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sputnik00

Beethoven Symphony No. 6

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The famous ones I know are the two rounds by Herbert von Karajan with the Berliner Philharmonic (but of course...). I'm a Karajan fan, so I'd wholeheartedly recommend them.

 

Karajan did three rounds of the 9 Beethoven symphonies with Berlin Philharmonic, one round in the 1960s, one round in the 1970s, and one round in 1980s. The 1960s and 1980s are better acclaimed. Between the 1960s and 1990s rounds, they are not better than each other but have a different interpretation and taste, sort of like a different view of life as Karajan ages.

 

These are all issued by DG (Deutsche Gramaphone). Look on the behind of CD cover to see which round it is. These have also been reissued as SACDs, so it's more worthwhile to pick up the SACD versions. I even bought the DVDs for some (yes even the 1960s round). Watching Karajan conduct the same orchestra over different periods is both inspirational and instructional.

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wow. thanks. very insightful.

 

i'm quite partial to the berliner too!

 

don't have an SACD player which is a bum. wonder if there are any portable cd players around that do the SACD format though .... hmm ...

 

will take a listen at the different karajan recordings. what's your personal fave?

 

are you a musician?

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Yes, I'm a musician. Not much other people would look into it so much.

 

In my opinion it's still worth it to buy SACD cuz sooner or later you will buy a SACD player. Most SACDs double up as regular CDs too.

 

To my knowledge there are no portable SACD players.

 

What are you referring to when you ask about favourite?

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What are you referring to when you ask about favourite?

 

hi there, i was wondering which orchestra's interpretation of the 6th symphony left the deepest impression on you so far.

 

i'm a musician too. albeit a rather green one.

 

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They are easily available at any good CD shop. Gramophone, That CD Shop, HMV all have them.

 

Gramophone and That CD doesn't have that big a selection but prices at Gramophone are pretty good. That CD's classical CDs (and many others as well) are unpriced, which is quite a put off. HMV Heeren has a good collection (was way better years ago tho) but the prices are ridiculous! The average price of a classical CD from the likes of Deutsche Grammophone costs like $28 :blink:

 

Regards

CK

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got my first recording of beethoven's sixth symphony - Beethoven: Symphony no 1 & 6 / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra CD. first thoughts are that the orchestra sounds too clean for a beethoven piece. wish there was a stronger hint of reckless passion.

 

 

 

 

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Claudio Abbado with the Berlin Philharmonic and Simon Rattle with the Vienna Philharmonic. Karajan with the Berlin Phil for a older recording but supposedly definitive one.

 

I think you can get all at HMV.

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Another choice, Karl Bohm conducting Vienna Philharmoniker on DG

In fact, for Sym 6, I prefer Vienna Phiharmoniker more than Berlin Phil

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It is a great blessing for music lovers, generation after generation, that Beethoven, the fiery composer of the heaven-storming 5th symphony, should also leave behind the tranquil 6th; such contrasting masterpieces. The 6th, aptly described as a pastoral symphony, was intoduced to many cinema-goers in the marvellously Disney-produced "Fantasia"(1941?), combining popular classical music scores with beautiful animations. In the 'scene by the brook' the same score of the 6th was used to paint a tranquil picture of playful nymphs, satyric creatures, baby flying-horses, cherubic water-babies, other mythological creatures, having fun by the clear-water brook. Beethoven's music score makes the scene magical.

 

The Pastoral Symphony would be delightful under any competent symphonic archestra. But with great orchestras and conductors, the music scores sound magical. I have at hand three cds, Beethoven 6 (Archive), the Orchestra Revolutionaire et Romantique, conducted by Gardiner, the 6th (Decca), the Philharmonia Orchestra, by Ashkenazy, and the one (Teldec) by The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, under Harnoncourt, in his award-winning Beethoven's symphonic cycle.

 

Each of these 3 readings of the symphony has its own strength. For a short comparision, I chose the scores from "Scene by the Brook" and the "Thunderstorm". In "scene by the brook ", Gardiner gives a calm and languid reading, the characters are well-mannered, enjoying a laze in the sun. Ashkenazy also reads a calm and lanquid scene, more rhythmic, and allows more expressive individual instruments play, giving a sense of playfulness to the characters. Harnoncourt, on the other hand, paints a panning view of the activities of the characters, with a bitzy more pace. In the "Thunderstorm", Ashkenazy unleashes the full fury of the storm, with soft to howling winds gushing through the foliage. Gardiner's storm is also furious but a calmer affair. Harnoncourt's storm sweeps through the general landscape and relents after a short fury. I think Ashkenazy's Pastoral Symphony stands out for its jollity and playfulness overall - a personal preference only.

Edited by iggyting

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I happen to have this recording as well, but long time never listened to it. So I picked it up this morning and put it into CD.

 

I agree with you that it's a bit fast. A relax morning walk (not too slow to be lazy) in the countryside is more preferable. For some passage this tempo is fine, like the symphony No. 9.

 

Maybe another day another time, I may prefer a jog in the countryside :D

 

An interesting but hard to find recording of Beethoven 6th conducted by Carlos Kleiber

 

http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_...d=61&Itemid=118

 

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