# 100 Favorites: # 5



## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

*Beethoven: Symphony Nos. 1, 3 "Eroica," 6 "Pastoral," and *8
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, *Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (MCA Classics)*










I've noticed that classical music aficionados seem to react strongly to Hermann Scherchen. People tend to love him or hate him. Obviously, I fall into the former camp. I like that Scherchen's interpretations are usually very distinctive, very personal. These Beethoven recordings, originally released on Westminster, are no exception. I particularly love Scherchen's _Eroica_ and _Pastoral_, the two stereo recordings in this set. This is INTENSE, exciting Beethoven. The tempos are fast, much faster than anything heard before the advent of HIP. Comparing Scherchen's _Pastoral_ to Bruno Walter's -- another famous version made around the same time -- is like comparing a leisurely stroll with a horse race. The differences are so great that they sound like different pieces of music! I like Walter's reading, but I think Scherchen's passion is thrilling -- and irresistible.

My MCA Classics "Double Decker" set from the late-1980's is long out-of-print. Fortunately, Deutsche Grammophon released Scherchen's _Eroica_ and _Pastoral_ on a single disc in 2001 as part of their Westminster reissue series. That disc is now out-of-print too, but used copies are readily available.


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