# Beethoven Symphonies Box - Wyn Morris



## lou

I'm considering adding this to my collection.

Any Beethoven fans have it?

From the descriptions on Amazon, it seems to be a unique interpretation of the symphonies. Possibly a more historically accurate one?

Would appreciate some reviews/advice.


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## itywltmt

Not one that I own - the ones I own were documented in August:
http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/302-beethoven-cycle-s-do.html

I do own, however, the Wyn Morris recording of the reconstructed Beethoven 10th (Walter Weller also recordeed it I believe. I alsp know it's somewhere on YouTube). I haven't heard any of his other Beethoven, so I can't provide an opinion...


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## lou

Thanks for the reply itywltmt and the link to your blog article, I found it very interesting and look forward to more.


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## graaf

I don't know if you already have a set of Beethoven's symphonies, but Karajan's recording from 1963 is considered to be one of the best ones. Of course, it is always better to go with individual recordings (for exampe, Carlos Kleiber for 5th and 7th, Claudio Abbado for 9th), but if you want a set, Karajan's cycle is safest bet. I just checked prices at Amazon, they start at around $21. For me, 5th is usualy the benchmark for the set, because I'm most picky about that one, and Karajan's passed the test


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## Jeremy Marchant

I've not heard this set, but Wyn Morris is a substantially underrated conductor, so it should be of more than passing interest.
Shame he wasn't christened Wynovich Morrisovich - it would have increased his CD sales tenfold in English speaking communities.


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## lou

graaf said:


> I don't know if you already have a set of Beethoven's symphonies, but Karajan's recording from 1963 is considered to be one of the best ones. Of course, it is always better to go with individual recordings (for exampe, Carlos Kleiber for 5th and 7th, Claudio Abbado for 9th), but if you want a set, Karajan's cycle is safest bet. I just checked prices at Amazon, they start at around $21. For me, 5th is usualy the benchmark for the set, because I'm most picky about that one, and Karajan's passed the test


Thanks *graaf*, the only set I currently own is a cheapy on the Intersound label, featuring various conductors and orchestras of less renown.


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## ronhelf

I bought the Morris Beethoven 6 when it was released in the 80s. I now own the Musical Concepts box set. I have listened to Symphonies 1, 3, 2, and 6 (which I have heard before) and I like them all very much. I prefer Morris's set to Karajan's 60s and 70s sets, Zinman's, Mackerras's, to chose three. I would put it up there with Cluytens and Bohm's. Morris's "Germanic" approach is probably not everyone's cup of tea.

Morris, by the way, was also very highly regarded for his Mahler as well as for his Beethoven. He was one of the first to record Das klagende Lied and he conducted and recorded several Mahler Symphonies some with the New Queen's Hall Orchestra. His Das Lied von der Erde with Janet Baker and Geraint Evans has many admirers.One of the reasons Morris is not well known, despite being highly regarded--the Independent called him one of the finest British conductors ever (Morris was Welsh and the son of a composer)--was that he was apparently a very difficult person to get along with.


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## moody

No Ronhelf, we would not want Beethoven played in a Germanic way would we now ?


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## Itullian

moody, who's your favorite for Beethoven symphonies?


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## Vaneyes

lou said:


> I'm considering adding this to my collection.
> 
> Any Beethoven fans have it?
> 
> From the descriptions on Amazon, it seems to be a unique interpretation of the symphonies. Possibly a more historically accurate one?
> 
> Would appreciate some reviews/advice.


Re Morris LvB, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 need more tobasco. 1, 2, 4, 6 are fine. No opinion on 10.

Karajan '63, Karajan '76, Harnoncourt '90 would be my recommendations.


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## Sid James

I've got a single disc with Morris conducting Beethoven's 3rd symphony (the _Eroica_) as well as his _Coriolan Overture_. It's an earlier incarnation of THIS more recent edition. This is my favourite Beethoven symphony, I have known it for years (other recordings of it) & I think that Maestro Morris' recording stacks up with the finest I've heard. That's all I can say, I haven't heard any of his other work...

EDIT -

I remember now that I was actually thinking of getting that Morris boxed set myself, but got side-tracked.

As I said, his_ Eroica _recording is top-notch, and having the rare 10th symphony is a bonus (I think only Walter Weller's set was/is the only other one to have it?)..


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## StlukesguildOhio

I can't speak to the Wyn Morris set... other than to note that for the same price (or less) you can also purchase any of the following... all of which I can fully attest to:





































:tiphat:


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## musicdavid

Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood has become my favorite set. I like the openness of the orchestra, the sound of natural brass and the speeds at which he conducts. The Cleveland Orchestra set with Dohnanyi has several great performances - particularly the 3rd and the 9th;/ however, I don't like the 5th and the 7th since he ignores the repeats (which is a no-no to me).


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## ronhelf

I didn't mean any disrespect by using the term "Germanic". It was part of the Gramophone Review of one of Morris's Beethoven Symphonies way back when. I like the "Germanic" school approach to Beethoven personally. 

I have now finished all of the Morris Beethoven set. I also have the Karajan 60s and 70s set, the Zinman set, the Mackerras set, the Klemperer set, the Gardner set, the Jochum set (which I like a lot), the Cluytens set, the Bohm set, the Muti set, the Goodman set, the Norrington set, the Hogwood set, the Toscanini set, both the Bernstein sets. I have heard the Weller and Barenboim sets. In other words, I don't think you can have enough of the Beethoven Symphony sets. I would rate Morris as one of my favourites along with Cluytens, a set that was extraordinarily inexpensive when I picked it up. Morris's set, by the way, is DDD.

As to historical accuracy, Morris's 6th is brisk but, imo, not too brisk unlike some "historically accurate recordings. It is worth remembering that Toscanini was almost as fast as some of the proponents of following Beethoven's metronome markings...


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## Itullian

you still need Walter and Szell. 

maybe the new Chailly.


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## moody

Itullian said:


> moody, who's your favorite for Beethoven symphonies?


I don't think complete sets are a good idea, especially if they are by v on Karajan , but I do have one ---George szell and the Cleveland . He does Beethoven the way I like it, I can't stand late Klemperer type dirges.

Symphony No.3 Symphony ot the Air/ Bruno Walter .Live Carnegie Hall, Toscanini Memorial Concert, 1957.
" " Lso/ Stokowski, Rca 1975.
Symphonies Nos. 4 and 7. French National Orch. Live 1963/64. Crazy. Charles Munch.
" " Nos. 4 and 6, Columbia S .O Bruno Walter 1958. I think Walter's "Pastoral" is the best.
" " No. 7. Berlin Phil. Furtwangler , live 1943, Unicorn. absolutely extraordinary.
" " " " Berlin Phil, Keilberth
" " no. 8. Hamburg State Phil , Keilberth. Both Telefunken.

I have a few 9th symphony recordings :

Bruno Walter. LSO with Isobel Baillie, Kathleen Ferrier, Heddle Nash and William Parsons. Live 1947.
Fritz Busch, Radio Denmark Orch. Live 1950.
Carl Schuricht. Paris Conservatoire Orch. 1959. Both these very brilliant.
Bruno Walter. NYPO rec 1943/1953.(last movt.) I don't know the reason.
William Steinberg. Pittsburgh Symphony. { Mahler edition ) plus Symph. No. 8. very, very good.
Furtwangler. Berlin Phil. Live 1942. Soloists inc. Elisabeth Hoengen and Peter Anders. A powerhouse.
Toscanini. NBC S.O. 1950's. No comment needed.
Stokowski. LSO. 1969. Plus Symphony No. 5 . fairly fascinating.

The thing of it is these are all Beethoven men. Maybe not Stokowski but he's Stokowski !
I honestly believe the art of conducting Beethoven has been lost.
I'm 74 and have seen all these guys apart from Busch. You find people like Abbado conducting him like Rachmaninoff !


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## ronhelf

Itullian said:


> you still need Walter and Szell.
> 
> maybe the new Chailly.


yeah, I do have to listen to the Walter. I have heard such great things about his Beethoven recordings. I have read some good things about the Chailly set.


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## SixFootScowl

lou said:


> I'm considering adding this to my collection.
> 
> Any Beethoven fans have it?
> 
> From the descriptions on Amazon, it seems to be a unique interpretation of the symphonies. Possibly a more historically accurate one?
> 
> Would appreciate some reviews/advice.


Nice, I found another Beethoven symphony cycle thread. Now I have not heard of this cycle. It's been a few years so I wonder if any new opinions are out there at TC on this cycle.


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## techniquest

The Morris / LSO was the first Beethoven cycle I bought. It is always overlooked yet it stands alongside many of the high-profile sets both in terms of recorded sound and performance; plus it has the benefit of being really cheap. So definitely buy this set and keep it, along with one of the 'big' sets (e.g. Karajan) if you must, and enjoy it.


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## Johnnie Burgess

You can now get this sympony cycle by Wyn Morris as an mp3 download on amazon for 99 cents.


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## KenOC

For the record, here's that 99-cent set of symphonies by Wyn Morris and the London SO.

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Sy...&qid=1489538365&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0


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## Pugg

Johnnie Burgess said:


> You can now get this sympony cycle by Wyn Morris as an mp3 download on amazon for 99 cents.


Tanks for sharing.


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## Oldhoosierdude

I bought it. Not that I needed another cycle. I now have cycles with (ranked by preference) Walter, Szell, Gardiner (I must have one HIP!), Blomstedt, Bareboim (last one), Kletzki, Morris, Krips, and Lebowitz.


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## Merl

Good set and for 99 cents an absolute steal (still available at the time of posting)! This, the Blomstedt, the Edlinger and the Weller sets are great value cycles that can be picked up for pennies. Heartily recommend them all (especially Blomstedt).

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-Symphony-Orchestra-Classical/dp/B01MYA5OLK/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1489538365&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0


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## Larkenfield

Merl said:


> Good set and for 99 cents an absolute steal (still available at the time of posting)! This, the Blomstedt, the Edlinger and the Weller sets are great value cycles that can be picked up for pennies. Heartily recommend them all (especially Blomstedt).
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-Symphony-Orchestra-Classical/dp/B01MYA5OLK/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1489538365&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0


The Blomstedt is indeed a wonderful cycle. Ken Burns used the ninth from the set for his documentary on Frank Lloyd Wright. It took hours for me to track this version down at the time. These are live performances that fortunately are in front of quiet audiences. I see nothing wrong with pursuing complete sets of Beethoven; they give a great deal of insight into one conductor and one orchestra. Plus it can be much cheaper than buying individual discs from all over the place, though of course there is a place for that as well.

Another bargain, if not already mentioned, is the Bruno Walter Beethoven set recorded with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. These are warm and wonderful performances and the entire set as a download can be had for about $10, with a particularly fine and sparkling number one and number two. I'm all for collecting Beethoven sets when they're relatively inexpensive. For me, they're like the basics of the repertoire and have been done in a number of magnificent ways.

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vol-03-9-Symphonies/dp/B0050I2ZOQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1501267662&sr=1-3-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=bruno+walter+beethoven+symphony


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## bharbeke

Is the Blomstedt the set with the Staatskapelle Dresden?

Morris' set is absolutely worth hearing. No. 1 is worth the price by itself. He did a good job on 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8 as well.


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## Johnnie Burgess

bharbeke said:


> Is the Blomstedt the set with the Staatskapelle Dresden?
> 
> Morris' set is absolutely worth hearing. No. 1 is worth the price by itself. He did a good job on 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8 as well.


Yes, it is with that orchestra.


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## Johnnie Burgess

Larkenfield said:


> The Blomstedt is indeed a wonderful cycle. Ken Burns use the ninth from the set for his documentary on Frank Lloyd Wright. These are live performances that fortunately are in front of quiet audiences. I see nothing wrong with pursuing complete sets of Beethoven; they give a great deal of insight into one conductor and one orchestra. Plus it can be much cheaper than buying individual discs from all over the place, though of course there is a place for that as well.
> 
> Another bargain is the Bruno Walter Beethoven set recorded with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. These are warm and wonderful performances and the entire set as a download can be had for about $10, with a particularly fine and sparkling number one and number two. I'm all for collecting Beethoven sets when they're relatively inexpensive. For me, they're like the basics of the repertoire and have been done in a number of magnificent ways.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vol-03-9-Symphonies/dp/B0050I2ZOQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1501267662&sr=1-3-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=bruno+walter+beethoven+symphony


Yes, that is a great set at a great price. Another set for 0.99 is by János Ferencsik ant the Hungarian State Orchestra:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Fe...scsubtag=3f4913803d8611e7b3d14a57ab1fea030INT


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## Merl

I can't order that set from over here in the uk. Won't let me. It's not a wonderful cycle but for completism sake I still want it.



Johnnie Burgess said:


> Yes, that is a great set at a great price. Another set for 0.99 is by János Ferencsik ant the Hungarian State Orchestra:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Fe...scsubtag=3f4913803d8611e7b3d14a57ab1fea030INT


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## Merl

Just checked on Amazon UK and it's available for £2.69. Gonna grab it just to tick another cycle off my list (only about 15 left to get now).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Ferencsik-Ludwig-Hungarian-Orchestra/dp/B06ZZ5PMFN/ref=sr_1_37_twi_mus_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501326627&sr=8-37&keywords=beethoven+symphonies+ferencsik


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## SixFootScowl

^ The János Ferencsik cycle is going for $1.99 used, 5 CD box set. This is the one I have.


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## Johnnie Burgess

Florestan said:


> ^ The János Ferencsik cycle is going for $1.99 used, 5 CD box set. This is the one I have.


I had that one years ago and forgot about it.


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## Merl

It's an avergae set, tbh, but I wanted it for completion sake. Compared to sets by Krivine, Jansons, Maag, Wand, Blomstedt, Kubelik, etc it's pretty dull. But I do love my Beethoven Symphony cycles!!!


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## Johnnie Burgess

Merl said:


> It's an avergae set, tbh, but I wanted it for completion sake. Compared to sets by Krivine, Jansons, Maag, Wand, Blomstedt, Kubelik, etc it's pretty dull. But I do love my Beethoven Symphony cycles!!!


I think Laserlight put out a lot of lesser known Beethoven sets back in the day.


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## SixFootScowl

Johnnie Burgess said:


> I had that one years ago and forgot about it.


Forgot about it because it is a forgettable cycle? Or forgot about it in the hustle and bustle of buying more and more music?

By the way, I only posted that because I saw that is the cycle Merl was talking about buying in Post 30. I more or less forget about my Ferencsek cycle too as there are so many better ones.


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## Johnnie Burgess

Florestan said:


> Forgot about it because it is a forgettable cycle? Or forgot about it in the hustle and bustle of buying more and more music?


I never burned the set to computer and with moving and such sometimes things are left behind and forgotten.


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