# SS8 31.08.13 - Beethoven #7



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Saturday Symphonies

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

The symphony is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in A, 2 bassoons, 2 horns in A (E and D in the inner movements), 2 trumpets in D, timpani, and strings.

I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto - Assai meno presto (trio)
IV. Allegro con brio


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## DaDirkNL (Aug 26, 2013)

I'm gonna listen to Karlos Kleiber with the Bavarian State Orchestra. This is one of my favourite symphonies, from beginning to end complete joy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

This Saturday I'm going to listen to this one:
View attachment 23937


Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Wilhelm Furtwangler & The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Live 1943)


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Just listened Blomstedt & Dresden Staatskapelle from Beethoven Complete Edition.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Just finished listening to the Furtwangler 1943 recording.

I've always loved this symphony. When I was a kid I used to watch old Black & White Horror movies with my dad. The Black Cat with Bela Lugosi & Boris Karloff was always one of my favorites and they play the 2nd movement from this symphony all throughout that movie. I'm always reminded of that movie and those times when I hear that part.

As far as the actual recording. Big Band, High Drama Beethoven at its best. It would have been so amazing to have been sitting in the crowd that night.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Heard the Furtwängler 1943 & Mravinsky the other day & will now listen to Mengelberg, from a collection of these:

-Scherchen,WSO/westm 51 mono wl 5089
-Mravinsky,LenPO/len 64-95 lm 1321
-Mengelberg,CtGeb/iron needle 40-98 in 1422
-Beecham,RPO/emi mono h 1003
-Leibowitz,RPO/readers digest 10LP 81 gbet-A-110
-Toscanini,NYPO/rca mono 36-70 vic1502
-Toscanini,NBCSO/rca mono 51-xx vl 46001
-Paray,DetroitSO/ph-pergola st 832-028 gpy
-Furtwängler,WPO/emi mono falp 30031
-Klemperer,NewPO/emi mono 33cx 1379
-Bernstein,NYPO/cbs 7lp set
-Remoortel,LSO/vox mono gby 11.750
-Karajan,BPO/dg 8lp 77 2740 172
-Karajan,BPO/dg 8LP 66 skl 101-108
-Casals,MarlbO/cbs 61671
-C.Kleiber,WPO/dg 76-8x 410932-1
-Furtwängler,BPO/everest mono 1943-xx 8129

-Otterloo,WienFestspO/mms mono m2238 (cover R.M.Zwolinski)(very poor)
-Ackermann,ZürichTonhO/mms mono mms33 (cover Miriam Schottland)(very poor)

I am currently feeling a bit saturated with that work & prefer the second, slower movement.

EDIT - as could be expected, Mengelberg brings a lot of extreme, refreshing contrasts and changes of tempi to the music, the last two movements in particular. The recording´s very slow parts of the third movement seem to compensate for the lack of a real slow movement more than usual, and the somewhat heavy start of the finale is changed into a series of dramatic, highly varied episodes and a fireworks-like, dynamic overall effect.


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Right now, I'm listening to Ferenc Fricsay conducting the RIAS-Symphonie-Orchester. This has become one of my favourite recordings of this Symphony and is an interesting contrast to the approach of Furtwangler.

This is a Synphony, much like the Fourth which took a little time to sink in and much like the Fourth ranks very highly in my affections in terms Beethoven's symphonies.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I've listened to the Philips recording of the Staatskapelle Dresden with Sir Colin Davis. This is big, juicy Beethoven with some noticeable echo in the (many) loud parts, particularly in the first movement. Sir Colin opens the symphony just a tad slower than I am used to and i really like this, but once the movement morphs into the 6/8 'dance' part, it bounces along nicely. The whole thing is excellently controlled with massive climaxes and nicely delicate soft passages in the two central movements. The last movement races along to the end at breakneck speed - how those string players manage it is beyond me. Phew - I'm almost out of breath listening to it!
The seventh used to be my favourite Beethoven symphony in my younger days; now I favour the sixth. However, I'd recommend this recording as it's grandiose, rhythmically acute and never flippant.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I listened to Immerseel's version. Best Beethoven cycle ever!!!!


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

joen_cph said:


> EDIT - as could be expected, Mengelberg brings a lot of extreme, refreshing contrasts and changes of tempi to the music, the last two movements in particular. The recording´s very slow parts of the third movement seem to compensate for the lack of a real slow movement more than usual, and the somewhat heavy start of the finale is changed into a series of dramatic, highly varied episodes and a fireworks-like, dynamic overall effect.


Mengelberg's Beethoven is wonderful. His constant fluctuations of tempo and phrasing never feel arbitrary at all, and the Concertgebouw has long been one of the best orchestras in Europe.


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