Noseda: Beethoven – The Complete Symphonies (24/192 FLAC)

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Camilla Tilling, Kelley O’Connor, Issachah Savage, Ryan McKinny
Orchestra: National Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Number of Discs: 5
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: National Symphony Orchestra
Catalogue: NSO0013
Release: 2024
Size: 10.8 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
01. I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
02. II. Andante cantabile con moto
03. III. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace
04. IV. Finale. Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace

Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’
05. I. Allegro con brio
06. II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai
07. III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
08. IV. Finale. Allegro molto

CD 02
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
01. I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
02. II. Larghetto
03. III. Scherzo. Allegro
04. IV. Allegro molto

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
05. I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace
06. II. Allegretto
07. III. Presto – Assai meno presto
08. IV. Allegro con brio

CD 03
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60
01. I. Adagio – Allegro vivace
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Menuetto. Allegro vivace
04. IV. Allegro ma non troppo

Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
05. I. Allegro con brio
06. II. Andante con moto
07. III. Scherzo. Allegro
08. IV. Allegro

CD 04
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’
01. I. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande. Allegro ma non troppo
02. II. Szene am Bach. Andante molto moto
03. III. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute. Allegro
04. IV. Gewitter. Sturm. Allegro
05. V. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm. Allegretto

Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
06. I. Allegro vivace e con brio
07. II. Allegretto scherzando
08. III. Tempo di Menuetto
09. IV. Allegro vivace

CD 05
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’
01. I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
02. II. Molto vivace – Presto
03. III. Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato
04. IV. Finale. Presto – Allegro assai – “O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!” (Ode to Joy)

The culmination of five digital releases, the National Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda conclude their journey through Beethoven’s complete symphonies, releasing the complete set.

“Beethoven’s voice is as fresh and powerful today as it was when he created those masterpieces,” said Noseda. “To approach Beethoven is a journey. You know you are starting the journey, but you never know where the journey will take you. With Beethoven, any moment is a discovery.”

Capturing the complete Beethoven Symphonies was a multi-year project, with the performances and recordings spanning the NSO’s 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons. The recordings of Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 were released in 2022, followed by Nos. 4 & 5, 6 & 8, and 2 & 7 in 2023. Symphony No. 9 was recorded with special guest artists, soprano Camilla Tilling, mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, tenor Issachah Savage, bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, and the Washington Chorus.

The SACD box set includes cover art by the Kennedy Center’s first Artist-in-Residence, Mo Willems. In creating the Beethoven Abstracted designs for the cover art, Willems said, “I got to know Beethoven in a new way. When you listen to a symphony you are invited into a dialogue with its creator. I had the opportunity to see his technique change over his career and to feel the journey of his musical notes.”

Also included in the box set are two Pure Audio Blu-ray discs that contain all symphonies and a bonus video of No. 9.

‘Beethoven: Complete Symphonies’ continues the legacy of the NSO’s rich recording history, which began in the 1940s. Under its own label the NSO released a pairing of Copland’s Suite from Billy the Kid and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, ‘From the New World’, in 2020, and the complete George Walker Sinfonias in September of 2023.

For its achievement in performances and recordings, the NSO was nominated for the 2023 Gramophone Orchestra Of The Year Award.