Beethoven Symphonies

One of the most fascinating recording projects of this period was Sir Roger Norrington's pioneering set of Beethoven symphonies with The London Classical Players. Here at long last–after a century and a half of neglect–was a conductor bravely determined to conduct these symphonies according to Beethoven's difficult metronome markings, and as played on the original instruments that Beethoven had composed for–that is, the very sounds that he must have had in his mind when he wrote this music down. Norrington astutely saw that Beethoven's original brass and percussion instruments play a crucially prominent role in these symphonies, and most importantly, that they cannot be tempered without diminishing the passionate intensity of the music itself.

For this set of Beethoven's first five symphonies, Jordi Savall began with the fundamental idea of recovering the original sound of the orchestra and tempo as the composer imagined them. All the orchestral work was performed with instruments corresponding to those used at the time, and by 55-60 musicians, a number similar to that arranged by the composer. 35 players were selected from Le Concert des Nations alongside 20 young musicians from different countries across world. The main goal was to reflect, in our 21st century, all the richness and beauty of these symphonies, through a true balance between colors and the quality of the orchestra's natural sound.

Beethoven composed his Fifth and Sixth Symphonies more or less simultaneously during the years 1804-8, and they were both first performed in a memorable all-Beethoven concert in December 1808 that also featured the Fourth Piano Concerto (with Beethoven performing at the piano for the last time in public), the Choral Fantasy, and some other works. Despite being composed together, the Fifth and Sixth inhabit very different musical worlds. The fifth is a marvel of terse, dramatic writing, whereas the Sixth is more leisurely, frankly programmatic, and celebrates the glories of nature and the countryside.

Beethoven's Seventh Symphony was first performed in December 1812, in Vienna, and was an immediate hit. The second movement "allegretto" was applauded so loudly that it had to be repeated on the spot. The symphony was later dubbed "Apotheosis of the Dance" by Richard Wagner, in recognition of the strong rhythmic character of all four movements. The allegretto itself is one of Beethoven's, and music's, most inspired moments and has an otherworldly quality that has rarely been equaled before or since. The other three movements are noted for their liveliness and driving force.

The Cologne-based historical-performance group Compagnia di Punto has mostly specialized in Baroque and Classical-period music, but here, perhaps due to the fact that the ill-fated year of 2020 marks Beethoven's 250th birthday, they offer arrangements of Beethoven's first three symphonies for a small orchestra. The group includes 13 players: four violinists, one each of viola, cello, and bass, two flutes, bassoon, and three horns. By now, most listeners realize that 19th century listeners, unable to just download the latest Beethoven symphony, relied on arrangements of this kind to hear new music, but the idea needs repetition and new recordings like this one.

David Zinman and his Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra have all but completed what is without question one of the most invigorating Beethoven cycles to appear in the last few years. True to form, Zinman takes the latest Beethoven scholarship on board, which in this case includes some novel emendations to the opening of the Second Symphony.

David Zinman’s account of the Fourth Symphony is fleet and mercurial, as compelling a case as we have for honouring Beethoven’s fast metronome markings and, in the finale, bursting with unforced vitality (though without undermining the power of those crucial sforzando semiquavers at bar 66). Freshly revealed detail includes energetic semiquavers among second violins 2'28'' into the Allegro vivace (rarely as clear on rival versions) and held forte horns at 3'58'' into the Adagio, at the point where trenchant descending sforzando chords intensify the mood.

The release of Bernard Haitink's new cycle of the Beethoven symphonies was one of the most talked about classical events of 2006. Over recent years many people had questioned whether another complete set of Beethoven's symphonies would ever be recorded. But Haitink's revelatory recordings have demonstrated why fresh new interpretations of Beethoven's music are so important and why the composer's music is still so relevant today.

After the critical success of the first volume of Beethoven's symphonies, Jordi Savall offers us Symphonies Six to Nine. This latest publication crowns a nearly two-year world tour and confirms the extent to which the Savall renews our vision of these most famous works. The Concert des Nations shows that it also knows how to magnify the repertoire of the early 19th century.