Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Carlos Kleiber, Bavarian State Orchestra :: Beethoven: Symphonie No. 6

Not to all tastes

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 11/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listeners raised on Bruno Walter's classic 1959 Columbia Symphony recording of Beethoven's PASTORALE Symphony will possibly not like Carlos Kleiber's 1983 live recording of this work with the Bavarian State Orchestra. Kleiber (1930-2004) takes fast tempos and seems to drive the orchestra hard in places. Those who are fans of Bohm/Vienna (DG); Walter/Columbia (Sony); Bernstein/Vienna (DG); Klemperer/Philharmonia (EMI) may find Kleiber driven and too literal to be enjoyed. But I did find something refreshing in Kleiber's breezy freshness, with faster than usual tempos in I, III and V which create a feeling of high spirits. Kleiber plays this work in just 39 minutes, about 3 minutes faster than usual. The Bavarian orchestra plays very well for Kleiber, and their precision is amazing.



It should be mentioned the source of this disc is a cassette owned by Carlos Kleiber's son; the original reel tape had deteriorated, and when Orfeo decided to release this recording, it was deemed not acceptable as a source recording. So the dynamic range is a bit narrow (technology is amazing, but it can only do so much) and not as open as one might expect a 22 year old recording to be.



This is not my favorite Beethoven 6, but a worthy one in my library to stand by Bohm, Walter, Klemperer, Bernstein/Vienna, Monteux/Vienna and Karajan/Berlin (1976). Recommended, but it will not be to all tastes."

Dazzling account of the Pastorale

Marc Haegeman | Gent, Belgium | 02/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carlos Kleiber has always been fascinating in Beethoven (as in most of the selective repertoire he used to play). This unique document of the Pastorale, taped live in Munich in 1983 (according to the liner notes the only time Kleiber performed this symphony), is no exception. His account is fluid, urgent, feverish, dazzling even, and is sure to keep one spellbound long after the performance is finished (just as the audience seemed to have been during the actual concert), as if a work deemed familiar was really heard for the very first time.



Since the original master tape was in poor condition, the producers of this CD preferred to use the audio cassette made by Kleiber's son. Although carefully mastered there is quite some tape hiss left. Another minus is undoubtedly the short total time (39 minutes). Yet no admirer of Kleiber or Beethoven's Pastorale should be without this CD."

Excaltation and enlightenment

Roy U. Rojas Wahl | Teaneck, NJ United States | 09/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is no one that conducts Beethoven the way Carlos Kleiber did.

I have recordings of them all: Karajan, Gardiner, Solti, Bernstein, Herreweghe etc; all vastly inferior, almost pale and lifeless in comparison; the only one that comes close is Rattle (whose performance of the 6th I recently admired at Carnegie Hall with the BPO) in his latest cycle.

Kleiber's interpretations are of an optimism, a freshness and a vividness that are so unparalleled, it doesn't matter which orchestra he is playing with. Enjoy this live recording with the Bayerische Staatsorchester!

Check also out Beethoven's 5th & 7th with Kleiber and the VPO on DG."