Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Klaus Tennstedt, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 "Eroica", 6 "Pastorale" & 8; Overtures

How strange--conventional Beethoven from a great conductor

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 11/22/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"


I cannot explain how a conductor of riveting Beethoven performances could turn around and produce thoroughly ordinary ones. Anyone who came to Tennstedt's Beethoven symphonies through his studio recordings for EMI--the majority of which are gathered on this budget twofer--would hardly guess at the galvanizing maestro heard on several BBC Legends reissues. Those CDs of the Eroica, Seventh, and Ninth are glorious. These of the Eroica, Sixth, and Eighth lack all distinction.



The London Phil. plays with professional indifference througout, a far cry form their passionate commitment live. Tempos are traditional, except perhaps in the Pastoral, where Tennstedt quickens the pace in the first two movements (as did karajan) without finding the deeper humanity and joy inside the music. Likewise, this Eroica has no flaws but no spark, either. It's Mittel Europa all the way. Things improve only slightly in the Eighth, which sits on the fence, being neither important nor light in style. The lack of mystery and depth in all these performances--as well as in the overtures that fill out both discs--is baffling. I knew that Tennstedt was a variable conductor, but this is almost a personality transformation."