Album

Recorded between 1972 and 1974 and released in time for Christmas in 1975, Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's stereo cycle of Beethoven's symphonies was a classic in its time and remains so 30 years later in this splendidly remastered 2007 re-release. As was typical of the Solti/Chicago partnership, the performances here are big boned, heavy muscled, and very aggressive with highly dramatic conducting matched by hugely powerful playing. Though for some listeners, Solti and the Chicago's approach to the First and Second may be too massive and their way with the Fourth and Sixth too monumental, few would argue they aren't great performances of their kind. More importantly, Solti and the Chicago's Fifth is unbelievably ferocious, their Seventh incredibly vital, their Eighth flat-out hilarious, and their Ninth appropriately heaven storming and star spanning with a final coda that will leave listeners gasping. And even with the then-rarely observed exposition repeat in the opening Allegro con brio, Solti and the Chicago's Third is a staggering architectural achievement with a Finale that matches the finest ever recorded for grandeur and glory. For the neophyte, there is no better place to start a Beethoven collection than this set. And for even the most jaded collector, these tremendously exciting performances will help them recall why Beethoven is universally regarded as the greatest symphonist of them all.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 Work Recorded 1974 25:59 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
1	1.Adagio molto. Allegro con brio	8:46			$1.49
2	2.Andante cantabile con moto	7:52			$1.49
3	3.Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace	3:41			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Adagio. Allegro molto e vivace	5:40			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 Work Recorded 1974 36:54 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
5	1.Adagio molto. Allegro con brio	13:05			$2.49
6	2.Larghetto	13:33			$2.49
7	3.Scherzo: Allegro	3:41			$0.99
8	4.Allegro molto	6:35			$0.99
CD 2 of 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 ('Eroica') Work Recorded 1973 55:18 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
1	1.Allegro con brio	19:34			$3.49
2	2.Marcia funebre: Adagio assai	17:32			$2.99
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro vivace	5:53			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Allegro molto	12:19			$1.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Egmont (incidental music, after Goethe's play), Op.84 Work Recorded 1972 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
5	1.Overture: Sostenuto, ma non troppo. Allegro	8:52			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Coriolan Overture, Op.62 Work Recorded 1974 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
6	Coriolan Overture, Op.62	8:09			$1.49
CD 3 of 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.4 in Bb, Op.60 Work Recorded 1974 35:18 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
1	1.Adagio. Allegro vivace	12:08			$1.99
2	2.Adagio	11:02			$1.99
3	3.Menuetto: Allegro vivace. Trio: Un poco meno allegro	5:24			$0.99
4	4.Allegro ma non troppo	6:44			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.5 in C-, Op.67 Work Recorded 1974 36:30 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
5	1.Allegro con brio	8:16			$1.49
6	2.Andante con moto	11:11			$1.99
7	3.Scherzo: Allegro	5:31			$0.99
8	4.Allegro	11:32			$1.99
CD 4 of 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 ('Pastoral') Work Recorded 1974 44:46 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
1	1.Allegro ma non troppo: Angenehme, heitere Empfindungen, welche bei der Ankunft (Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the countryside)	12:31			$1.99
2	2.Andante molto mosso: Szene am Bach (Scene by the brook)	13:23			$2.49
3	3.Allegro: Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Merry gathering of country folk)	5:20			$0.99
4	4.Allegro: Donner. Sturm (Thunder, storm)	3:46			$0.99
5	5.Allegretto: Hirtengesang. Wohltätige, mit Dank and die Goltheit verbundene Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Shepherds' song. Beneficent feelings with thanks to the Godhead after the storm)	9:46			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Fidelio Overture, Op.72c Work Recorded 1972 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
6	Fidelio Overture, Op.72c	13:58			$2.49
CD 5 of 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 Work Recorded 1974 42:11 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
1	1.Poco sostenuto. Vivace	14:42			$2.49
2	2.Allegretto	8:57			$1.49
3	3.Scherzo: Presto	9:28			$1.49
4	4.Finale: Allegro con brio	9:04			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 Work Recorded 1973 27:41 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
5	1.Allegro vivace e con brio	10:10			$1.99
6	2.Allegretto scherzando	4:13			$0.99
7	3.Tempo di menuetto	5:35			$0.99
8	4.Allegro vivace	7:43			$1.49
CD 6 of 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.9 in D-, Op.125 ('Choral') Work Recorded 1972 1:16:28 Pilar Lorengar Soprano, Martti Talvela Bass, Stuart Burrows Tenor, Chicago Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Yvonne Minton Mezzo-Soprano, Georg Solti Conductor
1	1.Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso	17:41			$2.99
2	2.Scherzo: Molto vivace. Presto	14:00			$2.49
3	3.Adagio molto e cantabile	19:49			$3.49
4	4.Presto. Allegro assai ('Ode to Joy'; complete)	24:58			$3.99
CD 7 of 7
Spoken Word (No Composer) Composer Sir Georg Solti in conversation with William Mann Work 45:47 various artists
1	How long had you been conducting Beethoven symphonies...	4:57			$0.99
2	Which of the great Beethoven conductors of your youth...	5:39			$0.99
3	Did you have to teach the Chicago Symphony Orchestra a very different sort of Beethoven...	9:19			$1.49
4	Now the "Eroica"...	4:58			$0.99
5	I wanted to ask you a question about the Sixth Symphony...	5:07			$0.99
6	The Seventh Symphony...are there special problems...	3:53			$0.99
7	Now the Eighth...	5:46			$0.99
8	The Ninth is obviously...	6:08			$0.99