Beethoven: Complete Symphonies (1988)

This cycle of the nine symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven was recorded in the 1980s, when Riccardo Muti had taken on the responsibilities of conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, following the long tenure of Eugene Ormandy. In keeping with this venerable institution, and with the mid-20th century fashion of playing Beethoven with a fairly homogenized sound and conservative tempos, Muti delivers solid, sometimes dramatic, but safe performances that comport with the conventional approach of the time. Muti also uses, though ... Read More

This cycle of the nine symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven was recorded in the 1980s, when Riccardo Muti had taken on the responsibilities of conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, following the long tenure of Eugene Ormandy. In keeping with this venerable institution, and with the mid-20th century fashion of playing Beethoven with a fairly homogenized sound and conservative tempos, Muti delivers solid, sometimes dramatic, but safe performances that comport with the conventional approach of the time. Muti also uses, though to a limited degree, the heavy string sound that Ormandy had cultivated, so the Philadelphians give the symphonies a fairly thick texture that, to many listeners, may seem murky in retrospect, after hearing many historically informed performances from streamlined ensembles with more authentic period tone colors. This reissued set from Warner Classics is a repackaging of the recordings first issued by EMI, then released as budget CDs on the Seraphim label, so it is a convenient... Read Less

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2014, Warner Classics UPC: 825646278299 CD See All