Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, John Eliot Gardiner, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique :: Beethoven: The Symphonies

A welcome budget reissue of Gardiner's Beethoven symphonies

Yi-Peng | Singapore | 04/03/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know this cycle of Beethoven symphonies can raise eyebrows (and it has done so since it was released in 1994.) However, I've loved this Gardiner Beethoven set (and many other recordings of his) since I was young. I deeply enjoy and cherish the music-making he elicits from his marvellous period instrument orchestras. In the case of this Beethoven, this cycle was like a breath of fresh air to me, after I felt jaded by the slower Karajan, Furtwängler and Klemperer-type approach to these works. I deeply enjoy Gardiner's music-making in this series of recordings, and I rather like the polished and characterful playing from the ORR that involves me in the music. No offence to the other Beethoven sets currently available, but I think the ORR still makes a marvellous sound. I think that it's capable of making the works sound big when needed, but yet scales back to a more chamber-like sound in the lighter symphonies. And I know that period-instruments don't always provide pleasant sounds, but I think the playing is superb and the individual instruments are still able to "sing".



Gardiner's Beethoven cycle does a marvellous job at capturing the Sturm und Drang aspect of the symphonies. Though some people are in principle against the fast speeds that he and his historically-informed coworkers adopt, Gardiner makes them work and work convincingly. Hogwood's cycle may sound fuller and bigger, and Norrington's cycle may sound fresher, but this Gardiner cycle is like an old friend to me that gets better with age. I see this to great effect in symphonies like the Eroica and the Fifth. Works like these benefit from a relentless urgency and performances like these put me on the edge of my seat. Gardiner also turns in some energetic and rhythmic performances of the Seventh and Eighth symphonies. I also rather enjoy the Gardiner version of the Pastoral symphony. Although people are keener on the slower versions of Böhm and Walter, the Gardiner version of the Pastoral, on the same CD as the Fifth, is a mighty fine performance that sounds as fresh as spring. It doesn't sound rushed and I think his approach suits the work. But yet I should just mention that Gardiner also achieves clean textures in the smaller earlier symphonies, drawing on the hallmarks that made his recordings with the English Baroque Soloists so marvellous.



The Ninth symphony may be a bit of a surprise to those who have known and loved the Furtwängler version, or even the 1970s Karajan recording. They may think it's perverse, but it's a musical performance that works. There is a real Sturm und Drang quality to the first movement, pushing itself forward unlike in other performances where it plods along. I think this is closer to Beethoven in his struggle with his demons. I also find that the slow movement flows along nicely at its tempo and doesn't race as if it were an F1 race car. I also rather like the soloists who join in the Ode to Joy finale, and they're ably supported by Gardiner's choir. It sounds fresh and springs along quite well.



I'm very glad that DG has re-released this set as a budget-priced box. I like the outside sleeve that makes me think of Postman Pat delivering the mail. Now it must be very exciting that this Beethoven set is competing with the 1963 Karajan set in this price category, as I think it would give the budget-conscious collector more choice when looking for superb performances of these works. The only downside to this release is that it would have been nice to combine the Gardiner Beethoven symphonies set and also the Gardiner/Levin cycle of piano concertos in one slam-dunk clam package for a marvellous bargain. But as it is it's great to have this cycle available and to seize the bargain of this re-release.



In short, I do enjoy this Beethoven cycle tremendously, and though people are keener on the traditional big-band Karajan-type approach to this music, it's still a stimulating and great Beethoven cycle. Although there have been many great Beethoven recordings in the past, not least the 1960s DG Beethoven sets from Karajan and Kempff, this is still a marvellous cycle and it's something to be reckoned with in this day and age."