Album

There are many interesting things about this cycle of the complete symphonies of Beethoven. For one thing, it is performed by the classically scaled orchestra Ensemble Orchestral de Paris under its Costa Rica-born music director John Nelson, a combination yielding a more flexible line and a more distinctive sound than the standard Austro-Germanic symphonic orchestra. For another, it was recorded in the Théâtre des Champs-Étysées, the fin de siècle hall in Paris famous for the riotous premiere of Le sacre du Printemps. For yet another, it utilizes the new urtext editions by Jonathan Del Mar, a decision that changes hundreds of details of articulation and balance.

This is all very interesting—but it is not ultimately very convincing. Nelson's Beethoven is an irascible eccentric with a crude sense of humor and an eye toward the main chance. Clearly a first-rate conductor from a technical point of view, Nelson approaches Beethoven with less aesthetic veneration than personal intimacy, making his performances less artistic re-creations than private confessions. One is always aware of the theatrical element in Nelson's Beethoven, of the sense of posing for a portrait, thereby making his Beethoven less an enlightened idealist striving for infinity than a brilliant opportunist hoping to achieve immortality in his lifetime. Nelson's Ensemble Orchestral de Paris is a lean but vigorous ensemble with supple textures and pungent colors, and it responds to Nelson's approach with admirable energy and dedication; except for fans of the orchestra and conductor or those rare folks who have to hear every Beethoven cycle ever recorded, this set is probably unnecessary. Recorded in Paris at Ircam Espace de projection, Ambroisie's digital sound is strong, clear, and almost but not quite real.

© James Leonard, Rovi

CD 1 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 Work 25:53 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
1	1.Adagio molto. Allegro con brio	8:38			$1.49
2	2.Andante cantabile con moto	7:44			$1.49
3	3.Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace	3:34			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Adagio. Allegro molto e vivace	5:57			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 Work 31:47 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
5	1.Adagio molto. Allegro con brio	11:58			$1.99
6	2.Larghetto	9:50			$1.49
7	3.Scherzo: Allegro	3:40			$0.99
8	4.Allegro molto	6:19			$0.99
CD 2 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 ('Eroica') Work Recorded 2006 47:13 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
1	1.Allegro con brio	16:24			$2.99
2	2.Marcia funebre: Adagio assai	14:24			$2.49
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro vivace	5:36			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Allegro molto	10:49			$1.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.4 in Bb, Op.60 Work Recorded 2006 34:39 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
5	1.Adagio. Allegro vivace	11:15			$1.99
6	2.Adagio	8:51			$1.49
7	3.Menuetto: Allegro vivace. Trio: Un poco meno allegro	5:41			$0.99
8	4.Allegro ma non troppo	8:52			$1.49
CD 3 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.5 in C-, Op.67 Work Recorded 2005 31:17 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
1	1.Allegro con brio	6:55			$0.99
2	2.Andante con moto	8:38			$1.49
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro	4:52			$0.99
4	4.Allegro	10:52			$1.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 ('Pastoral') Work Recorded 2005 40:18 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
5	1.Allegro ma non troppo: Angenehme, heitere Empfindungen, welche bei der Ankunft (Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the countryside)	10:46			$1.99
6	2.Andante molto mosso: Szene am Bach (Scene by the brook)	11:42			$1.99
7	3.Allegro: Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Merry gathering of country folk)	4:54			$0.99
8	4.Allegro: Donner. Sturm (Thunder, storm)	3:41			$0.99
9	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)	9:15			$1.49
CD 4 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 Work Recorded 2005 37:49 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
1	1.Poco sostenuto. Vivace	12:53			$1.99
2	2.Allegretto	7:51			$1.49
3	3.Scherzo: Presto	8:28			$1.49
4	4.Finale: Allegro con brio	8:37			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 Work Recorded 2005 29:16 Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
5	1.Allegro vivace e con brio	8:22			$1.49
6	2.Allegretto scherzando	3:49			$0.99
7	3.Tempo di menuetto	8:28			$1.49
8	4.Allegro vivace	8:37			$1.49
CD 5 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.9 in D-, Op.125 ('Choral') Work Recorded 2005 1:03:55 Jean Sourisse Director, Chœur d'Oratorio de Paris Chorus/Choir, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Ensemble, John Nelson Conductor
1	1.Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso	14:05			$2.49
2	2.Scherzo: Molto vivace. Presto	12:56			$1.99
3	3.Adagio molto e cantabile	13:20			$2.49
4	4a.Presto. Allegro assai (with instrumental 'Ode to Joy' theme)	6:12			$0.99
5	4b.O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! - 4h.Prestissimo (end)	17:22			$2.99