Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 - Haitink SACD rips via PS3 to iso | Label: LSO Live serial #LSO0598 (6 discs) | Hybrid Stereo/Multichannel | Classical - Orchestral Hear samples here: http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-Nos-Special-Hybrid/dp/B000GUJYRE Description: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Leonore Overture No. 2, Triple Concerto Gordan Nikolitch (violin) Tim Hugh (cello) Lars Vogt (piano) Twyla Robinson (soprano) Karen Cargill (mezzo soprano) John Mac Master (tenor) Gerald Finley (bass) London Symphony Chorus London Symphony Orchestra Bernhard Haitink (conductor) TRACKS: Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 "Eroica": I. Allegro con brio - (1 of 6) - 17:50 Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 "Eroica": II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai - (1 of 6) - 14:22 Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 "Eroica": III. Scherzo and Trio: Allegro vivace - (1 of 6) - 5:54 Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 "Eroica": IV. Finale: Allegro molto - (1 of 6) - 11:07 Leonore Overture No.2 in C, Op.72a - (1 of 6) - 15:01 Symphony No.4 - I. Adagio - Allegro vivace - (2 of 6) - 11:19 Symphony No.4 - II. Adagio - (2 of 6) - 9:06 Symphony No.4 - III. Allegro vivace - (2 of 6) - 5:38 Symphony No.4 - IV. Allegro ma non troppo - (2 of 6) - 6:47 Symphony No.8 - I. Allegro vivace e con brio - (2 of 6) - 9:08 Symphony No.8 - II. Allegretto scherzando - (2 of 6) - 3:54 Symphony No.8 - III. Tempo di menuetto - (2 of 6) - 4:24 Symphony No.8 - IV. Allegro vivace - (2 of 6) - 7:25 Symphony No.5 - I. Allegro con brio - (3 of 6) - 7:35 Symphony No.5 - II. Andante con moto - (3 of 6) - 8:36 Symphony No.5 - III. Allegro - (3 of 6) - 4:54 Symphony No.5 - IV. Allegro - (3 of 6) - 10:18 Symphony No.1 - I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio - (3 of 6) - 9:40 Symphony No.1 - II. Andante cantabile con moto - (3 of 6) - 6:52 Symphony No.1 - III. Menuetto & trio. Allegro molto e vivace - (3 of 6) - 3:19 Symphony No.1 - IV. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace - (3 of 6) - 5:46 Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' - I. Erwachen heiterer Gefuhle bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande - (4 of 6) - 11:39 Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' - II. Szene am Bach - (4 of 6) - 11:48 Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' - III. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute - (4 of 6) - 4:59 Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' - IV. Gewitter, Sturm - (4 of 6) - 3:32 Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' - V. Hirtengesang - Frohe, dankbare Gefuhle nach dem Sturm - (4 of 6) - 9:37 Symphony No.2 - I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio - (4 of 6) - 13:06 Symphony No.2 - II. Larghetto - (4 of 6) - 10:43 Symphony No.2 - III. Scherzo & Trio. Allegro - (4 of 6) - 4:00 Symphony No.2 - IV. Allegro molto - (4 of 6) - 6:39 Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace - (5 of 6) - 13:25 Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: II. Allegretto - (5 of 6) - 7:41 Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: III. Presto - (5 of 6) - 9:05 Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: IV. Allegro con brio - (5 of 6) - 8:30 Triple Concerto in C, Op.56: I. Allegro - (5 of 6) - 17:40 Triple Concerto in C, Op.56: II. Largo - (5 of 6) - 5:01 Triple Concerto in C, Op.56: III. Rondo alla Polacca - (5 of 6) - 13:13 Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral' - I Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso - (6 of 6) - 15:36 Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral' - II. Scherzo: Molto vivace - (6 of 6) - 13:50 Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral' - III. Adagio molto e cantabile - (6 of 6) - 14:12 Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral' - IV. Presto - Allegro ma non troppo - Vivace - Adagio canttabile - (6 of 6) - 24:33 SA-CD.net reviews: by Polly Nomial October 2, 2006 This is the easiest review I shall ever have the pleasure of writing & can be summed up in two words: Buy it! It is not often one can hail a modern classic, especially of music that has been recorded so often in the past, but this is a rare standard of music making. Full reviews can be found following the links given below but suffice to say that this is the most musical set of performances of Beethoven I have heard since 1st hearing Schnabel; it is also the most impressive I have heard from a playing perspective in Beethoven & I have never heard the LSO play like this on disc before now. Lastly, it is wonderful to hear Haitink bring all his experience with a truly fresh vision (for both him & us) of how this great music can sound. From the opening of the 1st symphony, the notes sound as though the ink is still drying & this impression continues through the other 8 masterpieces. It is more than just sounding newly minted; the honesty, structure & emotion are all vividly conveyed too in the best sound that LSO Live have achieved to date from the Barbican. The Triple Concerto & Leonore Overture No.2 are just as successful & makes one wish for follow-up sets to complete the orchestral music together with a concerto cycle & Fidelio all under the baton of Haitink. The box-set brings together all 6 discs (in slip-cases) with the original artwork used & the notes conflated into one booklet - very neatly done, even if not everyone admires the concept of the photos. As I said before (& it cannot be said often enough) - buy it, not just for yourself but for all your friends/family/colleagues... they will all be profoundly grateful. http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/4038 http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3822 http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3871 http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/4119 http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3661 http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3985 SA-CD.net review by theaudiohiffle December 4, 2006: I bought this box set very soon after its release, after reading 3 reviews of the individual releases here on SA-CD.net. The reviews stressed the nuance & attention to dynamics & dance-like quality that I had heard Haitink bring to a performance of Mahler's 1st at Tanglewood this summer. That performance had me going away shaking my head in wonder (& I'm not a big Mahler fan). I decided to listen to the symphonies in natural order, rather than by release. So I started with No. 1, listening on my 5-full-range Thiel multi-channel music setup. I could hardly sit still I was so excited as the piece unfolded, & at the end I found myself saying to the empty room "wow-o-wow-o-wow"!! Out loud! I can never remember having such a strong reaction to a piece of music in my life. The remainder of the symphonies never failed to please...I rate them all at or near the top of any other perfomance I have or have heard...although the 8th is a little rushed to my taste, & the orchestral & choral forces a little too light to convey the necessary "gravitas" of the 9th. But still, these are fine interpretations. That slight, little symphony called the "1st", however, for me still conveys the most magic of Haitink's conducting. Frankly, the last Beethoven cycle that I found compelling was Walter's...& that was back in the late '60's. Until now, it has been my favorite although I also have Klemperer & Kleiber's output, plus a few others. When I try to describe the Haitink approach, I tell people to mix Walter's lyricism & sense of propulsiveness, with Kleiber's lean, uptempo approach, & then to throw in Szell's attention to balance, nuance & detail...then prepare to have that mix bettered. This is an unbelievable set, & I am happy to see that the NYC critics agree (I was really interested in whether they would embrace this fairly radical approach.) The fine sound is not just icing on this cake...in multichannel it is like adding another layer & a half-inch of icing. These recordings come as close as I have heard in multichannel to capturing the sound of a full orchestra in a good hall (the boxy bass excepted). I use a Sony SACD player (C2000ES) that decodes direct in pure DSD, & despite the Barbican's dryness, I still can hear enough ambience to make the sound in my room gourgeous. When I attend concerts, I tend to clost my eyes to concentrate on the music...when I do that in my living room, I can very easily suspend belief...the sound is that close to "being there". I will treasure this set until the end of my days, & hope others will attain the same joy from it after I am gone. The works: Ludwig van Beethoven - Leonore Overture No. 2 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 "Eroica" Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral" Ludwig van Beethoven - Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56