Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Christoph von Dohnányi, Janice Taylor :: Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

Jeff R. (Pequod)
Reviewed on 12/11/2008...

If you could own only ONE recording of a symphony, you would make it the best ever written -- Beethoven's 9th. Now that that's settled, you're left with selecting WHICH recording of this greatest of symphonies to own. If you're looking for the very best (a matter of great controversy), this one doesn't even enter into the discussion, but you could do far, far worse. Not bad, not great, middle of the road. All-in-all, an enjoyable experience. Unless you are the most critical of listeners, a reasonable choice.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Builds Momentum

Mark Jordan | Gambier, Ohio, USA | 09/13/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I feel the first movement in Dohnanyi's Beethoven 9th is a shade underpowered, but I think it is an intentional approach, allowing the performance to build power as it goes along. Thus the first movement is more sleek than powerful. The Scherzo seems more committed, and the performance truly flowers in the slow movement. Some performances of this slow movement just settle back into a sort of generic lushness, but this performance has a searching, tender quality. The finale is the best-- Spacious yet forward moving, this rendition of the finale is so glowing yet precise, that most other versions seem careless to me now. In sum, not a perfect recording, but quite rewarding."

My personal favorite Ninth

Ryan Richards | Midland, MI United States | 06/29/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't think this is a perfect recording of this symphony, but I don't think I've ever heard a perfect recording of this symphony either. Suffice it to say Dohnanyi's is my favorite overall rendition. I have some small quibbles with it: As another reviewer mentioned, the beginning does indeed sound a tad underpowered, although the power builds as the movement continues and the final two notes are just huge. As well, I think the scherzo is a shade too slow, although Dohnanyi uses the slow tempo as an excuse to bring out a mysterious quality in the movement that I do enjoy. And the "fanfare of terror" at the beginning of the final movement? Just not very terrifying, folks (although it does stay together remarkably well; the orchestra sounds muddled in other interpretations I've heard). But that's where my criticisms end. As usual, Dohnanyi manages to bring Romanticism into his interpretation without ever falling into melodrama. Crisp accents and a remarkable precision from the orchestra are the order of the day, yet there is still a clear musical picture here: Dohnanyi and the CO know what the music is trying to say. Aside from the quibbles I mentioned above, the first and second movements come off with tightly controlled power and precision. The third movement is particularly notable; some conductors just set the dynamic level at mezzo forte and drill right through it, but Dohnanyi gets a remarkably lush, warm sound from the orchestra, wistful and consoling at the same time. As amazing as the third movement is, however, it just can't compare to the unbelievable finale, where the orchestra (aside from the very beginning) and chorus just take off. The "Ode to Joy" theme is taken pleasantly up-tempo (I admire Bernstein's vision, but I think this theme just drags on forever the way he conducted it; not so here), and the whole movement is imbued with a joy and a sense of anticipation I haven't heard anywhere else. When the chorus returns after the orchestral fugue, it'll blow you out of your seat. The slower moments that follow are amazing in their own way; they're reverent and mysterious, clearly communicating Beethoven's wondrous vision of a heaven "above the canopy of stars." After that, it's a full-blown race to the end of the movement, which I had to listen to about twelve consecutive times when I first bought this CD. You just can't listen once to an ending as powerful and joyous as this. So overall, this is the rendition of the Ninth I keep coming back to. The sound may not be quite as balanced on other versions, and von Karajan in particular definitely had the edge with his soloists, although Vaness et al. are no slouches. But this rendition has a sense of vision and power I haven't heard elsewhere.(Liner notes include the full sung text, by the way.)"