Beethoven: The Symphonies

To my knowledge this is the third appearance of Karajan's 1963 Beethoven cycle available domestically on digital disc. You can still buy the previous boxed set issues DG429036 and DG453701. The latter is Volume 1 of DG's Complete Beethoven Edition issued in 1997. The recordings in that set are Original Image Bit Processed and represent a considerable improvement in sound quality over the previous one. There is also boxed edition with paper sleeves available as an import, which I assume contains the same 1997 remasters.I approached the purchase of this Hybrid SACD set with some trepidation because I couldn't find a pertinent review and because I had tried DG's SACD remastering of Karajan's 1977 performance of the 9th (in my opinion, the greatest on disc), but the sound was terrible. (If you want Karajan's 1977 9th, get the recent 2-CD reissue containing symphonies 5, 6 and 9--they are all great performances and excellent remasterings.)Anyway, I am relieved to report that these new transfers are a major improvement in sound over the previous issues. On the (stereo) SACD layers, the bass is full and balanced in relation to the other registers, and there is considerably more instrumental color and solidity of tone as well as spatial differentiation within the orchestral fabric. There is still noticeable hiss, but it is overshadowed by the enhanced vibrancy of the sound. In effect, these SACD remasterings bring the sound quality up to nearly modern recording standards.The CD layers sound much like the SACD layers, but with slightly less spatial differentiation and solidity. Even if you don't intend to play the discs on an SACD player, I still recommend purchasing this set over the other issues, unless your level of interest in the performances doesn't justify the additional expense.In the future, I hope that DG will do as well remastering more of Karajan's great performances for SACD. In particular, I would like to have his 1976-1982 Bruckner cycle in this format.

One of my favorite of all the Beethoven cycles! Though the original recordings were done in 1962-1963 time frame, I find the performances to be very "authoritative" with Karajan at the helm. These recordings were made in a smaller venue with less noticeable reverb, where the violins sound sweeter and smoother than many of the newer recordings in larger concert halls.I have all three versions of the disks, the original CDs (which are excellent), the 1990 remasters (which are better than the originals) and this version, as I have an SACD player.If you do not have an SACD player, I would go for the 1990 remastered version.In all cases the performances are the best of all the Beethoven cycles, and I have several of them!

These performances have been in my music library since I first received the vinyl Beethoven Edition package for Christmas in 1970. I also have the digital Beethoven Edition CD, so I know the recordings well.As excellent as all of those predecessors are, this release blows me away. Listening to the Ninth, I hear a clarity and spacial distinctiveness that I have never heard before. It's so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.Note: I don't even own an SACD player (yet). I have as yet only heard the CD tracks. I should have bought this years ago.

This horrific offering is why SACD as a format is struggling. Instead of giving us more detail, they have smoothed everything over and given us symphonies so sweet sticky and gooey that they make your teeth hurt. Im sure that von Karajan would approve of what they have done (he seemed to love a homogeneous well blended sound), but it's killing me. I own this cycle on tape, vinyl, a version of the 9th on regular cd, and now this SACD version, and I'm telling you that they flushed all the detail down the toilet when they remastered it to this. I know that if they had just transferred what was on the masters and given it to us straight; the tape hiss would have been excessive (maybe even brutal), but at least we would have been able to hear the actual music as well.If you like your Beethoven to be as smooth aged and mellow as the finest blended Scotch, then this box set is for you.If you like your Beethoven to be raw real and ALIVE, then you need to invest in one of the cheap regular cd versions of this cylcle, or check out von Karajan's single malt 1950's Beethoven cycle (It's von Karajan conducting an Orchestra instead playing one like a virtuoso).Davis Hurd.

Outstanding in every way!

Gotta love the Karajan sound! I love Beethoven symphonies and Karajan's artistry. These are among the most valuable CDs on my growing music collection. Highly recommend them.

This comment in on the size of the CD Box. The box is HUGE!There are 10 separate plastic jewel cases (the tenth being a bones CD recording of a rehersal of the the Ninth Symphony). So if you are short on storage space, be a where that this box is way too big!Other then that the performance and sound is outstanding!!!

The best performances, amazing sound--a great set!

Karajan was at his peak.German analogue recording technology was superb.The BPO was arguably the best orchestra on the planet.For me this is the finest Karajan recording of Beethoven's 9 symphonies.I've still got the original German vinyl pressings.This SACD set is a fine remastering of the cycle and even without a SACD player this product is truely superb - as good as the vinyl originals.Ben Haagsma

This is a wonderful transfer to DSD SACD of some of the best interpretations of Beethoven Symphonies. What makes it special is the absolute perfection of the recording, and the natural sound achieved via DSD technology. The bonus disc on the rehearsals is worth by itself the overall set.

These are top shelf performances and recordings, especially for what year they were recorded. Really happy I bit the bullet and bought the boxed set.

I own this set, his 1950s cycle with EMI, his 1975-77 cycle on DG and his last 1980s digital cycle, again on DG.For me, this one is just about preferable to them all. It has an urgency and something very exciting that can't be put into words. It's something to do with the world's best orchestra of the time working with an up-and-coming 'wunder' maestro, playing the greatest symphonic canon of them all.The SACDs are a huge improvement on the earlier issues.

Ces enregistrements de 61/62 représentent donc la première intégrale chez DG et avec Berlin ; deux autres suivront : l ' une de 1975 / 1977 et la toute dernière , de 82 / 84 ...Je les ai toutes , avec d'autres intégrales ( Furtwängler , Harnoncourt , Konwitschny , Solti ...) et des versions isolées .Auparavant , Karajan avait gravé toutes ces symphonies , en Angleterre , chez EMI et avec le Philharmonia , entre 1951 et 1955 ( prises mono , sauf pour la 8 ° ) . Ces captations , bien remastérisées dans le coffret sorti en 89 , ont d'ailleurs gardé tout leur intérêt et on peut garder une petite préférence , ponctuellement , pour leur énergie , leur jeunesse et , pour ainsi dire , leur fraicheur ...La plus-value sonore est considérable par rapport aux enregistrements EMI , lesquels n' étaient cependant pas sans mérites , car vibrants , directs et chaleureux au plus haut point ...Je ne comprends toujours pas pourquoi les grands éditeurs ( DG , Decca , Emi , etc . ) ont abandonné aussi vite le sacd , dans les années 90 , après avoir équipé leurs studios ! Les petits labels , mieux inspirés , continuent à produire des enregistrements en sacd ...Quoi qu'il en soit , Berlin sonne merveilleusement bien dans cette édition en sacd ( il faut lire ces disques sur un lecteur ad hoc pour avoir toutes les finesses du format sacd ) , qui met cette prise de son des premières années de la stéréo , enregistrée en analogique , au moins au même niveau que les prises d'origine numérique les plus contemporaines et sophistiquées .Les cordes , en particulier , sont d'un velouté exceptionnel et les graves sont rendus avec une ampleur et une profondeur saisissantes ( " Les basses , les basses ! " , rappelait Furtwängler ... ) .Bref , c'est puissant , presque voluptueux et caressant ; mais la recherche du beau son , je ne la reprocherai jamais à Karajan !L'engagement de l'orchestre est total de même que son enthousiasme et , franchement , cela saute aux oreilles . Osborne évoque plusieurs fois , dans ses notices , un orchestre " jeune " , au moment de ces enregistrements , quasiment une nouvelle Philharmonie de Berlin !Cette remarque m'a d'abord surpris , s'agissant de Berlin , puis j'ai pensé qu'il a été renouvelé et remodelé à la fois par les conséquences de la guerre et sous l'influence des changements de générations des différents pupitres et grâce au professionalisme acharné de Karajan .Curieusement , j'ai retrouvé les mêmes impressions qu'avec le coffret EMI : Karajan réussit totalement les 3° , 4 ° , 5° et 7 ° .Mais , pour moi , le frisson et l'extase n' ont toujours pas lieu avec la Sixième : j'avance une hypothèse : cette oeuvre , plus heureuse et plus relaxée , ne permet peut-être pas pleinement à Karajan de développer ses qualités principales : énergie plus tension plus concentration plus netteté ...Karajan fait de son mieux avec la 9° , objet sonore de génie mais un peu monstrueux aussi : il essaie de l'aborder en finesse , avec une certaine souplesse et en privilégiant la musicalité , en tout cas sans la rendre trop martelante et martiale ... il me semble bien y réussir , pour cette oeuvre qui pose de grands problèmes de structuration et de conception d'ensemble à tous les chefs , compte tenu de sa longueur et de ses changements de climat , sans oublier , évidemment , le grand mouvement final et choral ...J'avoue , pour ma part , que je n'écoute , en général et au quotidien , plus que les quatre premiers mouvements ...Un dernier point qui m'a surpris : après vérification des minutages pour chaque symphonie , Karajan est toujours aussi rapide et même souvent plus rapide que dans les enregistrements EMI , alors que ce n'était pas du tout ma sensation à l'écoute ...Les notices de ce coffret sont signées par Richard Osborne et sont très pertinentes : Osborne est un excellent connaisseur de Karajan et je viens d'ailleurs de commander sa biographie du chef , en anglais ( c'est paru il y a vingt ans : on ne peut que regretter la paresse des éditeurs français ...)Cela dit , il faut se dépêcher d'acquérir ce coffret sacd car les prix montent ... grosse augmentation déjà depuis mon achat tout récent !