Bill says in a letter to a dear friend, “Right now, I’m engaged in an interesting project. The conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who continues as Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and has recently become Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, has found time to go to London to record the entire set of nine Beethoven Symphonies with another distinguished ensemble, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe.” Over the next ten episodes, Bill will put these newly recorded performances in context, side-by-side, with famous recordings all the way back to Wilhelm Furtwängler. Starting with the first symphony, this week will conclude on Friday with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
Beethoven Symphonies: New Recordings Side by Side with Classic Performances, Part 1
Lots of vinyl records all spread out
Playlist
Episode 1
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Piano Trio No. 1 in E-Flat, Op. 1 I. Allegro (excerpt)
Beaux Arts Trio
Piano Trios Op. 1 No. 1, Op. 1 No. 2
Philips – 9500 988
1:20
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Piano Trio No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 1 I. Allegro Con Brio (excerpt)
Beaux Arts Trio
Piano Trios Op. 1 No. 1, Op. 1 No. 2
Philips – 9500 988
00:56
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 13: “Pathetique”
Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio (excerpt)
Jonathan Biss
Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Vol. 8, No. 8 (“Pathétique”), 10, 22 & 31
JB Recordings MM19040
3:26
Haydn, Franz Joseph: Symphony No. 1 in D Major, H I. Presto (excerpt)
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra/ Ádám Fischer
Symphonies Nos. 1-20 – The Esterházy Recordings – Volume One
Nimbus Records – NI 5426/30
1:18
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K. 551 “Jupiter” I. Allegro vivace (excerpt)
English Chamber Orchestra/ Daniel Barenboim
Mozart Symphonies: No. 41 In C, K.551 “Jupiter”; No. 31 In D, K.297 “Paris”
His Master’s Voice – ASD 2379
2:25
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21, I. Adagio molto (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
1:16
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
1:18
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21, I. Adagio molto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
8:53
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21, I. Adagio molto (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
8:53
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21, I. Adagio molto (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:13
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:20
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21 II. Andante cantabile con moto (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:54
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21 II. Andante cantabile con moto (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
1:10
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21 II. Andante cantabile con moto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
7:15
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: III. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
3:49
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 1 in C major Op. 21 4 Finale: Adagio (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:22
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 IV. Finale. Adagio (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:27
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21 IV. Finale
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
5:21
Beethoven, Ludwig van: String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 18/4 I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto (excerpt)
Emerson Quartet
Beethoven: The String Quartets
DG 4778649
6:20
Episode 2
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 in D, I. Adagio Molto (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
1:00
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
1:12
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 in D, I. Adagio Molto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
11:57
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 2 in D major Op. 36 II. Larghetto (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
1:11
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: II. Larghetto (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:47
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 2 in D major op 36 II. Larghetto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
9:56
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 2 in D major op 36 III. Scherzo (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:48
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: III. Scherzo (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:46
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 2 in D major op 36 III. Scherzo
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
4:28
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
6:11
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 II. Largo (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazy
Beethoven Piano Concertos
02:07
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein” (excerpt)
Rudolf Firkušný, piano
Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 “Waldstein”
Capitol Records P 8493
0:18
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 “Waldstein”:
III. Rondo: Allegretto moderato (excerpt)
Richard Goode, piano
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-32
Nonesuch 7559793638
9:26
Episode 3
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 3 in E flat major op 55 I. Allegro con brio (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
1:10
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica”: I. Allegro con brio (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
1:19
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 3 in E flat major op 55 I. Allegro con brio
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
16:15
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica”:
II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:44
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica”:
II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
00:39
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica”:
II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
14:46
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 3 in E flat major
III. Scherzo Allegro vivace
IV. Finale Allegro molto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
16:33
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No 3 in E flat major III. Scherzo Allegro vivace (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:31
Episode 4
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op. 58 I. Allegro moderato (excerpt)
Vienna Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein, Krystian Zimerman, piano
Die 5 Klavierkonzerte = The Piano Concertos = Les Concertos Pour Piano
DG 435 467 2
7:55
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 4 in B flat major op 60 I. Adagio – Allegro vivace (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:33
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: I. Adagio – Allegro vivace (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:58
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: I. Adagio – Allegro vivace
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
11:31
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: II. Adagio
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:45
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 4 in B flat major Op. 60 II. Adagio
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
9:22
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60
III. Menuetto. Allegro vivace – Trio. Un poco meno allegro
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
5:44
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60 IV. Allegro ma non troppo
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:45
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 4 in B flat major op 60
IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
6:45
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 4 in B flat major op 60
IV. Allegro ma non troppo (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:21
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 4 in B flat major op 60 IV. Allegro ma non troppo (excerpt)
The Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Overtures
Sony Classical 88883737152
0:13
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: String Quartet No. 7 in F, Op. 59/1, “Rasumovsky” I. Allegro
Emerson Quartet
Beethoven: The Middle Quartets
DG 453 764
0:51
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: String Quartet No. 9 In C, Op. 59/3, “Rasumovsky”
IV. Allegro Molto
Emerson Quartet
Beethoven: The Middle Quartets
DG 453 764
5:32
Episode 5
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 5 in C minor op 67 1 Allegro con brio
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
6:53
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 5, in C Minor, Op. 67
Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter Rehearses Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, 7, & 9
Sony 64465
3:28
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 5 in C minor op 67 I. Allegro con brio
All-American Youth Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski (excerpt)
Leopold Stokowski
Music & Arts MACD1287
0:45
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 5 I. Allegro Con Brio
Wiener Philharmoniker/ Carlos Kleiber
Symphonie Nr. 5
DG 2530 516
7:17
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 5 in C minor op 67, II. Andante con moto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
0:26
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No. 5 II. Andante con moto (excerpt)
Wiener Philharmoniker/ Carlos Kleiber
Symphonie Nr. 5
DG 2530 516
0:21
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 5 in C minor op 67 II. Andante con moto
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
9:21
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Symphony No 5 in C minor op 67
III. Scherzo. Allegro – Trio
IV. Allegro
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 4863050
16:11
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 3 in A, Op. 69: I. Allegro ma non tanto (excerpt)
Mischa Maisky & Martha Argerich
Cello Sonaten Op. 69 x 102 / Variationen
DG 479 5150
5:28