Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: II. Andante cantabile con moto
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: III. Menuetto (Allegro mlto e vivace) & Trio
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: IV. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: II. Allegretto
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: III. Presto - Assai meno presto
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: IV. Allegro con brio
Track Listings (8) - Disc #2
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: II. Larghetto
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: I. Adagio - Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: II. Adagio
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: III. Allegro vivace - Trio (Un poco meno allegro) - Tempo I
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Track Listings (5) - Disc #3
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: II. Marcia funebre (Adagio assai)
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: III. Scherzo (Allegro vivace) & Trio
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ('Eroica'), Op. 55: IV. Finale (Allegro molto - Poco andante - Presto)
Fugue for string quartet in B flat major ('Grosse Fuge'), Op. 133
Track Listings (8) - Disc #4
Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: II. Andante con moto - Pi? mosso - Tempo I
Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: III. Allegro
Symphony No. 5 in C minor ('Fate'), Op. 67: IV. Allegro - Presto
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: I. Allegro vivace con brio
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: II. Allegretto scherzando
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: III. Tempo di Menuetto
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: IV. Allegro vivace
Track Listings (10) - Disc #5
Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: I. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: II. Andante molto mosso
Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: III. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 in F major ('Pastoral'), Op. 68: V. Allegretto
Egmont, incidental music, Op. 84: Overture
Egmont, incidental music, Op. 84: Die Trommel ger?hret
Egmont, incidental music, Op. 84: Freudvoll und leidvoll
Egmont, incidental music, Op. 84: Kl?rchens Tod bezeichnend
Die Gesch?pfe des Prometheus (The Creatures of Prometheus), ballet, Op. 43: Overture
Track Listings (4) - Disc #6
Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: II. Molto vivace
Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: III. Adagio molto cantabile - Andante moderato - Adagio
Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: IV. Presto - Allegro ma non troppo - Allegro assai - Allegro assai vivace - Alla Marci
Track Listings (7) - Disc #7
Leonore Overture No. 1 in C major, Op. 138
Leonore Overture No. 2 in C major, Op. 72a
Leonore Overture No. 3 in C major, Op. 72b
Fidelio, overture, Op. 72c
K?nig Stephan (King Stephen), incidental music, Op. 117: Overture
Die Weihe des Hauses (Consecration of the House), overture for orchestra, Op. 124
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
Otto Klemperer's Beethoven is one of the towering achievements in the history of recordings. By today's standards, these performances are hopelessly old-fashioned: dark, heavy, and frequently very slow. But they are also t... more »he grandest, most unsentimental, most purposeful versions in the catalog. In addition, the relatively slow tempos (only in the fast movements--the slow ones are pretty swift) and forward wind balance permits more detail to be heard than in most original-instrument performances. At budget price and with a fantastic disc of overtures thrown in for good measure, this is greatness incarnate. --David Hurwitz« less
Otto Klemperer's Beethoven is one of the towering achievements in the history of recordings. By today's standards, these performances are hopelessly old-fashioned: dark, heavy, and frequently very slow. But they are also the grandest, most unsentimental, most purposeful versions in the catalog. In addition, the relatively slow tempos (only in the fast movements--the slow ones are pretty swift) and forward wind balance permits more detail to be heard than in most original-instrument performances. At budget price and with a fantastic disc of overtures thrown in for good measure, this is greatness incarnate. --David Hurwitz
"This is not only an other cycle of Beethoven Symphonies but one that must not be missed. May be the account of the music is not as bombastic as the Karajan experience but, who sayed that Karajan was the greatest conductor? Klemperer is one of the gratest german fisrt-half-century conductors with Furtwangler, Walter, Knapertbusch... so if you like the experience of search the light beyond the misty romantic music, don't miss this oportunity. You will find it. Only one example: listen the 2nd movement of the 3rd symphonie and feel the absolute sadness. I couldn'y find any other version even as good as this one. You can tell me that the last movemente is quite slow and has not a bombastic end developement but, what for? If you are looking for fireworks go to Karajan, who was described by Celebidache "like the Coca-Cola, refreshing but without any deep relevance". I do not agree with the complete meaning of this afirmation, but is not tu untrue."
Where's the mono?
04/10/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Klemperer is one of the greatest interpreters of Beethoven and his recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra remain some of the best interpretations on disc. So why only 4 stars, you ask? The 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th are all great, as is the 9th, except that the scherzo is a bit slow and the soloists are a bit of an ear-sore. It's the 4th, 5th and 7th in this set that are the problems. Instead of offering the mono versions of these works, which Klemperer performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI chose to include the later, worse mono versions. The stereo 3rd is nearly as good as the mono, but the 5th and 7th are too slow and too dull. This set is probably worth buying for 1,2,3,4,6,8 and 9, but I would wait until EMI choses to release the mono versions of the 3rd, 5th, and 7th, if they ever do."
Monumental and powerful readings of classic grandeur.
Ricardo.Linares@ucg.ie | 10/06/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These interpretations remain a classic, as solid and monumental as the conductor's view of most of the works. They have never been out of the catalogue. Tempos are slow -specially for today's hectic standards- but they convey all the architectural riches of Beethoven's invention. There is plenty of tension and fire, but in a different, more exalted and grander scale. They will demand a lot from you, both in terms of concentration and intellectual commitment but the rewards will be greater than you can imagine. Klemperer's approach is particularly successful in Symphonies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9. The "Eroica" is one of the best versions available. The sound remains extraordinarily good (most of the recording were made in the late 50's). A serious collection must include this set."
A Monumental Achievement
Ricardo.Linares@ucg.ie | 03/09/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was introduced to Klemperer's recordings several years ago and I must say that it took me a while to appreciate his genius. His recording of the Beethoven Symphonies (along with the Brahms, Schumann, and Mahler Symphonies) is a testimony to one of the greatest conductors who ever lived. Under his baton, Beethoven sounded true and unsentimental. What you hear is pure sound. Some of the highlights that are worth listening for would be: the mysterious opening of the 4th Symphony, the transition from the 3rd to the final movement of the 5th Symphony, the granite-like sonority of the opening of the 7th Symphony and, of course, the heavenly account of the 9th Symphony. I acquired the complete CD recordings produced by EMI for less than $50 (includes the Fidelio Overtures, and some other music). And if this is not enough to convince you, get the four Brahms Symphonies, Mahler's 2nd, 4th and 9th, and Bruckner's 6th and 7th. In addition, Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, and Brahms' German Requiem."
Unforgettable and Utterly Compelling
Christopher Smith | Atlanta, Georgia | 03/01/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This Klemperer set belongs in the most exalted company imaginable. In these symphonies and overtures, you find that the entire spectrum of human emotions that Beethoven conjured forth have been understood and communicated perfectly by a man who was a great humanitarian in his own right. For starters, Klemperer's interpretation of the "Eroica" stands alone, and listening to his take on the funeral march is one of the most mind-blowing listening experiences you'll ever have. The rest of his interpretation of this symphony is absolutely formidable too, because Klemperer always has the most incredible control over not only a movement within a symphony, but that movement's relationship to the whole, and his grip never falters. What surprised me most about this collection though is the humour and sheer joy Klemperer brought to the first, second and eighth symphonies; this is entirely appropriate of course, but it illustrated for me how effortlessly he could move from Beethoven's tragic dimension into the less ostensibly heroic works. This adaptability easily transfers over to produce a compact, coiled and vital fourth, and a "Pastoral" that reveals hidden depths of disquiet as well as its better-known lyricism. The transformation from the menacing storm into the Shepherd's Song is operatic in its dramatic intensity, and I don't know of any better rendition of this beautiful moment. The primary objection to these interpretations is that the tempos are often too slow, especially those of the fifth and seventh, and above all the finales of those two symphonies. When I first heard them I thought so too; however, once you listen to these renditions in their entirety, you find the finales completely consistent with Klemperer's overall vision of the works as a whole, and suddenly you feel Klemperer has been very faithful to their structural integrity. If you want alternative visions of these symphonies, try Carlos Kleiber, who really races through them at controversially fast tempos, or Karajan (1963 versions), who clocks in somewhere in between. The ninth is fine and you certainly won't be missing out on anything by sticking with Klemperer here, but I think the recording quality leads to a somewhat diminished finale, and Karajan's 1977 recording and Giulini's on EMI/Seraphim (now available at a super-budget price) are unbeatable. Klemperer is nevertheless one of those giants of twentieth century conducting, whose integrity suffuses every aspect of Beethoven's work to create a unique listening experience. Karajan's 1963 collection is wonderful, also gets me close to what Beethoven was doing, and is probably more consistent overall. Still, there's something awe-inspiring about what Klemperer achieves here that makes Karajan seem bland at times, so that Klemperer has to be my first choice. Check out Klemperer's Brahms as well for more magical listening experiences."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1