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Symphonies 7 & 8
Beethoven, Blomstedt
Symphonies 7 & 8
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (8) - Disc #1

For most American listeners, orchestras like the Leipzig Gewandhaus and the Staatskapelle Dresden will be unfamiliar names. The fact is, historically these are the two great German orchestras. It was only Cold War politi...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Beethoven, Blomstedt
Title: Symphonies 7 & 8
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Berlin Classics
Original Release Date: 1/1/1975
Re-Release Date: 3/19/1996
Genre: Classical
Styles: Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Symphonies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 782124219826

Synopsis

Amazon.com
For most American listeners, orchestras like the Leipzig Gewandhaus and the Staatskapelle Dresden will be unfamiliar names. The fact is, historically these are the two great German orchestras. It was only Cold War politics that led to their isolation in the East and the subsequent unopposed rise of the Berlin Philharmonic. But these are the bands with the grand tradition, and about 10 seconds after the opening of Beethoven's Seventh, you can certainly tell that the legacy lives on. These are incredibly dynamic, exciting performances--the horn playing in the Seventh alone will knock your socks off. Don't let the unfamiliarity of the performers dissuade you. At midprice the risk is minimal, and the reward great. This is the real thing. --David Hurwitz
 

CD Reviews

Almost my favorite.
laurence leabow | Simi Valley, Ca. | 01/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have barely scratched the surface of the Beethoven symphony catalog(because it's absolutely huge), but I do have a whole bunch sitting on my shelf and I listen to them all the time. I just purchased this disk as part of the whole set and it is way up there in the quality department. Excellent playing, very authoritative(but not boomy) bottom end and amazing balance. The interpretation of the seventh is good and the eighth is great. But the problem is that I have this Karl Bohm/Viennna Philharmonic disk that just can't be beat. Had I not heard those performances the Blomstedt would be my top pick. His eighth is far better then Karajan, Solti, Muti, Edlinger and even the very highly regarded Szell. His seventh is also great. The other works on the set are first rate too. His sixth is maybe the best I've heard, the forth is the best I've heard, and the second might be too. I haven't been grabbed by the 3 and 9 but I'm still listening. But if you are looking for 7 and 8, you won't go wrong here, but the Bohm has just got more flair and more beauty."