Beethoven Krips

Josef Krips conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. This beautiful “nature” symphony receives an exquisite performance at the hands of a noted Beethoven interpreter. The composer’s sounds of nature are reproduced with like naturalness in Everest’s incomparable recording.

In presenting a new recording of one of the world's most popular symphonies, the Fifth Symphony of Beethoven, it is fitting that it should be conducted by a musician internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost Beethoven interpreters of our day, Josef Krips. All the dynamism of the music and its performance has been faithfully preserved through the magic of Everest sound.

This is an amazing recording of two superb performances from many years ago, beautifully remastered from the original source tapes. Josef Krips emphasizes the beauty and optimism in Beethoven's music, as opposed to raw strength and power. The First Symphony, often underrated in comparison to the others, really springs to life here. And the Eighth is a joyous romp from start to finish.

This remastered release is faithful to the original 1960 performances, which were recorded on 35mm film in order to accurately capture the orchestra. The music here is big, bright, and beautiful, with full instrumentation and precise direction. The passionate highs and sweeping lows of "Eroica" is a perfect introduction to Beethoven’s symphony cycle.

Artur Rubinstein's 1956 Beethoven concerto cycle lacks the forethought and stylishness of his '60s remakes with Leinsdorf. These earlier versions, however, convey more of Rubinstein's irrepressible stage presence. At times the pianist's freewheeling spirit in the First and Fifth Concertos causes momentary finger slips, which matter not one whit. Rubinstein's unruffled demeanor and languorous phrasing in the Third and Fourth Concertos, though, are better suited to Chopin.

Born and raised in Vienna, Josef Krips trained as a choirboy and studied with Felix Weingartner, who then hired him as a repetiteur at the Volksoper. He his debut there in 1921, before graduating to the Vienna State Opera in 1933. In the aftermath of the Second World War, it was Krips above all who reformed and re-trained the State Opera as a world-class ensemble, and in the most difficult conditions. His pragmatism and understated authority made him a model recording conductor, and Decca hired him to work with orchestras in several of their centres of activity.

Born and raised in Vienna, Josef Krips trained as a choirboy and studied with Felix Weingartner, who then hired him as a repetiteur at the Volksoper. He his debut there in 1921, before graduating to the Vienna State Opera in 1933. In the aftermath of the Second World War, it was Krips above all who reformed and re-trained the State Opera as a world-class ensemble, and in the most difficult conditions.