Album

Beethoven's nine symphonies—what can one say? The greatest body of orchestral works ever composed? Probably. The most performed body of orchestral works ever composed? Certainly. The most recorded body of orchestral works ever composed? Absolutely. Not only has virtually every conductor recorded a Beethoven cycle, some of them have gotten to record it multiple times: Abbado, Bernstein, Solti, Karajan, and Haitink, among others. What does this proliferation tell us? Usually nothing about the music that hasn't been heard before, but sometimes something about what the conductor thinks about the music. These performances with the London Symphony Orchestra recorded in 2005 and 2006 tell what Bernard Haitink thinks about the greatest body of orchestral works ever composed. And what does Haitink think? Pretty much nothing that hasn't been thought before. His tempos are neither too fast nor too slow, but straight down the moderato. His dynamics are neither too loud nor too quiet, but right in the mezzo. His textures are clear and lucid. His colors are blended and smooth. His interpretations are solid and sincere. But what does Haitink tell us about what he thinks about Beethoven's symphonies? Pretty much nothing except that he is an experienced conductor with a superb baton technique who keeps his opinions to himself. The London Symphony's playing is enthusiastic but too often ragged around the edges for comfort. LSO Live's recording is transparent but the perspective seems to shift from work to work—sometimes the strings are too far away, other times the brass are too close.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 ('Eroica') Work Recorded 2005 49:11 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Allegro con brio	17:49			Album Only
2	2.Marcia funebre: Adagio assai	14:22			Album Only
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro vivace	5:54			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Allegro molto	11:06			Album Only
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Leonora Overture No.2, Op.72a Work Recorded 2005 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
5	Leonora Overture No.2, Op.72a	15:00			Album Only
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.4 in Bb, Op.60 Work Recorded 2006 32:48 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
6	1.Adagio. Allegro vivace	11:19			Album Only
7	2.Adagio	9:05			$0.99
8	3.Menuetto: Allegro vivace. Trio: Un poco meno allegro	5:37			$0.99
9	4.Allegro ma non troppo	6:47			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 Work Recorded 2006 24:48 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
10	1.Allegro vivace e con brio	9:07			$0.99
11	2.Allegretto scherzando	3:54			$0.99
12	3.Tempo di menuetto	4:23			$0.99
13	4.Allegro vivace	7:24			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.5 in C-, Op.67 Work Recorded 2006 31:22 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
14	1.Allegro con brio	7:35			$0.99
15	2.Andante con moto	8:36			$0.99
16	3.Scherzo: Allegro	4:53			$0.99
17	4.Allegro	10:18			Album Only
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 Work Recorded 2006 25:35 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
18	1.Adagio molto. Allegro con brio	9:40			$0.99
19	2.Andante cantabile con moto	6:51			$0.99
20	3.Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace	3:19			$0.99
21	4.Finale: Adagio. Allegro molto e vivace	5:45			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 ('Pastoral') Work Recorded 2005 41:32 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Allegro ma non troppo: Angenehme, heitere Empfindungen, welche bei der Ankunft (Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the countryside)	11:39			Album Only
2	2.Andante molto mosso: Szene am Bach (Scene by the brook)	11:48			Album Only
3	3.Allegro: Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Merry gathering of country folk)	4:58			$0.99
4	4.Allegro: Donner. Sturm (Thunder, storm)	3:31			$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)	9:36			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 Work Recorded 2005 34:25 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
6	1.Adagio molto. Allegro con brio	13:05			Album Only
7	2.Larghetto	10:43			Album Only
8	3.Scherzo: Allegro	3:59			$0.99
9	4.Allegro molto	6:38			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 Work Recorded 2005 38:40 Bernard Haitink Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
10	1.Poco sostenuto. Vivace	13:24			Album Only
11	2.Allegretto	7:41			$0.99
12	3.Scherzo: Presto	9:05			$0.99
13	4.Finale: Allegro con brio	8:30			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Concerto in C for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Op.56 ('Triple Concerto') Work Recorded 2005 35:53 Timothy Hugh Cello, Lars Vogt Piano, Bernard Haitink Conductor, Gordan Nikolic Violin, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
14	1.Allegro	17:39			Album Only
15	2.Largo	5:01			$0.99
16	3.Rondo alla polacca	13:13			Album Only
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Symphony No.9 in D-, Op.125 ('Choral') Work Recorded 2005 1:08:09 Twyla Robinson Soprano, Gerald Finley Bass, Bernard Haitink Conductor, Karen Cargill Mezzo-Soprano, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, John MacMaster Tenor
17	1.Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso	15:35			Album Only
18	2.Scherzo: Molto vivace. Presto	13:50			Album Only
19	3.Adagio molto e cantabile	14:11			Album Only
20	4.Presto. Allegro assai ('Ode to Joy'; complete)	24:33			Album Only