Album

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Kletzki

Beethoven: Symphonies

Catalogue Number: SU 4051-2
Published: 25th February 2011
Genre: Symphony
Format: 6 CD
Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonies Nos. 1-9. Egmont (Overture, Op. 84). Coriolan (Overture, Op. 62)

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor: Paul Kletzki
Ingeborg Wenglor - soprano, Annelies Burmeister - alto, Martin Ritzmann - tenor, Rolf Kühne - bass, Prague Philharmonic Choir / choir master: Josef Veselka (Symphony No. 9)

Beethoven's symphonies are among the cornerstones of the symphonic repertoire. They bear witness to the composer's remarkable journey from airy Classicism to the peerless idiom he had developed on the threshold of the Romantic epoch. Those who have taken up the challenge to record the complete cycle include the Polish-born conductor Paul Kletzki, who gained great renown after thewar, primarily in America. He was the principal conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for a year and after his debut in Philadelphia went on to conduct the leading American and European orchestras. This remarkable complete recording of Beethoven's symphonies was made during Kletzki's performances with the Czech Philharmonic in 1967, during the orchestra's goldenage under the chief conductor Karel Ančerl. This gem of the Supraphon archives thoroughly deserves the current re-edition in remastered form owing to its freshness and expressive depth.

Beethoven as explored by Kletzki - a legendary, time-honoured recording.

Reviews

“The Czech Phil’s sound here is charismatic and idiomatic, with a rich, muscular string timbre cushioning highly distinctive wind and brass playing…The interpretations hold up very well – Kletzki’s speeds are unhurried, but never seem unduly slow as he’s so good at sustaining the string lines and giving plenty of lift to the rhythms…[in the Ninth] the Czech choral sound is thrilling and Kletzki has good soloists.“
The Arts Desk, 9th July 2011

CD 1

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
1. Adagio molto. Allegro con brio 09:36
2. Andante cantabile con moto 06:29
3. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace 03:48
4. Adagio. Allegro molto e vivace 05:54
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No 2 in D major, Op. 36
5. Adagio molto. Allegro con brio 12:35
6. Larghetto 10:52
7. Scherzo. Allegro 04:00
8. Allegro molto 06:11

CD 2

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major Eroica, Op. 55
1. Allegro con brio 14:18
2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai 15:20
3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace 06:03
4. Finale. Allegro molto. Poco andante. Presto 12:10
Ludwig van Beethoven
5. Egmont. Incidental music to Goethe's tragedy - Overture, Op. 84 08:46

CD 3

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60
1. Adagio. Allegro vivace 09:33
2. Adagio 10:26
3. Menuetto. Allegro vivace. Un poco meno allegro 06:10
4. Allegro ma non troppo 07:11
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C minor Schicksal, Op. 67
5. Allegro con brio 07:58
6. Andante con moto 09:59
7. Allegro /att./ 05:39
8. Allegro 08:41

CD 4

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Pastoral, Op. 68
1. Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country (Erwachen heiterer Gefühle bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande). Allegro ma non troppo 12:06
2. Scene by the brook (Szene am Bach). Andante molto mosso 12:43
3. Merry gathering of country folk (Lustiges Zusammenseiten der Landleute). Allegro 05:49
4. Thunderstorm (Gewitter, Sturm). Allegro 04:02
5. Shepherds' song. Happy and thankful feelings after the storm (Hintersang - Frohe, dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm). Allegretto 09:23
Ludwig van Beethoven
6. Coriolan. Overture to Collin's play, Op. 62 08:13

CD 5

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
1. Poco sostenuto. Vivace 12:25
2. Allegretto 08:50
3. Presto. Assai meno presto 08:04
4. Finale. Allegro con brio 07:22
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
5. Allegro vivace e con brio 09:35
6. Allegretto scherzando 03:51
7. Tempo di menuetto 05:08
8. Allegro vivace 07:29

CD 6

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 in D minor with the final chorus on Friedrich Schiller's Ode to Joy, Op. 125
1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 16:14
2. Molto vivace 11:37
3. Adagio molto e cantabile. Andante moderato. Adagio. Lo stesso tempo 14:51
4. Presto. Allegro assai. Rezitativo: O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! 25:02