notes@ucf-cs.UUCP (07/13/85)
I am interested in getting your opinions about excellent recordings of Beethoven's Ninth. I have purchased two in the past two years, both on compact disc, that I consider very good, but I guess I'm in search of perfection (which I need your help to define, since my musical knowledge is about fifth grade level). The two I enjoy are: Cleveland Orchestra, Maazel, 1979, CBS Masterworks MK38868 Lucia Popp, soprano Elena Obraztsova, mezzo-soprano Jon Vickers, tenor Martti Talvela, bass New York Philharmonic, Mehta, 1983, RCA Red Seal, RCD1-5020 Margaret Price, soprano Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano Jon Vickers, tenor (obviously a specialist!) Matti Salminen, bass So I'd like to survey the net and get your ideas about the best. I know little about "old" recordings, so I'd appreciate hearing about good ones over 20 years old (regardless of fidelity) as well as more recent ones. Thanks. Ben Goldfarb University of Central Florida uucp: {decvax,akgua}!ucf-cs!goldfarb ARPA: goldfarb.ucf-cs@csnet.relay.CSNET csnet: goldfarb@ucf.CSNET
greg@olivee.UUCP (Greg Paley) (07/16/85)
The two recordings of Beethoven's Ninth that I've found consistently satisfying over some years are the early 50's Toscanini/NBC (on German pressings - avoid the unbearably shrill CD) and the early 70's Solti/ Chicago Symphony (Mobile Fidelity remastering is good, but I preferred the original English Decca - the English Decca and the American London should have been the same, but weren't, at least on my sample copies). I find both of these recordings avoid the excessive slowing down and sentimentalizing that I find disfigure the Walter, Furtwaengler and Karajan recordings (I've heard 4 Karajan's - 3 DGG and 1 EMI) but are still able to communicate all of the necessary inflections of tempo required to enliven the score, as well as being very well played and sung. The Toscanini has poor sound by current standards, but the sound on the Solti need apologize to nobody. - Greg Paley