Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 In D Minor: I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestroso
Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 In D Minor: II. Molto vivace
Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 In D Minor: III: Adagio molto e cantabile
Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 In D Minor: IV. Presto - Presto 'O Freude, nicht diese Tone!
Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 In D Minor: Allegro assai (Final Chorus From Schiller's 'Ode To Joy')
A good, not great Beethoven cycle that offers very few disappointments, but which also never rises to a notable level of excellence. Walter Weller has enjoyed a fairly distinguished career on disc--he did a fine set of P... more »rokofiev symphonies on London/Decca--and there's nothing unmusical or routine about his Beethoven. But the orchestra isn't a great one, and there's so much competition in this repertoire that unless you're a fanatical collector of this music, there are many better options. Sad, maybe, but true. --David Hurwitz« less
A good, not great Beethoven cycle that offers very few disappointments, but which also never rises to a notable level of excellence. Walter Weller has enjoyed a fairly distinguished career on disc--he did a fine set of Prokofiev symphonies on London/Decca--and there's nothing unmusical or routine about his Beethoven. But the orchestra isn't a great one, and there's so much competition in this repertoire that unless you're a fanatical collector of this music, there are many better options. Sad, maybe, but true. --David Hurwitz
One Of The Best Traditional Beethoven Symphony Cycles
John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 01/07/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Once more I have to disagree strongly with David Hurwitz's negative musical criticism. Walter Weller's Beethoven symphony cycle is one of the best ones available, even if his doesn't quite scale the artistic heights attained by the likes of Abbado, Barenboim, Bernstein, Bohm, or Harnoncourt, among others. There aren't any performances I can single out as definitive, yet Weller demonstrates that he is a fine interpreter of Beethoven, strongly emphasizing the Romantic qualities of the composer's scores. All of his interpretations are consistently fine. Much to my amazement, Weller has wrought musical wonders with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, still regarded by many as one of Great Britain's finest orchestras due to the excellent work done by its outgoing music director Sir Simon Rattle. Weller obtains a rich Viennese sound from the orchestra, replete with brilliance and warmth, especially from its wind and string sections. These are performances almost as elegantly performed as any you'd hear from the Vienna Philharmonic (Before becoming a conductor, Weller was the Vienna Philharmonic's concertmaster.). Weller also offers an intriguing glimpse at Beethoven's unfinished 10th Symphony, along with his fine interpretations of the other nine. The sound quality is absolutely first rate. Those seeking yet another Beethoven symphony cycle - or perhaps their first - won't be disappointed with these fine performances from Weller and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra."
Rich, nuanced performances
William J. Mertens | Bethesda, MD USA | 05/29/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are a lot of Beethoven symphony cycles out there, many recorded by great orchestras and famous conductors. The truth is that most listeners (I include myself) could find a lot of pleasure listening to almost any of them.So why this set? To begin with, the CBSO is and was a very fine orchestra. By some rankings, under Simon Rattle (its regular conductor since 1980, now director of the Berlin Philharmonic), it developed into the best in Great Britain. Second, Weller both knows and loves his Beethoven. The lines are cleanly articulated, and, even more importantly, he brings out the nuances of the music. Weller shows the lyrical side of Beethoven, and the thoughtful and reflective side. He does especially well with some of the slow movements. For example, the larghetto movement in the 2nd symphony is one of the most beautiful and interesting accounts of it I've heard.Weller's style can be contrasted with the sometimes more fashionable if not faddish "authentic" or "period" performance, which strives to match someone's theory of how the music would have sounded to the composer (or in Beethoven's case would have sounded before he went deaf). Especially with Beethoven, there can be a huge difference in choice of tempos. Take the famous first movement of the No. 5. Weller's performance moves right along, but the tempo is deliberate enough that he can show some of the more subtle features of the music, and there is more time to display the quite fine tone of the orchestra's instrumentalists. The music is exciting but also thoughtful and a touch melancholy. It's a very nice effect.Contrast this with John Eliot Gardiner's version with the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique. The disc with the No. 5 (which also has No. 3) is subtitled "Beethoven the Revolutionary." And the performance is undoubtedly thrilling. It shows Beethoven's impetuous, if not furious, side and leaves no doubt that he was a musical revolutionary. It reminds us that the world hadn't heard the likes of this music ever before. Weller's performance of the movement takes 8 mins. 21 secs. Gardiner is nearly 2 minutes faster, bringing it in at 6 min. 30 sec.I like both these performances, though they are very different. Over the long haul, I probably enjoy Weller's version of the movement more--after the thrill is gone, the subtler, more thoughtful exploration of the work still gives pleasure and offers new insights."
The Beautiful End Of A Three-Decade Search
Earle Howe | Lansing, Illinois, USA | 06/25/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With all due respect to David Hurwitz, this collection of Beethoven's symphonies is far and away the most consistently fine I have ever heard. I first became acquainted with the Beethoven symphonies, one at a time, when I was in my twenties. I have bought LP after LP, casssette after cassette, CD after CD, looking for the version of each symphony that most perfectly captured, for me, the musical essence of the piece. I can now discard all the other versions I have collected over the years. This collection is wonderful. There is a remarkable balance and symmetry in the interpretive skill of Maestro Weller. I firmly believe no other this side of Beethoven himself has achieved the original intent of this music. Each and every symphony is a near-perfect jewel. There are no discernable flaws, and the interpretations are sublime. The power and majesty of Beethoven shines brilliantly here. (It has always amazed me how many conductors mistakenly take the fortissimo passages too quickly. Weller does not fall into that trap.) The Chicago Symphony, Hanover Band, Cleveland Symphony, and all the other versions I have owned over the years have fallen by the wayside. There is only one set that I will ever listen to again. I no longer have any need to search for anything better."
Romantism in optima forma !
A. W. M. Schoormans | Netherlands | 12/21/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sad for David Hurwitz, but not for me! These are great performances of the Beethoven Symphonies. It's not the angry Beethoven you hear, but the romantic and soft one. Weller knows what beautiful is and the magnificent Birmingham Orchestra is just playing it exactly his way and very dedicated. The smooth and equal play of the orchestra is seldom. I have many versions of these symphonies, but this one belongs to my favorites."
Strong Performances
terse (and to the point) reviews | Arkansas, USA | 03/31/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Agreeing with most of the favorable comments here, I would tell someone not to allow the Amazon review to deter one from listening. These (and I speak with favoritism toward the 1st and 3rd) are VERY strong performances. The movement is at a steady clip. Someone noted that it displays the romanticism rather than the brute force some bring to Beethoven, and that seems to explain it well enough. With moderate, steady delivery, these could easily become one's daily set, by which all new performaces are judged."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1
