piano plus connus avec Maurizio Pollini, cette intégrale des symphonies réunit un des meilleurs orchestres au monde, le Wiener Philharmoniker, reconnaissable parmi tous (le hautbois filandreux...!!). Bohm adopte des tempos justes, qui laisse respirer la musique plus largement que ceux par exemple adoptés par Karajan dans ses 2 intégrales des années 60 et 70. Écoutez avec quelle intensité est joué le second mouvement de la 3ieme symphonie; à vous donner le frisson.Une très grande intégrale des symphonies pour sa probité et son équilibre parfait. C’est pour moi une des meilleures avec celles d’Harnoncourt, de Gardiner, de Bruggen (Philips) et de Karajan (DG 1).

豪快、黄金大放出。初夏の太陽のようにまばゆい光に満ちておりアダージョ楽章さえも眠りにつくことができない。第１番はまだおとなしくしているが２番から黄金の荒削り、金塊ゴロゴロ。英雄は弦が細めで古典主義的だが金管の迫力は充分以上、第四楽章はロココの絵画のような涼やかな弦、荒々しさと美しさを両立できるオーケストラはあまりない。４番は頑固で愉快感に欠ける。運命は目立った所はないが古典派的でこれで良い。田園は世間でも名盤、第二楽章の深い森林浴。７番は格式ばっており爽快感には欠けるもののコーダの追い込みは目をみはるものがあった。８番は豪快元気いっぱい。第九はバリトンとテノールが堂々として立派、歓喜の歌の大合唱からしばらくゆったりとさせ、終盤は速いテンポに戻した。部分的な聴きどころをことごとくあっさりと済まされてしまったが古典派はこうするものだという説得力が強い。クラシック音楽の神髄。頭の隙間が埋まった。