Search - L.V. Beethoven :: Die Geschopfe Des Prometheus Op.43

Finally it returns and is worth your time, trouble and money

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 05/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beethoven wasn't known much as a composer of ballet and "The Creatures of Prometheus" was his only venture into this territory. This recording, from 1979 by a then-not well known David Zinman and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, set a performance standard in this music not topped since the original release of this recording on Vox in all the old formats (LP, tape and cassette.)



What most abets Zinman are a couple things. First, this is before he joined the period performance throng, meaning as a conductor he held the full value of notes, the orchestra played everything in tune, and speeds -- an significant consideration in his rendering I'll explain in a minute -- were not universally fast the way today's period posse takes them.



In fact, Zinman and Rochester nearly crawl into the opening of the overture that begins the ballet, working at a speed between 50 and 60, I'd say, before taking off in rapid fire tutti once the main heroic theme arrives. This is an early benchmark for this performance, as Zinman varied speed from a bit slower than the norm to a bit faster than the norm throughout the performance. It gives the music both room to breathe and passion that other performances haven't matched in almost 30 years.



What is probably best about this recording is the virtuosic playing by members of the Rochester Philharmonic linked to a truthful recording and very full sound that was top notch right from the day this recording was first made available. The playing of the philharmoic principals in thier solo roles throughout the hour-long ballet is spectacularly successful regardless of which player it is and they are captured in what is probably a spotlighted recording that sounds very natural.



This has been one of my favorite Beethoven recordings since it arrived in my home 20 years ago. I am very pleased it's be released in modern packaging available to a new generation of listeners. While no one really plays this music like ballet -- every account I've heard approached it as concert music -- no recording other than this one has given me complete satisfaction with the music. This one is good enough to help you believe "The Creatures of Prometheus" to be one of Ludwig van's very best compositions."