My Beethoven collection, should i move to digital ?!?

[Stargazer]

The following is my current Beethoven collection :

-Symphonies-

For the N.1 and N.3

For N.7

For N.2

For N.3

For N.4 and N.6

For N.5 and N.7


For N.5

For N.8

For N.9

Plus this 2 cicles :

Karajan

Toscanini

-Overtures-

Szell

Masur

-Piano Sonatas-

Yves Nat

-Violin Sonatas-

Zino Francestatti

-String Quartets-

Julliard

As much as i love all this performances, the sound quality for most of these isn't exactly
nothing to scream about.

For a time i tried to ignore all the problems with the sound and i concentrated on those exceptional performances, but i think i'm getting a tad fed up.

Now, i generally shy away from modern
performances, it's not that i have a prejudice, but so far i haven't found anything able to match my favored among these recordings.

Untill yesteday, when i got the chance to listen to Gunter Wand N.9, which, from the little i heard, was nearly (if not just as good) as the Fircsay version i have.

However, what really got me was the sound quality, simply superb.

I wonder, are there any other, more recent recordings you feel i should try ?!?

For some of the recods i own i don't feel i need anything (for instance, Kleiber 5th and 7th or Szell 5th), however, for some i'm in desperate need of a soninc improvement (Toscanini 3rd is my favored among the bunch, but the sounbd quality, shudders ).

[Sorrano]

I rather liked the Emerson String Quartet version of the complete Quartets. Their cycle has been highly rated by critics.

[Peter]

Originally posted by Stargazer:
The following is my current Beethoven collection :

-Symphonies-

For the N.1 and N.3

For N.7

For N.2

For N.3

For N.4 and N.6

For N.5 and N.7


For N.5

For N.8

For N.9

Plus this 2 cicles :

Karajan

Toscanini

-Overtures-

Szell

Masur

-Piano Sonatas-

Yves Nat

-Violin Sonatas-

Zino Francestatti

-String Quartets-

Julliard

As much as i love all this performances, the sound quality for most of these isn't exactly
nothing to scream about.

For a time i tried to ignore all the problems with the sound and i concentrated on those exceptional performances, but i think i'm getting a tad fed up.

Now, i generally shy away from modern
performances, it's not that i have a prejudice, but so far i haven't found anything able to match my favored among these recordings.

Untill yesteday, when i got the chance to listen to Gunter Wand N.9, which, from the little i heard, was nearly (if not just as good) as the Fircsay version i have.

However, what really got me was the sound quality, simply superb.

I wonder, are there any other, more recent recordings you feel i should try ?!?

For some of the recods i own i don't feel i need anything (for instance, Kleiber 5th and 7th or Szell 5th), however, for some i'm in desperate need of a soninc improvement (Toscanini 3rd is my favored among the bunch, but the sounbd quality, shudders ).

There are some suggestions on the Recommended page of this site which may or may not be of use to you!
www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/rec.html

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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
I rather liked the Emerson String Quartet version of the complete Quartets. Their cycle has been highly rated by critics.

I have this version of the complete quartets and really enjoy it. The quality is very good.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Stargazer]

Originally posted by Peter:
There are some suggestions on the Recommended page of this site which may or may not be of use to you!
www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/rec.html

Well, after a few listens i just bought the Nikolaus Harnoncourt box set (the 117$ one) suggested on that page, if nothing else because it's the only set on period instruments that doesn't sound like they are
raping an horde of cats

As for the Emerson Quartets, i don't know.

I have their Bartok set, and albiet they are great performers their sound is a tad too 'slick' and technical, which works well with Bartok but i just can't see it with Beethoven.

How about the italianos ?!?

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Stargazer:
Well, after a few listens i just bought the Nikolaus Harnoncourt box set (the 117$ one) suggested on that page, if nothing else because it's the only set on period instruments that doesn't sound like they are
raping an horde of cats

As for the Emerson Quartets, i don't know.

I have their Bartok set, and albiet they are great performers their sound is a tad too 'slick' and technical, which works well with Bartok but i just can't see it with Beethoven.

How about the italianos ?!?

I have the Quartetto Italiano set of the Brahms quartets on Philips, it is very nice sounding. They manage in some way to sound "smoother" than most other 'moderns' I have heard. I agree with you on the Emersons, they were just too modern sounding on the Mozart set I had of their's. You seem to favor period instrument performances, rightly so, but unfortunately I don't have any B that fills the bill, my Tokyo set is very nice, but obviously modern. I think that L'Archibudelli did some B, but not the whole cycle, if so they would be a good choice, as I am not disappointed in the sound of any of the dozen or so CD's I have of theirs, including the string trios that you can try out on the member's page here.
Regards, Gurn

[Stargazer]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
You seem to favor period instrument performances, rightly so,

Not necessarely.

Although the concept is interesting, i'm not particulary fond of period instruments, at least not with symphonies.

The sound it's a tad too 'thin' and 'short' (at least, they general don't sustain the sound for very long).

I still have to try other genres on period instruments, Mozart and Haydn sounds like perfect candidates for that tonality, expecially for string Quartets.

From what i gather, Harnoncourt mixes both period instruments with modern ones. The effect is actually very good, so i figured what the heck, i need to have something on period instruments anyway

[Rod]

Originally posted by Stargazer:
Not necessarely.

Although the concept is interesting, i'm not particulary fond of period instruments, at least not with symphonies.

The sound it's a tad too 'thin' and 'short' (at least, they general don't sustain the sound for very long).

I still have to try other genres on period instruments, Mozart and Haydn sounds like perfect candidates for that tonality, expecially for string Quartets.

From what i gather, Harnoncourt mixes both period instruments with modern ones. The effect is actually very good, so i figured what the heck, i need to have something on period instruments anyway

I believe Harnoncourt used period style brass and timpani in his set, the remainder being modern. Have you heard the Symphonies performed by the Hanover Band on period instruments? Though not 100% perfect by any means, this is the set I recommend, and I only consider period instrument performances these days.


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited May 30, 2003).]