Beethoven

I'm in two minds as to which CD set to purchase! One is considerably more expensive than the other (the first is $89AUD, the othe $40AUD)

Okay here are the details for the first...

Beethoven - Complete Symphonies
David Porcelijn &TSO
5 CD set
24 hours
AU$89.95

Description

Beethoven’s nine symphonies are possibly the greatest single body of music for orchestra ever written.

Now ABC Classics releases the premiere Australian recording of these landmark works performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and conducted by David Porcelijn.

The recordings of the complete Beethoven symphonies were made over two years and have some very special features:
All the symphonies were performed, then recorded in venues around Australia especially chosen for their fine acoustics – in Canberra, Newcastle, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and in the TSO’s new home, Federation Concert Hall in Hobart.

Another special feature is the involvement of one of the world’s leading keyboard musicians, Australian fortepiano specialist Geoffrey Lancaster. Other historically informed recordings have used fortepiano in select symphonies, but this is the first to use it in all 9 symphonies.

The packaging of this new box set completes the synergy using a range of stunning Tasmanian wilderness images by the late and acclaimed photographer Peter Dombrovskis.

And the other is the 1963 recording of Beethoven's 9 symphonies conducted by Herbert Von Karajan performed by the Berlin Philharmoniker. I hear its one of the best cycles of Beethoven ever recorded.

If you are interested in that type of music (which you obviously are) then I recommend a 4 CD box set called 'The Classic Millennium Collection'. It's very good.

Actually looking at the box, it's exclusive to HMV (record chain). Don't know if it's in australia, if it is, then I recommend it.

Yes we have HMV here - I have a card which allows me to get a 10% student discount there. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out!

>1963 recording of Beethoven's 9 symphonies conducted by Herbert Von Karajan performed by the Berlin Philharmoniker.
Ive heard many performances of beethovens symphonies, and these are by far the best. You can download them (for sampling purposes! lol) from me on IRC (dalnet, #mp3_classical) if you are interested

Beethoven is great. Symphony No. 5 is my favorite, but I prefer Mozart.

Good luck on which one to choose, though. The first one sticks out for some reason for me.

mithrandir, that pach is great, I love beethoven, especially the 9th Symphony, I think it's worth the price. Bye it!

I like the 40'th of Mozart, but I Tchaikovsky is my favourite.

I listened to Symphony No. 1 by David Porcelijn & the TSO a couple of nights ago - it was great! Full of engergy, and the fortepiano player really added another dimension to it.

Personally I would go with the David Porcelijn &TSO set. But, that's just me. I am a pretty fair fan of Beethoven, but Tchaikovsky is definetly my favorite.

Yeah I think I'll get it (or ask for it as a gift).

>>Tchaikovsky<<

Got to love the 1812 Oveture

Got to love the 1812 Oveture

You really do. It is a spectacular piece of work.

I went to see a military band perform a "beat the retreat" and at the end they played the 1812 - it was awesome when the let off the cannons!

I went to see a military band perform a "beat the retreat" and at the end they played the 1812 - it was awesome when the let off the cannons!

That sounds pretty sweet. I wish that I would have been able to see that one.

That was the second time I saw that happen - the other was when the Edinburgh Military Tattoo came to Australia in 1988. I was only 5 at the time, but I loved it!