Eroica Szel

Continuing his cycle of Beethoven’s symphonies with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer releases Symphony No. 3 ‘Eroica’ paired with the Coriolan Overture . These warhorses of the symphonic repertoire showcase how Beethoven writes not only dramatically, but also profoundly lyrically. Fischer’s process of recording the cycle has been notably drawn out, having first insisted on performing and touring the music with his outstanding orchestra before committing to a studio recording. Previous releases feature Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 . They have been roundly praised, with The Guardian saying “the performance of the Seventh ranks, without question, among the greatest ever recorded. Utterly compelling.”

The ensemble KLANGKOLLEKTIV WIEN as newly founded orchestral body in the Austrian cultural landscape has already with their first Schubert recording (Gramola 99180) been met with an enthusiastic reception. The unique approach of the musicians with conductor and sound designer Rémy Ballot to get to the bottom of the works of Viennese classical music and to reveal their inner logic, leads to a new understanding of orchestra. Gramola now publishes a concert recording of the Vorstadt premiere in Viennas Penzing district with Beethovens Symphony No. 3 Eroica as well as the Egmont Overture for the Beethoven year 2020 (250th anniversary of his birth). The musicians gathering within KLANGKOLLEKTIV WIEN feel the need to interpret the works of their professional everyday life out-side of the music business in a different way for themselves and the public.

Finally, Mendelssohn's string quartets are hitting the big time. Over the past decade, there have been more and, for the most part, better recordings of his quartets that at any time in history. Think of the Alban Berg Quartet's brilliantly bracing recording or the Quatuor Mosaïques' fervently soulful recording. Of course, there have also been some fairly mediocre recordings – think of the Emerson's recklessly energetic recording – and merely passable recordings – think of the Henschel's hastily enthusiastic recording.