Maestro 029: Beethoven Symphonies

Today we will be showcasing some of Beethoven's symphonies, including two tracks from our very special featured release from Avie Records titled "Beethoven: Symphony Nos 6 and 8" performed by Manchester Camerata and Douglas Boyd.



Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Tiboris
"Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 in D Minor -1895 Gustav Mahler Edition: III. Adagio molto e cantabile" (mp3)
from "Beethoven's 9th Symphony: 1895 Gustav Mahler Orchestration"
(Bridge Records, Inc.)

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Mahler’s grand expansion of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony employs an extra 4 horns and an extra set of Timpani, revoicing many passages of the venerable masterpiece. Mahler adds occasional counter-melodies and thickens the scoring in order to create his own heightened dynamic scale. Of his own performances of this re-scoring, Mahler wrote: "Far from following any arbitrary purpose or course, but also without allowing himself to be led astray by tradition, (this conductor) was constantly and solely concerned with carrying out Beethoven’s wishes in their minutest detail, and ensuring that nothing the master intended should be sacrificed or drowned out amid the general confusion of sound."


San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas
"Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67" (mp3)
from "Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 and Piano Concerto No. 4"
(San Francisco Symphony)

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The San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas present Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto featuring pianist Emanuel Ax.


Jan Willem de Vriend, The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra
"Symphony no. 7 op. 92 in A major: Allegro con brio" (mp3)
from "Beethoven: Symphonies nos. 7&8 - Complete symphonies vol.3"
(Challenge Classics)

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Manchester Camerata, Douglas Boyd
"Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 - "Pastoral"" (mp3)
from "Beethoven: Symphony Nos. 6 & 8"
(AVIE Records)

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Manchester Camerata lodges the latest release in its acclaimed Beethoven Symphony cycle. Like the previous releases in this cycle these live recordings capture the spirit and freshness of these remarkable, genre-busting works, as well as the excitement, atmosphere and energy of the chamber orchestra under Music Director Douglas Boyd.

Manchester Camerata has become one of the finest, most innovative chamber orchestras in the UK, and Douglas Boyd has proven to be an eminent Beethovenian. Conducting the composer’s Fidelio at the 2009 Garsington Opera Festival, The Times (London) noted “his grasp of Beethovenian idiom” and “pungent underlining of orchestral detail”, praising the musical performance as “sublime and exultant”.

This is the penultimate release in the Douglas Boyd-Manchester Camerata Beethoven Symphony cycle. The Ninth “Choral” Symphony will be released in November 2011.