Richard Oliver

This wowed me. Basses, brass about 5 min in (on part 1), and conducting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYOQeGCDWsY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2UgkAYV2yQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwcciAPOhjA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu_pa9CXq4o

I don't know if my wow'er is calibrated correctly.

It is wowable, right?


Enjoy,

Richard

Manny Laureano

You know, it's funny... the power, grace, and majesty of the Berlin Phil. with HvK is undeniable. I find myself less a fan of the "larger than life" interpretations these days than I used to be. It's probably a phase since working with Osmo. I think of it this way: vK was interested in the music's intent and power and would adjust instrumentation, tempi, and such to bring to life what he felt the composer wanted. Guys like Norrington prefer original instruments when they're available. Osmo's in the middle. He likes the brisk tempos of the listed metronome markings and wouldn't ever double or quadruple the orchestral forces (once, vK used 8 ((eight!)) horns for Beethoven's 5th for a film of it). But, see.. it's fun to listen to and the piece is incredibly powerful and I think that's what vK goes for. It's also a hell of a lot easier to get a huge range of dynamics when you have an orchestra that size. Osmo gets a wide range without that particular trick.

So, the bottom line is that if he were still living and he or protegés like Tennstedt conducted the MO with that interpretation I'd get into it and have a ball with it. It's like vK's interpretations where Hercules and Osmo's are Bruce Lee. I like both but these days I'm partial to Bruce Lee.

Incidentally, the brass enter right away ('cept the bones). First flute player looks like Gerry Schwarz!

ML

Dr. Stu

Great version, agreed, but for me, this Karl Bohm-Wiener Philharmoniker recording is THE version. Easliy one of my "desert island" discs (prob #1)!
Amazon.com: Beethoven: Symphonie No. 9: Music: Ludwig van Beethoven,Karl Böhm,Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,Jessye Norman,Plácido Domingo,Brigitte Fassbaender,Walter Berry

There are some audio files 1/2 way down the page. I originally had it in vinyl, but just about played the grooves off it!

-Stu

tpter1

I love the sweeping smoothness of a von Karajan legato. I used to look to the recording he made for Deutsche Grammophone of the 9th as THE recording to have. It's the first CD I ever bought. I could swear I heard the bows on the strings.

Vulgano Brother

Was this same recording used in the Clockwork Orange soundtrack? Just thinking about it makes me want to drink some milk.