Beethoven: 9 Symphonies [VINYL]

This is an old set now, recorded in the early 1970's by Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic for DG. Despite the age the pairing of Bernstein and the VPO was always quite special and the set has stood the test of time remarkably well, remaining an excellent choice for anybody looking for a Beethoven symphony cycle.Firstly, a word on the packaging. The set is beautifully presented in delux packaging, there is a very stout heavy card slip case, inside is a hardback book style case, the CDs are held in card wallets which form "pages" within the book, each of which carries the original LP cover art. The book includes essays on Bernstein and the symphonies themselves. As well as the CDs the set includes a high res audio blu ray disc in both stereo and 5.0 surround sound. The impression is of a seriously well produced set which really does feel very special. I suspect Universal (current owners of DG) are trying to wring a few more sales out of physical media before the market basically moves entirely to soft copies and streaming.Onto the contents. The symphonies of Beethoven need no introduction, remaining probably the supreme example of the symphonic form and works of enduring universal appeal. This is music that crosses the divide of musical genres as works like the 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th are regularly enjoyed by people with no real interest in classical music as well as by serious enthusiasts of such music. This music is a little like the plays of Shakespeare in musical form in that they are accessible to all yet they grow with you, the more you listen and study these works the more you discover and the more you appreciate the genius of Beethoven. There aren't that many works which bridge the gap between immediate accessibility and providing such artistic depth like that.Leonard Bernstein was one of the great conductors of the 20th century, at the time this set was never really promoted by DG as much as it deserved thanks largely to their obsession with von Karajan. Bernstein was a very emotional conductor who threw his soul into music, whether or not you liked his interpretations they were never boring or dull and at his frequent best he brought a joyous quality to music. The VPO are always reliable and the performances are superbly played by the VPO, the combination of Bernstein's emotional immersion in the scores and the VPO's solid playing produce something which is quite compelling and which remains worthy of a place in any collection. Although these performances might not rank as the finest performances of any one symphony (for example, neither the 5th or 7th approach Kleiber's legendary performances, and I prefer Bohm's 6th), if taken as a whole I believe the set matches the finest Beethoven symphony cycles available. The 3rd and 6th symphonies in this cycle are superb (even if I still think Bohm's 6th edges it) and the 9th is outstanding. The 9th here is a much, much better performance than the famous late recording Bernstein made to celebrate the fall of the Berlin wall. The vocal performances here are some of the finest ever in the 9th symphony, tempi are very well judged and the quality of playing beyond criticism. This is one of the finest recordings of the 9th symphony ever made in my opinion. The 5th is a slightly controversial one, the first movement is rather different and I think Bernstein's unique take on it has been criticised by many yet it is certainly interesting and a performance people should at least try. The CDs are nicely recorded and despite the age of the recordings they do not feel low fi.The blu ray audio is interesting. To be honest I do not think that there is any real audible benefit from high res over the red book CD standard (44.1/16) is comparing the same masters. However the 5.0 surround sound version really does add something, feeling more alive and with a 3 dimensional feel, it is wonderful and really is worth having.So overall, you are getting a superb set of recordings which remain amongst the finest recordings of the Beethoven symphonies from a legendary conductor and one of the worlds great orchestras, beautifully presented in delux packaging and with a surround sound blu ray audio disc. The price of all this premium goodness? At time of my purchase £23, absurdly good value!! Buy this while you can, it would be a compelling proposition if selling for an awful lot more, at this price it really is a no brainer, wonderful!

I have heard lots of Beethoven Symphony Cycles from Karajan,Bohm,Rattle and Baremboin but this has to be one of the best,all the more amazing to think that they were recorded live.Originally released in 1980 this 2019 remastered set includes 5 cd’s with the original album artwork and also a 6 hour Blu-ray which contains all the works in 5.1 surround sound,there’s also a nice booklet with commentary on each Symphony by Bernstein .Package arrived quickly and in excellent condition -no complaints

Bernstein's Beethoven cycle, recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, has never received the acclaim it so fully deserves Of course,. Karajan's recordings dominated the Beethoven catalogue for decades. But Bernstein in Vienna was a force to be reckoned with - his Beethoven is big-boned, rich in tone - those Vienna strings and brass! - and the energy Bernstein's baton generated was positively electric. These live recordings, recorded in the Musikverein, show Bernstein at his least wayward - tempi are for the most part spot on - and the pulse and dynamic thrust Bernstein brings means that one's attention is focused on the music from the first note to the last - gripping performances, presented with a flair, buoyancy and dynamism the like of which we shall not see again.Presentation - same as the Karajan 60s Beethoven set - is superb, and the blu-ray remastering brings a liquid-like quality to the sound, reminiscent of vinyl. One reviewer claims that the compact discs' sound quality has not been improved, but I detect greater clarity and warmth. Classic Beethoven recordings in rejuvenated sound quality from a much missed Maestro... don't miss 'em.

I have many different recordings of these Symphony's by various conductors and orchestra’s and this is by far, the most satisfying recordings I have listened to, the playing of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is worth the price alone. the recordings from the early 70s are outstanding not to mention Bernsteins superb contribution. five *

Great presentation, beautifully done and worth the price alone. The box and a sticker indicate only a 5.0 surround sound format on the Blu-Ray Audio disc, but instead there is both 2.0 stereo and 5.0 surround choice. Both with DTS-HD MA format, not LPCM. The stereo mix says at 24 bit / 192 kHz, the surround is 96 kHz. I am not commenting on the performances, see older reviews for that. I like all except his symphony 5. But I wanted to post this quickly, to alert you to the Audio discrepancies. Thanks DGG for a superb issue!

Excellent packaging - one of the very best out there.More importantly it is a very execution of Beethoven's symphonies. Different aspect to Karajan's, but second to none.I will revert with more detailed review in the future .

Very good pressed vinyl with good protection and package, very quiet and smooth, no warp or off center, the remaster work is perfect. Only my no.6 has some light scratch it’s pity but overall is worthy to own

Beautifully presented and packaged. The blu ray audio disc produces sound so natural and transparent that it's hard to believe that these are live recordings from the early 70s