Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (2014)

For this 2013 Deutsche Grammophon release, Myung-Whun Chung and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra present Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, "Choral," in a mainstream performance that traditionalists will heartily endorse. This is somewhat surprising, considering the music world's increasing adoption of authentic Classical and early Romantic practices in Beethoven performances, and even the most conservative conductors and orchestras have made concessions to period research. Yet Chung's version is almost ... Read More

For this 2013 Deutsche Grammophon release, Myung-Whun Chung and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra present Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, "Choral," in a mainstream performance that traditionalists will heartily endorse. This is somewhat surprising, considering the music world's increasing adoption of authentic Classical and early Romantic practices in Beethoven performances, and even the most conservative conductors and orchestras have made concessions to period research. Yet Chung's version is almost indistinguishable from mid-20th century renditions, because the orchestra is full-sized, the instrumentation is modern, the tempos are generally moderate, and the textures are homogenized and well-blended, all of which make the symphony sound weighty and a bit too reverent. (The tenor solo in the Finale, "Froh! wie seine Sonnen fliegen," is taken at a faster clip, but that's the only nod to the authenticist camp.) One may think of Karajan and Böhm when hearing this recording, and even... Read Less

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2018, Deutsche Grammophon UPC: 028948105915 CD See All