Szell: Beethoven – Symphonies no.1-9 (5 CD, APE)

Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra
Conductor: George Szell
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 5
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Sony
Size: 1.59 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
01. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Andante cantabile con moto
03. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Menuetto, Allegro molto e vivace
04. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: Finale, Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace
05. Symphony No. 6 in F major (‘Pastoral’), Op. 68: Allegro ma non troppo
06. Symphony No. 6 in F major (‘Pastoral’), Op. 68: Andante molto moto
07. Symphony No. 6 in F major (‘Pastoral’), Op. 68: Allegro
08. Symphony No. 6 in F major (‘Pastoral’), Op. 68: Allegro
09. Symphony No. 6 in F major (‘Pastoral’), Op. 68: Allegretto
10. Egmont, incidental music, Op. 84: Overture

Disc: 2
01. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Adagio molto / Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Larghetto
03. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Scherzo, Allegro
04. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36: Allegro molto
05. Symphony No. 5 in C minor (‘Fate’), Op. 67: Allegro con brio
06. Symphony No. 5 in C minor (‘Fate’), Op. 67: Andante con moto
07. Symphony No. 5 in C minor (‘Fate’), Op. 67: Allegro
08. Symphony No. 5 in C minor (‘Fate’), Op. 67: Allegro

Disc: 3
01. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major (‘Eroica’), Op. 55: Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major (‘Eroica’), Op. 55: Marcia funebre, Adagio assai
03. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major (‘Eroica’), Op. 55: Scherzo, Allegro vivace
04. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major (‘Eroica’), Op. 55: Finale, Allegro molto
05. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Allegro vivace e con brio
06. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Allgretto scherzando
07. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Tempo di Meneutto
08. Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93: Allegro vivace

Disc: 4
01. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Adagio – Allegro vivace
02. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Adagio
03. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Allegro vivace
04. Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60: Allegro ma non troppo
05. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Poco sostenuto – Vivace
06. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegretto
07. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Presto
08. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegro con brio
09. König Stephan (King Stephen), incidental music, Op. 117: Overture

Disc: 5
01. Symphony No. 3 In E-Flat Major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’: I. Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 3 In E-Flat Major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’: II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
03. Symphony No. 3 In E-Flat Major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’: IIIScherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio
04. Symphony No. 3 In E-Flat Major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’: IV. Finale: Allegro molto – Poco andante
05. Symphony No. 9 in D minor (‘Choral’), Op. 125: Recitative – Allegro assai
06. Fidelio, overture, Op. 72c

Agreed: The Best Beethoven Cycle Ever Recorded

This review won’t add much to the already correct review of “A Customer,” who aptly points out that this is, indeed, the best Beethoven symphony cycle out there. I own eight Beethoven symphony cycles, and this is the one I never tire of. I could write a small book on why Szell and the Cleveland orchestra do it best. It’s masterful beyond words, and I’m a little disturbed that it’s currently not available on Amazon, new or used, given that it really is the best cycle I’ve ever heard. This is the symphony cycle to have and enjoy – please, find it somewhere, and buy it.

And for those few of you, who, like me, love the 6th symphony most, you won’t be disappointed this time. Too often, great conductors, more interested in the bombast of the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th, overlook the 6th (why, I don’t know), and all we get is a rushed rendition of this majestic symphony. Szell and Cleveland really do perform each symphony in this set with a rare sense of passion and near-perfection – each piece is a work of art in this set.