Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Rpo, Guenther Herbig :: Beethoven: Symphony no 3 "Eroica", Fidelio Overture / Herbig, Royal Philharmonic Orch

Guenther Herbig grew up in East Germany, studied with Abendroth and Scherchen, and has been music director of the Detroit, Toronto, and Berlin Symphony Orchestras. He leads a spirited performance of the Fidelio Overture, but his "Eroica" seems curiously bland. You'd never know from this recording that the symphony was considered the great revolutionary work of its time, so politely do its dissonances and emotional upheavals pass us by. (Herbig also passes up the first-movement repeat, which can add to the drama.) The horns pass their audition test in the scherzo very well, but they don't sound very much excited by the challenge. This isn't a competitive release even at its low price and even with clear, realistic recording. --Leslie Gerber