Search - Beethoven, Kenny, Norrington :: Symphony 9

Good exposition of authentic practices

04/25/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Normally I prefer the standard size orchestra on this as well as much other music as compared to "authentic" period conventions. Norrington is good at making that style work, realizing that it is the musicianship as much as performance practices and scoring that make the music work. One point that I find interesting is that when you play Beethoven according to period performance practices as Norrington does, even the 9th Symphony sounds much closer to Mozart than to Brahms. That strengthens my view that although Beethoven had some Romantic tendencies, he was still primarily Classical. Certainly a good recording for somebody who wants to explore the whole spectrum."

Short review

Melkor | San Diego, CA USA | 09/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just a short review since I noticed on 9/20/01 that this CD is out of print (but a used one is for sale). You must get this version of the 9th. I've never heard anything else like it. What Norrington does to Beethoven is phenomenal IMHO."