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In Reply to: Cleveland/Moest and DGG posted by docw on March 8, 2007 at 17:51:45:
Moest's first recording with the Cleveland Orchestra will be with a work that I think its past conductors have underachieved on recording. (I think Szell's Beethoven 9 is vastly overrated.) If nothing else, the Beethoven Nine is an acid test for any conductor, known or not. And it's also a work that one can critique the conductor and orchestra separately.DG IMO has made the best-sounding CD with the Cleveland Orchestra that I've experienced- Debussy's "La Mer" with Pierre Boulez. It's maybe in my top five for classical CDs.
The other thing I will hold my breath on is how much the Orchestra has changed since last hearing it. It could be something special, or it could be something totally indistinguished. Only time will tell. (I'm most-interested to hear its renovated hall, although recordings almost never give a true account of a hall's character.) I will post a review, be it good, bad, or ugly.
Follow Ups:
but as you know, yours is a minority opinion. What Beethoven 9th do you like and what is your view on the raves about Vanska?Just was listening to Szell's Beethoven 3rd and 8th on rbcd, from Sony Austrian release. I think those were great performances esp. the 3rd.
I do not know of a Beethoven 9 that I thought was definitive in all four movements, but the one conductor who to me really stood out with this work was Wilhelm Furtwangler. He was the one conductor that really brought out the manic-depressive character of the opening movement. His weak movement was the second, which I think is best served slow and deliberate, rather than fast and rushed. (I thought this was Szell's strongest movement.) His third movement, IMO, is where he *really* stands out. There is almost a mesmerizing quality to the music, and kind of a "talkback" quality going on in the background. (I personally thought Szell didn't have a clue here.) The final movement, good, but not great. Karajan was best with the final movement. But for the whole Symphony, Furtwangler is the one.Note that I like certain Furtwangler performances better than others. My favorite Beethoven 9ths on recording are Furtwangler/Philharmonia/Lucerne and Furtwangler/Vienna. (I did not care for his renowned Berlin performance.) The latter I haven't heard for awhile, but based on my recollections, may the greatest performance of the work ever to make to recording. Furtwangler himself thought his Vienna performance was his personal best.
I agree with Furtwangler bringing out those mysterious aspect of the 3rd movement. How did/do you like the Klemperer or NYPO Walter sets? Or Scherchen?Incidentally, I own Furtwangler Bayreuth (not the ones you cite) on German EMI, NM; Szell blue Epic; Karajan tulip 1963 analog and copy of it on Bicentennial, German non tulip. And others also.
So I will make myself a cassette tape on my Nak of these excerpts and listen.
Furtwangler VPO (or is it VSO)? Age? How's the sound?
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