The almost encyclopedic undertaking that French label harmonia mundi has embarked on to celebrate the double anniversary of the birth and death of Beethoven between 2020 and 2027 has already proven itself to be captivating with its emphasis on contemporary works from the start of the 19th century. It also presents us with a version of Beethoven in direct contact with the works of his own era, a step away from the usual romanticised image of the solitary genius in his ivory tower. The juxtaposition of the renowned ‘Pastoral’ Symphony with the Portrait musical de la nature ou Grande Simphonie is troubling to say the least. The latter was written by relatively unknown composer Justin Heinrich Knecht 25 years prior to Beethoven’s masterpiece (it was recorded in a world premiere in 1997 by Frieder Bernius but flew under the radar). The two composers having had the same editor, everything points to the fact that Beethoven was probably familiar with the work, and the similarities between the two are not unrecognisable. The result of a long tradition of pastoral musical works, divided into five movements, with very similar programme indications, Rousseauesque naïvety with regard to the melodic contours and imitations of bird calls all go to show the proximity of the two works. This is a thrilling interpretation thanks to the convincing performance by the Berlin Akademie für Alte Musik that puts the two works on a par together. © François Hudry/Qobuz

How intriguing! American conductor Robert Treviño has dedicated his debut release with Ondine to Beethoven’s symphony cycle. This is the first time the Finnish label has visited these landmarks of Western symphonic culture with a traditional Scandinavian orchestra, namely the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, which will celebrate its centenary in 2025. With a rather faded palette of sound-colour and a smooth legato, this is undoubtedly a traditional version of the nine symphonies that transports us back to an era of discographies from Herbert von Karajan and Otto Klemperer. But by no means does it belong in the past…Treviño has worked closely with the likes of Leif Segerstam, David Zinman and Michael Tilson Thomas, the two latter conductors having, incidentally, made many interventions of their own in the Beethovenian symphonies as each attempted to produce worthy reinterpretations. Tilson Thomas drastically reduced the number of musicians in his complete cycle for CBS, whilst David Zinman based his work on Jonathan Del Mar’s Barenreiter edition which restored many of the lost accents and phrases that had been altered from one hundred and fifty years of, at times, rather unscrupulous interpretations. Here, Robert Treviño’s interpretations are lyrical and rich, precise as regards polyphony and mindful of the need to find a balance rather than overstress the text. Treviño ensures that each section finds its proper place and doesn’t get lost in the overall composition, creating dialogues with a chamber-like aesthetic. The unusual “concertato” at the beginning of the last movement of Eroica is the prime example of this. © Pierre-Yves Lascar/Qobuz

Beethoven's nine symphonies -- what can one say? The greatest body of orchestral works ever composed? Probably. The most performed body of orchestral works ever composed? Certainly. The most recorded body of orchestral works ever composed? Absolutely. Not only has virtually every conductor recorded a Beethoven cycle, some of them have gotten to record it multiple times: Abbado, Bernstein, Solti, Karajan, and Haitink, among others. What does this proliferation tell us? Usually nothing about the music that hasn't been heard before, but sometimes something about what the conductor thinks about the music. These performances with the London Symphony Orchestra recorded in 2005 and 2006 tell what Bernard Haitink thinks about the greatest body of orchestral works ever composed. And what does Haitink think? Pretty much nothing that hasn't been thought before. His tempos are neither too fast nor too slow, but straight down the moderato. His dynamics are neither too loud nor too quiet, but right in the mezzo. His textures are clear and lucid. His colors are blended and smooth. His interpretations are solid and sincere. But what does Haitink tell us about what he thinks about Beethoven's symphonies? Pretty much nothing except that he is an experienced conductor with a superb baton technique who keeps his opinions to himself. The London Symphony's playing is enthusiastic but too often ragged around the edges for comfort. LSO Live's recording is transparent but the perspective seems to shift from work to work -- sometimes the strings are too far away, other times the brass are too close.© TiVo

With this new milestone in his ongoing collection of Beethoven's symphonies, conductor, actor and perfumer Teodor Currentzis invites us to a feast of rhythm and energy with a resolutely Dionysian feel. According to the Greek conductor, this Seventh Symphony in A major represents the most perfect form ever achieved in the symphony form."Each note has its proper place in absolute symmetry", says Currentzis, who compares the symphony to "the flowing lines of a Greek temple - specifically in the Doric style". The structure of the Seventh is "in fact highly complex", says Currentzis. "The secret is to dive into the music towards the freshness and light, then leap into the sacred dance of the second movement, and from there into the scherzo and dancing finale. It is a kind of journey towards freshness, towards a new vitality, the birth of a new cell in a world of contradictions".Perfectly in control of his music, Teodor Currentzis offers us a most refined version, in which the air seems to circulate between each section of the orchestra, carefully chiselled down to the smallest detail, playing with contrasts and a palette of nuances that we had long ceased to see, without the demonstration and eccentricity that some performers can be reproached for. The splendid acoustics of the great hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, where this record was recorded in the summer of 2018, further enhance the sense of exhilaration and plenitude in this new version, which joins the hundreds of others. © François Hudry/Qobuz

‘From darkness to light’ . . . ‘Thus Fate knocks at the door’: what with alleged quotations from the composer and the wildest Romantic interpretations, it would be impossible to enumerate all the commentaries that have accompanied ‘The Fifth’ ever since its premiere. So, what if we simply went back to the original score? What if we accepted the idea that, in a context influenced by the French Revolution (as embodied by the brilliant Gossec), it was Beethoven’s music itself that was totally revolutionary, as François-Xavier Roth and his orchestra Les Siècles like to remind us? © harmonia mundi

Recorded between 1964 and 1968, Paul Kletzki's respected cycle of Ludwig van Beethoven's symphonies on Supraphon rightly should be classified as a historical item for specialists, rather than as a recommended option for anyone seeking a great (and great sounding) modern set. Kletzki was an admired and popular conductor, noted for working with both European and American orchestras, and his interpretations of Beethoven are intelligent and insightful, regarded by some reviewers as among the finest of their time; the performances are still valuable for their musicality and significance among mid-20th century offerings. However, these recordings predate the movement for historically informed performance practice, so fans of late Classical and early Romantic period style will find this set of little interest, and only traditionalists will be enthusiastic about it. These analog versions don't compare well with the best contemporary digital recordings, and the sound of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra is a bit too homogenized and at times too muddy in this remastering to make the music fully enjoyable. Although the instruments can be made out clearly enough, some of their upper partials seem to have been eliminated in the reduction of tape hiss, and the ensemble's overall sound seems a little dulled in tone as a result. Artistically, there is much to appreciate here, but this box set faces serious competition from later and better sounding alternatives. © TiVo

Since they first began releasing compact discs in early 1999, the London Symphony Orchestra's homebrew labels -- LSO and LSO Live -- have been pioneers in the independent label field and a powerful model for other orchestras to follow. The youthful LSO has always been enterprising and progressive: since its conception in 1904, its administrative structure has been -- and continues to be -- one of innovative self-government. This disc presents the results of live concerts from November 2005 with venerated guest conductor Bernard Haitink. It is tempting to assume that Haitink, in his late seventies, is stuck in the older, more heavy-handed performance traditions of the previous generation. Indeed, as his earlier recordings of both Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and the Triple Concerto with the Royal Concertgebouw demonstrate -- though they are nowhere close to the scope of Karajan or Klemperer in grandiosity, weight, or forcefulness -- they were certainly not lighthearted in any sense. It is refreshing to see that sometimes people can change their ways -- Haitink's work here, akin to the more typical performance practices of today, comes through as eminently more translucent, lucid, and dance-like than his previous efforts. While conductor and orchestra create a silky and agile string sound, there are still a few less-than-stellar moments, primarily in the first movement. The very opening chords sound too clipped, and in general there is angularity where there should be line and continuity. On the other hand, the shaping of the delicate second movement is quite lovely and includes a rich, cascading dynamic emphasis: very sensuous -- if a bit overdone. Since they are not bound by the conglomerates that dictate what superstars go where, the LSO is able to feature some of its own outstanding talent: LSO concertmaster Gordan Nikolitch and principal cellist Tim Hugh join pianist Lars Vogt for the Triple Concerto. Hugh's sound is vocal, warm, and compassionate but not sentimental. Nikolitch and Vogt respond accordingly, centering their energy (and intonation) around him, impressively matching his character. Overall, the group seems to breathe the music well together and the performance becomes more and more focused as time goes on. The second movement shows off Vogt's striking lyricism, while the final movement, if a bit heavy-handed and sluggish, still affords an enjoyable finish. Considering this is a live recording, the sound is excellent with minimal audience noise. If you are looking for a modern approach by an old master of two of Beethoven's most important works, look no further. © TiVo