Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Benjamin Zander, Philharmonia Orchestra of London :: Beethoven: Symphonies No. 5 & No. 7

Music lovers: don't pass on this one

12/29/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I already owned a half dozen performances of LVB's 5th and 7th symphonies by some acclaimed conductors and think Zander's performances of each symphony rate with Carlos Kleiber as the best performances I've heard; sound on this disc is easily superior to the early 70's DG Originals disc by Kleiber. This recording is worth purchasing for the commentary disc alone, which is fascinating; Zander discusses the symphonies movement by movement (with excerpts of the music to illustrate his points) and the reasons for his "controversial" decision to adhere to the tempo markings Beethoven wrote in his scores. I find his arguments to be completely persuasive: after all, the same conductors who claim that Beethoven's tempo markings are too fast in places such as the first movement of the 5th (allegedly due to a faulty metronome) turn around and conduct the music FASTER than Beethoven's marked tempos in other movements when it suits their fancy. I'm looking forward to Zander's completion of the Beethoven symphonies (have read elsewhere that Telarc committed to the entire set) and hope Telarc continues to include explanation discs from Zander. I'd love to see this concept carried over to more recordings. Congratulations and thanks to Zander and Telarc!"

Beethoven Revealed!

Andrew M. Klein | Washington, DC USA | 11/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Zander somehow has been hiding from us all these years. He is plainly one of the conducting giants of our time. I have not yet heard enough of his recordings to say more than that, but if he keeps making me gasp for breath as he unfolds music afresh that I thought, after many,many hearings, I already knew, I shall have to heap even greater praise on him than I do today.



Foremost, be warned: Zander follows Bethoven's own metronome markings -- the speeds at which he wanted his works played -- with precision. As a result, much of what you will may sound hurried at first, and in some cases less weighty (though this is rare). You also will hear voices in the music that, for whatever reason, other conductors have deemphasized -- almost hidden -- for the sake of stressing something else that they (and we) are used to hearing.



Very soon, you will wonder what on earth other conductors have been doing all these years ignoring Beethoven's instructions as to tempo and burying various of the parts -- warping and changing what the Master wrote and how he wanted his works to sound. It is an astounding experience. A revelation!



How many times have each of us heard Beethoven's Fifth Symphony -- often referred to now a "war horse"? Fifty times? A hundred? And how many different performances under the batons of how many different conductors -- or the same conductor but with two or three different orchestras? Well, take a chair before trying this one. It will come near to making you forget all the others you've heard before.



The performance of the Seventh is equally stunning and affecting, but that is music not quite so ingrained in our psyches (mine at least) as the Fifth. It is more complex, difficult music -- harder to hold entirely in one's head. Still,in every movement there are things I have never heard the same way in anyone else's approach.



This is a must. Don't delay. Get it now."

You'll want your own too

Trevor Gillespie | 11/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having grown up an avid fan of Bernstein's Young People's Concerts I was thrilled when I ran into this recording. The music is fabulous and the "lectures" are fascinating, edifying and very understandable. Everyone I've played this for agrees and wants their own copy."