# Does Anyone Have an Opinion on Benjamin Zander's Beethoven Symphonies



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here are clips of his Beethoven 5th and 7th.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Funny enough, my parents have this album, autographed by Zander himself! Of course, when I opened the case, the CD was _missing_...

From the clips, I'd say they're pretty good. Not sure about the finale of the fifth = my own opinion/taste is when the blazing brass is a bit slowed down, for a grander finale.
The Allegretto of the seventh is more my speed. I don't really like it when conductors roll it out so languidly,


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## Andrei (Sep 11, 2013)

Thanks for the reference. Even from the clips they sound excellent. I prefer an eensy weensy bit faster tempos. As against that I think (as best as one can judge from internet clips) that these are better produced/recorded than the Kleiber - so well worth investing in.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

The CD can be had fairly cheap used in a 2 disc set that has Symphony 5 and 7 on one disc and the other disc has tracks explaining his approach to each movement of each of the two symphonies, as well as a discussion of the "Moonlight" piano sonata. Fascinating stuff. He has some articles on his website too. I just checked and Amazon is showing used starting at $1.99.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I got the CD for the discussion tracks. I listened to the symphonies and I recall there being pretty safe interpretations. I don't recall there being much revelation there.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Manxfeeder said:


> I got the CD for the discussion tracks. I listened to the symphonies and I recall there being pretty safe interpretations. I don't recall there being much revelation there.


Maybe that is why it is so low priced, and why he never finished recording his symphony cycle. Nonetheless, I like it so far, but have only listened to it a couple times.


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## vincentfernandes (Jan 8, 2013)

Hello everyone, I am in need of your expert advice.

I'm currently totally wrapped up in Zander's lecture on the 9th, but to my disappointment, I couldn't find a complete cycle. Has he still only done 5, 7 and 9? Also, someone in this thread (or another) mentions a 2-disc set of the 5th and 7th with another lecture. Where do I get this one? I can only find 1-disc versions on Amazon.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

vincentfernandes said:


> Hello everyone, I am in need of your expert advice.
> 
> I'm currently totally wrapped up in Zander's lecture on the 9th, but to my disappointment, I couldn't find a complete cycle. Has he still only done 5, 7 and 9? Also, someone in this thread (or another) mentions a 2-disc set of the 5th and 7th with another lecture. Where do I get this one? I can only find 1-disc versions on Amazon.


Zander, to my knowledge, has only done 5, 7 & 9. There's another quick version of the 9th on the Carlton Classics / Masters labels with the Boston Philharmonic but that's not got any lecture on it. The 2-disc 5th & 7th was issued on Telarc (see link below). I have it somewhere. There's also a much better recorded 5th done with the Orchestra of the Americas. All of these are available on Spotify too (the Telarc 5th and 7th is minus the lectures) . If you want the Zander 5&7 with commentary it's still available on Amazon US (see below).

https://www.discogs.com/Beethoven-Benjamin-Zander-Philharmonia-Orchestra-Symphonies-No-5-No-7/release/9033424
https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-No-Benjamin-Zander/dp/B00001QGKJ


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## vincentfernandes (Jan 8, 2013)

Thank you, ordered both! I don't do Spotify, not as long as they refuse to let me download MP3 files.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Vincent, the problem with Zander's Beethoven 5th and 7th are not the tempi for me (I'm quite happy with brisker Beethoven and the 7th isn't that quick, tbh) but the actual recordings. The Philharmonia were not in great shape at the time and Zander doesn't get much fire from them. The sound recordings are actually a little flabby too (which is odd for Telarc). Don't get me wrong they're OK but other people do quicker Beethoven much better (eg. Chailly). The Orchestra of the Americas 5th is much better. I must say it's an impressive account. The only problem I have with Zander's 9th is the scherzo. For me, if you take the 1st movement at a quick clip (again that's fine here) then the scherzo must be zippy and very spritely. Zander, disappointingly, doesn't do this except in the trio, that he takes at a faster pace, which then sounds too quick to me. Scherchen recognised this in his interpretations so purposely slowed the opening movement a little and then got a lot of buoyancy in the scherzo.


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## vincentfernandes (Jan 8, 2013)

I agree with everything you said. Just bought them for the lectures, really, and will probably end up donating them to a thrift store. I'm definitely keeping Gardiner's 9th, though.


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