|
|
|
I have had this set for several months now. I listened to the 7th and the 2nd and I think, the 5th and 6th more or less casually. I was not disappointed with the performances. Perhaps they are not what I would always like, but I am humble about this. Kurt Masur is far more to be trusted as an intrepreter of Beethoven than I. I listen to many different approaches and learn something from each. The performance of the Ninth was extraordinary. I really really got caught up in the last movement.
This brings me to the sound. Except for one gnawing little detail, the sound is really wonderful! The different timbres of the vocal soloists and of the choir are magnificently caught. The trumpet in the middle of the last movement, the tympani, the oboe, all these are so well played and so well reproduced that they bring an enormous satisfaction. There is a sweep and grandeur in this last movement that is repetitively thrilling. This is all the more so because the multi-channel sound really makes me feel like I am in a great concert hall. It is a matter of scale, and the scale of the sound this disc brings to my listening room is enormous!
But the sound of the violins playing forte on my system was more than a little annoying.
Still I listen to this a lot now and heartily recommend it. I wonder what your experience of it is?
|
|
|
Post by akiralx May 11, 2006 (2 of 15)
|
|
I think for most folk Masur has the reputation for being a dull dog. This set is just not appealing for me, I have the Karajan and like it very much, though I am not normally a fan of K in Beethoven.
1 and 6 are not good, but the rest of the set especially 3, 4, 5, and 9 are excellent. I prefer this Ninth to the 1977 one. I recommend the SACD with the Eroica and the Fourth as a sampler, especially as it plays for well over 80 mins.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have the Masur, but only because I was able to get it for $18 from Amazon when they mispriced it.
|
|
|
Post by tream May 11, 2006 (4 of 15)
|
|
I find the set to be variable in sound, performance, and execution. On balance I prefer the Karajan, but based on the first release, the upcoming Vanska cycle on Bis will top them both, for performance and sound (someplace deep in this forum you can find my comparative review of 4 Beethoven 5ths on SACD, which explains my reasoning on this).
|
|
|
Post by Scott May 12, 2006 (5 of 15)
|
|
I have this set as well and, though I enjoyed much of it on first hearing, find that there is nothing really distinctive or particularly memorable about these performances. They are solid, middle-of-the-road interpretations; they are well-played. Someone mentioned Masur as being dull - I'd say "workmanlike" is a better description. My favorites are No.'s 7 and 9.
If you only needed one set of the Beethoven symphonies and you were a casual listener with an SACD player, this set would be perfect. It would be a great starter-set with which to become familiar with Beethoven. It's just not the only Beethoven out there and after hearing others, like Karajan, Harnoncourt, Gardiner, and Mackerras, it's clearly not that notable.
The sound is very good, perhaps a bit too distant for my liking, which also tends to rob the music of some of its impact.
|
|
|
Post by nickc May 12, 2006 (6 of 15)
|
|
Scott said:
I have this set as well and, though I enjoyed much of it on first hearing, find that there is nothing really distinctive or particularly memorable about these performances. They are solid, middle-of-the-road interpretations; they are well-played. Someone mentioned Masur as being dull - I'd say "workmanlike" is a better description. My favorites are No.'s 7 and 9.
If you only needed one set of the Beethoven symphonies and you were a casual listener with an SACD player, this set would be perfect. It would be a great starter-set with which to become familiar with Beethoven. It's just not the only Beethoven out there and after hearing others, like Karajan, Harnoncourt, Gardiner, and Mackerras, it's clearly not that notable.
The sound is very good, perhaps a bit too distant for my liking, which also tends to rob the music of some of its impact.
Exactly what I thought - the sound is too distant for me as per my review. I've been listening to these discs on my Walkman this week and they are so slow - the first 4 notes of the fifth seem to take forever.
|
|
|
|
|
|
(I have) Just read Madisonears' review. Right on Madisonears! My only quips on this set regard the sound quality that was typical of the seventies. I did not begin to dream back then how much better sound would become. But now I am spoiled. Still, Masur's, I agree is a classic interpretation.
Not one however, that I would choose over the new Haitink. Haitink and the LSO are simply amazing. The timbres and accenting are the notable aspects of these extraordinary performances that grabbed me with an inner-voice that exclaimed in my head: THESE TIMBRES, THESE TEXTURES, THESE ACCENTS, THESE TONES....THIS, THIS is Beethoven! Gripping.
|
|
|
Post by Ken_P December 8, 2006 (8 of 15)
|
|
Windsurfer said:
Just read Madisonears' review. Right on Madisonears! My only quips on this set regard the sound quality that was typical of the seventies. I did not begin to dream back then how much better sound would become. But now I am spoiled. Still, Masur's, I agree is a classic interpretation.
(rant)
Did anyone else find the review slightly offensive? It was at the very least quite disparaging of most modern trends. Now, I have nothing against the old style, as long as I don't have to listen to it. ;) I just can't stand hearing these symphonies (the first 8, anyway) presented as grand, romantic, mid 19th century works. They're not. Revolutionary, certainly, but still basically classical in spirit. The "ridiculously fast and lightweight performing styles" that he criticizes so harshly are, in fact, much closer to what Beethoven actually intended. Performances like this reflect nearly 200 years worth of tradition that has slowed these pieces to a crawl and robbed them of rhythmic vitality in an effort to make them more palatable to romantic (and post romantic) sensibilities.
(/rant)
|
|
|
Post by Peter December 8, 2006 (9 of 15)
|
|
No, I can't say I found Dave Hurwitz's review offensive, nor do I necessarily agree with his opinion. There are some excellent older "romantic" performances and some awful "received wisdom" ones, and the other way round.
We are luckily spoilt for choice, and certainly one person's favourite will be another's bete noire. Currently I'm smitten by Haitink's wonderful LSO 21st century readings, but I still enjoy Furtwaengler's enormously, too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ken_P said:
(rant)
Did anyone else find the review slightly offensive? It was at the very least quite disparaging of most modern trends. Now, I have nothing against the old style, as long as I don't have to listen to it. ;) I just can't stand hearing these symphonies (the first 8, anyway) presented as grand, romantic, mid 19th century works. They're not. Revolutionary, certainly, but still basically classical in spirit. The "ridiculously fast and lightweight performing styles" that he criticizes so harshly are, in fact, much closer to what Beethoven actually intended. Performances like this reflect nearly 200 years worth of tradition that has slowed these pieces to a crawl and robbed them of rhythmic vitality in an effort to make them more palatable to romantic (and post romantic) sensibilities.
(/rant)
I have just added a couple words to the post you quoted to make clear that I wasn't complaining about Madisonear's review. I certainly did not find it in any way offensive. I find your concerns troubling in that you express a lack of tolerance toward another person's viewpoint so much so as to call it offensive. I think "Offensive" is a word we should reserve for direct attacks on people not for viewpoints. If something in his review troubles you, say that rather than imply that his review was offensive. We will last a lot longer as a group if we respect each other's opinions while we disagree with them.
|
|
