Ludwig van Beethoven Georg Solti Yvonne Minton - Beethoven Symphony No 9 Choral (4 tracks) +Album Reviews

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Ludwig van Beethoven, Georg Solti, Yvonne Minton
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 "Choral"
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (4) - Disc #1
1. Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
2. Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: II. Molto vivace
3. Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: III. Adagio molto e cantabile
4. Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125: IV. Presto

CD Details

All Artists: Ludwig van Beethoven, Georg Solti, Yvonne Minton, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Pilar Lorengar, Stuart Burrows
Title: Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 "Choral"
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Decca
Release Date: 3/16/1999
Genre: Classical
Styles: Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Symphonies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 028946062227

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Solti was a fine Beethoven conductor indeed, and those expecting the volatility that often characterized his interpretations of other composers will be surprised. Solti's Ninth is firmly rooted in the German romantic tradition, with broad tempos and a solid, bass-oriented tonal picture. This 1972 Ninth is to be preferred to his later version, with its even slower tempos and less vibrant recording. Here, the first movement is spacious but cogent; the scherzo beautifully articulated at speeds that avoid the race-track ambience of some historically informed performances; the final choral movement beautifully sung and appropriately uplifting. The slow movement's ripeness may be a bit much--spirituality, not Solti's strong suit, is a necessary component of such a spacious tempo. But the performance stands up well; recommendable for its interpretive integrity and lofty level of execution. --Dan Davis

CD Reviews

Very good, with the best 4th movement I've heard yet

Christian Ellithorpe | Streamwood, IL United States | 12/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Solti/Margaret Hillis/CSO version was the best of their versions. As said, I think the 4th movement is about as perfect as I've heard, & I've been listening & buying ninths for years looking for the best. The Second movement here is also superb with tension & amazingly well-remastered sound everywhere on the disc. It is tense, & exciting, as is the first movement. My only disappointment is in the occaisionally slow, Wagnerian sounding 3rd movement, which reminds me of a Mahler, not a Beethoven symphony. Also, there are some too-slow tempos sometimes in the first movement. But this is still one of the best ever. Though Karajan also does a good job, Karajan's is NOT as well-recorded as is this, with odd, unreal sounding timpani at times. I would also highly recommend the George Szell/RobertShaw/Cleveland version from the 60s; only a decade before this one from Solti, but as perfect as any I've heard yet."

Symphony Chorus.....

C. G. Pfeil | Ruidoso, NM USA | 08/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was a member of the chorus in this version of the Ninth. It was an amazing experience and am so excited to finally find it on CD. The orchestra, under Sir Solti's watch, was becoming something they had never experienced before. It was my extreme honor to sing with the group at that particular time and be around musicians like Solti and Hillis. My music was better for it."

Professional recommendation

Chen Chao Chen | 07/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Everyone knows Beethoven's Ninth; everyone loves it. People believe it is almost the most impressive orchestral work that had ever sounded through human ears which, represents the peak of a certain period of music that we called Classical. Despite the splendidness of this work, there are always problems for seeking a representative recording of this. And there is no such a single disk of it that pleases me much, as long as I keep collecting it. The Furtwangler's version has the highest grade though, the connection between soloist and choral part is not as well-continuate as it could. George Szell's version seems has a pretty good choral team, but the female-voice part doesn't match the male-voice part well. Karajan's 1977 version did a nice jod on this point; however, this great conductor controlled the first movement too speedily which made the musical syntax unclear. The 1962 version did even faster, but the bass Berry did give people a really unforgettable impression. Yet Solti's this shining recording's only defect is on the bass; as for the whole performance, speed, and sounding effect, they are good in anyway. So far this is my personal favorite of Beethoven's Ninth and I strongly recommend this recording to people who are seeking a nice sample of Beethoven's Ninth, and of cause, for those who care about the sounding effect."