Surrounded by Beethoven

[humprof]

Happy Beethoven's Birthday!

My Ludwig van Multi-channel collection is not vast, and it doesn't include any real standouts (and by that I basically mean anything with active, as opposed to merely ambient, rear channels). The Quartetto di Cremona's complete string quartets on Audite come close. Curious to hear other people's recommendations.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Happy Beethoven's Birthday!

My Ludwig van Multi-channel collection is not vast, and it doesn't include any real standouts (and by that I basically mean anything with active, as opposed to merely ambient, rear channels). The Quartetto di Cremona's complete string quartets on Audite come close. Curious to hear other people's recommendations.

View attachment 44647

Happy Birthday to Ludwig B.

Of course, if you do want the Beethoven Nine Symphonies in absolute DISCRETE Surround look no further: https://www.walmart.com/ip/TACET-S-BEETHOVEN-SYMPHONIES-NOS-1-9-FIRST-COMPLETE-RECORDING-IN-TACET-REAL-SURROUND-SOUND/153325361?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222110352700&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=75316611027561&wl4=pla-4578916180023031&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=& wl10=Walmart&wl12=153325361_10000002159&wl14=Tacet beethoven nine symphonies in discrete surround album covers&veh=sem&msclkid=aea4f3d2ec8c1fde3f1eae25510c10a9

 

[privateuniverse]

Of course, if you do want the Beethoven Nine Symphonies in absolute DISCRETE Surround look no further: https://www.walmart.com/ip/TACET-S-BEETHOVEN-SYMPHONIES-NOS-1-9-FIRST-COMPLETE-RECORDING-IN-TACET-REAL-SURROUND-SOUND/153325361?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222110352700&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=75316611027561&wl4=pla-4578916180023031&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=& wl10=Walmart&wl12=153325361_10000002159&wl14=Tacet beethoven nine symphonies in discrete surround album covers&veh=sem&msclkid=aea4f3d2ec8c1fde3f1eae25510c10a9

I can also highly recommend the Tacet complete symphonies set.

 

[privateuniverse]

Oh....and quickly scanning the usual suspects......Deep Discount has it in stock for $67. It should qualify for free shipping. They have frequent 10% and 15% off sales. So if you wait for one of those, you should be able to get it at a reasonable price.

 

[Quadzilla]

Last night I made an impulse Beethoven SACD purchase, not that I needed another 9th. It uses the original 1975 quad mix, and it was so cheap that I didn't really have to think about it … the equivalent of about US$13 all-in.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07896QRQM/ref=pe_3034960_233709270_TE_item

 

[Sonik Wiz]

And as a bookend to Beethoven's birthday I might also suggest a listen to Beethoven's Last Night. A orchestral rock opera by Trans Siberian Orchestra it is something that doesn't have to do with Christmas music. Presented in TSO's usual bombastic style I found the creativity of the concept very compelling.

 

[ubertrout]

Last night I made an impulse Beethoven SACD purchase, not that I needed another 9th. It uses the original 1975 quad mix, and it was so cheap that I didn't really have to think about it … the equivalent of about US$13 all-in.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07896QRQM/ref=pe_3034960_233709270_TE_item

Pentatone somewhat obnoxiously issued everything except the third from Kubelik's cycle, done with nine different orchestras. But the quad mixes on these DG recordings are really tame, and in its final quad transfers Pentatone started transferring everything at a very low level, so it's not going to sound good unless you really crank them.

There's a lot of good Beethoven symphony cycles out there, most not especially imaginative with the surrounds - right now LSO Live will sell you Haitink's excellent cycle for GBP 15 direct: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collections/box-set-sale/products/beethoven-symphonies-nos-1-9 (throw in Gergiev's Mahler cycle on 10 SACDs at 24 GBP and they'll ship it free in the bargain).

Dutton of course has issued Rubinstein's complete cycle of the piano concerti with Barenboim, in "concert hall" sound, and MTT's recording of Beethoven's late choral music, including the overture and incidental music from King Stephen, in fairly active surround.

HRaudio lists 65 pages of discs when you search "Beethoven." There's a lot out there!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Pentatone somewhat obnoxiously issued everything except the third from Kubelik's cycle, done with nine different orchestras. But the quad mixes on these DG recordings are really tame, and in its final quad transfers Pentatone started transferring everything at a very low level, so it's not going to sound good unless you really crank them.

There's a lot of good Beethoven symphony cycles out there, most not especially imaginative with the surrounds - right now LSO Live will sell you Haitink's excellent cycle for GBP 15 direct: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collections/box-set-sale/products/beethoven-symphonies-nos-1-9 (throw in Gergiev's Mahler cycle on 10 SACDs at 24 GBP and they'll ship it free in the bargain).

Dutton of course has issued Rubinstein's complete cycle of the piano concerti with Barenboim, in "concert hall" sound, and MTT's recording of Beethoven's late choral music, including the overture and incidental music from King Stephen, in fairly active surround.

HRaudio lists 65 pages of discs when you search "Beethoven." There's a lot out there!

I have that LSO live title and it sounds like you're sitting in the middle of the action, I like it!

 

[Mr. Quad]

Has anyone any info on the missing third (Eroica) from Kubelik’s cycle, is there any hope Pentatone will fill the gap and complete the collection? Yesterday I purchased the albums that were missing from my SA-CD library (PTC 5186249 - Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 and PTC 5186250 - Symphonies Nos. 6-8) and it would be nice to have the entire cycle on multi-channel SACDs in the future. The Remastered Classics productions have been very high, crystal clear and exact sound quality with minimal amount of tape hiss or any other disturbing noises.

 

[ubertrout]

Has anyone any info on the missing third (Eroica) from Kubelik’s cycle, is there any hope Pentatone will fill the gap and complete the collection? Yesterday I purchased the albums that were missing from my SA-CD library (PTC 5186249 - Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 and PTC 5186250 - Symphonies Nos. 6-8) and it would be nice to have the entire cycle on multi-channel SACDs in the future. The Remastered Classics productions have been very high, crystal clear and exact sound quality with minimal amount of tape hiss or any other disturbing noises.

I don't have any information on the Eroica but it won't be coming from Pentatone, which has new ownership and is done with Quad transfers. I have a sneaking suspicion their big push to include Deutsche Grammophon recordings didn't sell as well as they hoped. My hope at this point is that DGG gives us a CD/blu-ray set of the cycle that includes the 3rd as well in quad, which doesn't seem wholly unthinkable - I really like what they're doing for the Gulda/Abbado Mozart Concertos set, where they're giving us stereo, quad, and Atmos on the blu-ray.

Curious what you think of the Kubelik cycle. I'm glad we got it and it's wonderful performances - but they transferred them at a really low volume and even when you pump it way up it's a pretty staid quad mix as I recall.

 

[humprof]

I don't have any information on the Eroica but it won't be coming from Pentatone, which has new ownership and is done with Quad transfers. I have a sneaking suspicion their big push to include Deutsche Grammophon recordings didn't sell as well as they hoped. My hope at this point is that DGG gives us a CD/blu-ray set of the cycle that includes the 3rd as well in quad, which doesn't seem wholly unthinkable - I really like what they're doing for the Gulda/Abbado Mozart Concertos set, where they're giving us stereo, quad, and Atmos on the blu-ray.

Curious what you think of the Kubelik cycle. I'm glad we got it and it's wonderful performances - but they transferred them at a really low volume and even when you pump it way up it's a pretty staid quad mix as I recall.

This is a moot point for both of you (welcome to QQ, by the way, @Mr. Quad!), but Presto still has discounted backstock of the Pentatones. At this point the near-complete cycle could be had for $41 + shipping. But if DG is fixing to release the entire thing on Blu-Ray, then I'll wait, especially if the quad mixes are not all that exciting.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is this too obvious?

 

[kap'n krunch]

Is this too obvious?

this any good, Kal???

 

[Kal Rubinson]

this any good, Kal???

Actually, I have been a fan of the Hanover Band for many years. Their album of Weber Overtures is marvelous, imho.

 

[humprof]

Nice feature in the Times recently:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/arts/music/five-minutes-classical-music-beethoven.html
I'll probably be streaming the Barenboim/Berliner Staatskapelle symphony cycle, remixed for Atmos, over Tidal today.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

All though I posted similar a year ago, on Beethoven's birthday date,I want to bring your attention to Beethoven's Last Night.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is best known for their Christmas music but they also composed & performed this, I think, a masterpiece in their catalog.

Briefly, as Beethoven completes his 10th symphony (which actually was never completed) the Devil appears & tells our Ludwig that death is near & he has come to claim his soul. Haha and then like Charlie Daniel, the bargaining begins. The music is magnificent showing what TSO can do besides Xmas music. It is grand & sweeping as is their style & the over all concept is gifted. And yes, it has a happy ending. The devil never wins in music.

Not surround sound but totally engaging this would even sound good on some tinny little picnic thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beethoven's_Last_Night