# Beethoven 250th Anniversary (aka Beethoven 2020) - New Releases, concerts, etc.



## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

Greetings all, it has been a long time since I've visited the forums here and I'm enjoying browsing through the current discussions.

I recently noticed that new releases for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth are appearing - for example, a very nice looking box set from DG ("Complete New Edition Beethoven"). Has anyone here checked it out yet, or have any thoughts on that set? 

My own purchases of new CDs have virtually stopped, after amassing a collection that I should be satisfied with for the rest of my life! Not only that, I've recently signed up to Apple Music to give it a try, and I'm finding that just about anything I don't already have on CD is available from that streaming service, plus I can download to my own library if I wish.

Nevertheless, the Beethoven set is one that I'm seriously considering purchasing, to go with the similar Mozart collection that came out a couple of years ago. It's very tempting, nicely packaged and including a nice hardback book, a couple of DVDs and Blu Ray audio discs, etc.

I'm sure that there will be plenty of other special releases for the Beethoven anniversary, as well as special concerts and so forth. Perhaps this thread could provide a place to talk about those?


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Haselbock's Resound cycle will conclude next year and Andris Nelsons and the VPO will be releasing a cycle. Jordan will finish his VPO cycle next year too. I was hoping Honeck would record the rest of the symphonies with Pottsburgh too but I don't think that's on the cards (correct me if I'm wrong). Currentzis and the orchestra musicAeterna of Perm Opera may be releasing a cycle too. Noseda and the NSO will be performing and possibly recording a cycle too (concerts are definite, but the recording is tbc). Muti is performing all the symphonies with the Chicago SO. Up to now there has been no word on whether these will be recorded. Krivine starts his cycle with the SCOin November but I'm fairly sure that's not being released. We'll see.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

*Beethoven 2020 - The New Complete Edition*

Deutsche Grammophon are proud to present the most modern and complete set of Beethoven's work ever issued - 180 Hours of Music
• Assembled in cooperation with Decca and 10 other labels; many alternative performances including three complete symphony cycles.
• Includes over 250 legendary performers from Gilels to Gardiner, Amadeus Quartet to Arrau, Furtwangler to Fischer-Dieskau, , Kempff to Karajan, Boehm to Brendel, Menuhin to Mutter and Perahia to Pollini
• Extensive editorial - by leading Beethoven scholars
• New Recordings - Over 150 minutes, including several world premieres
• Scholarship - in partnership with the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, the one and only Complete Edition with support of the official Beethoven 2020 foundation.

Contents
CONTENTS:
➢ 118 CDs divided into 9 genres
➢ 2 DVDs: Fidelio (Bernstein) and Symphonies Nos.4 & 7 (Kleiber)
➢ 3 BD Audio: Symphonies (Karajan) / Piano Sonatas (Kempff) / Quartets (Amadeus Quartet)
➢ Colour-coded for easy navigation
➢ Lavishly illustrated hardback book with new essay by Christine Siegert, introductory note by Barry Cooper and a biography in pictures, alphabetical work index & artist index
➢ 9 softcover books with tracklistings, notes and sung texts (EN/DE), illustrations, and full recording information
PACKAGING:
➢ 2-piece rigid lift off lid box with O-Card
➢ 205 x 274 x 271 mm (HxWxD) | 7.4kg
-- 101 CDs of Beethoven's music (the old DG Beethoven Edition had 81 CDs)
-- 17 bonus CDs with duplicate repertoire in historical recordings (the old DG Beethoven Edition had 6 CDs of historical recordings)
-- 3 bonus Blu-Ray Audio discs with duplicate repertoire: Complete Symphonies (Karajan-1962), Piano Sonatas (Kempff) and String Quartets (Amadeus)
-- 2 bonus DVDs with duplicate repertoire: Fidelio (Bernstein) and Symphonies 4 & 7 (Carlos Kleiber)
SYMPHONIES
Modern Instrument Cycle
1 Symphonies nos. 1 & 2; Prometheus & Leonore III Overtures (Gewandhaus/Chailly)
2 Symphonies nos. 3 & 4 (BP/Abbado)
3 Coriolan Overture (Gewandhaus/Chailly) Symphonies no. 5 (LAP/Giulini) no. 6 (BP/Abbado)
4 Symphonies no. 7 (WP/Nelsons) no. 8; Namensfeier Overture (Gewandhaus/Chailly) Wellington's Victory (BP/Karajan)
5 Symphony no. 9 (BP/Karajan 1977)
Vienna Cycle
6 Symphonies nos. 1 & 2 (WP/Bernstein) Incidental Music to Egmont (WP/Szell)
7 Symphonies no. 3 (WP/Monteux) no. 4 (WP/Schmidt-Isserstedt)
8 Symphonies nos. 5 & 7 (WP/C. Kleiber)
9 Symphonies no. 6 (WP/Böhm) no. 8 (WP/Nelsons)
10 Symphony no. 9 (WP/Bernstein)
Period Instrument Cycle
11 Symphonies nos. 1 & 2 (ORR/Gardiner)
12 Symphonies nos. 3 & 4 (ORR/Gardiner)
13 Symphonies nos. 5 & 6 (ORR/Gardiner)
14 Symphonies nos. 7 & 8 (ORR/Gardiner)
15 Symphony no. 9; Fantasia for Piano, Chorus & Orchestra (Levin/ORR/Gardiner)
CONCERTOS
16 Piano Concerto WoO4 (Brautigam) Piano Concertos nos. 1 & 2 (Argerich)
17 Piano Concertos nos. 3 & 4 (Brendel)
18 Piano Concerto no. 5 (Zimerman) Violin Concerto (Repin)
19 Violin Concerto; Violin Romances nos. 1 & 2 (Mutter) Romance cantabile (Chung)
20 Piano Concertos no. 2 (Gulda) no. 1 (Buchbinder) Rondo in B♭ (Richter)
21 Piano Concertos nos. 3 & 4; Fantasia for Piano, Chorus & Orchestra (Pollini)
22 Piano Concerto no. 5 (Kempff) Piano Concerto in D (Barenboim)
23 Triple Concerto (Chung Trio) Concerto Movement (Kremer) Mozart Piano Concerto no. 20 Cadenzas (Serkin)
MUSIC FOR THE STAGE
24 Ballet Music Ritterballett (BP/Karajan) Creatures of Prometheus (Orpheus CO)
25 Dances & Marches (Marriner, Maazel, Rickenbacher, Priem-Bergrath)
Incidental Music
26 Full Music to Egmont (BP/Abbado) Ruins of Athens (BP/Klee) Gratulations-Menuett (BP/Karajan)
27 King Stephen (Chung) Tarpeja (A. Davis) Consecration of the House (Järvi) Leonore Prohaska (Abbado)
Opera
28 Leonore (1805) (ORR/Gardiner)
29 Leonore cont. (1805) (ORR/Gardiner)
30 Fidelio Act I (MCO/Abbado)
31 Fidelio Act II (MCO/Abbado) Leonore I Overture; Singspiel Arias, Choruses & Scenes
PIANO SONATAS
32 Piano Sonatas nos. 1-3 (Pollini)
33 Piano Sonatas no. 4 (Gilels) no. 5 (Kocsis) no. 6 (Arrau) no. 8 (Kovacevich)
34 Piano Sonatas no. 7 (Arrau '85) no. 9 (Brendel) no. 10 (Ashkenazy) no. 11 (Brendel '77)
35 Piano Sonatas no. 12 (Brendel) no. 13 (Gilels) no. 14 (Freire) no. 15 (Brendel '77) no. 19 (Lupu)
36 Piano Sonatas no. 16 (Brendel) no. 17 (Arrau) no. 18 (Kovacevich) no. 20 (Lupu)
37 Piano Sonatas nos. 21 & 25 (Gilels) no. 22 (Brendel) no. 23 (Gilels) no. 24 (Ashkenazy)
38 Piano Sonatas nos. 26, 27 & 29 (Gilels)
39 Piano Sonatas nos. 28 & 29 (Pollini)
40 Piano Sonatas nos. 30-32 (Pollini)
41 Named Sonatas I - Pathétique (Lupu) Moonlight (Perahia) Tempest (Grimaud) Waldstein (Freire)
42 Named Sonatas II - Appassionata (Gulda) Les Adieux (Kissin) Hammerklavier (Perahia)
43 Last Sonatas - no. 30 (Gilels) no. 31 (Brendel) no. 32 (Uchida)
OTHER KEYBOARD WORKS
44 Bagatelles (Larrocha, Brendel, Kovacevich, Pletnev, Lang Lang, Cascioli)
45 Electoral Sonatas (Gilels, Demus) Sonata Movements (Pletnev, Cascioli, Ott, Ugorski)
46 Dances & Miscellaneous Works (Lupu, Cascioli, Katchen, Pletnev, Kempff, Lang Lang)
47 Variations WoO63-66 & 68-71 (Pletnev, Cascioli, Mustonen, Ashkenazy)
48 Variations WoO72, 73 & 75-77 (Cascioli) op.34 (Pletnev) op. 35 "Eroica" (Gilels)
49 Variations WoO78-80 (Uchida, Mustonen) op. 76 (Cascioli) op. 120 "Diabelli" (Kovacevich)
50 Variations op. 120 "Diabelli" (Brendel 2001), op. 35 "Eroica" (Curzon)
51 Piano 4 Hands (Jussens, Lang Lang/Eschenbach, Demus/Shetler) Organ (Preston) Harp (Robles)
DUOS
52 Violin Sonatas nos. 1-4 (Kremer/Argerich)
53 Violin Sonatas nos. 5 & 6 (Perlman/Ashkenazy) 12 Variations WoO40; Rondo WoO41 (Menuhin/Kempff) 6 Dances WoO42 (Garrett/Canino)
54 Violin Sonatas nos. 7 & 9 (Mutter/Orkis)
55 Violin Sonatas nos. 8-10 (Dumay/Pires)
56 12 Variations op. 66; Cello Sonatas nos. 1 & 2; 7 Variations WoO46 (Maisky/Argerich)
57 Cello Sonatas nos. 3-5; 12 Variations WoO45 (Maisky/Argerich)
58 Flute Duos (Gallois/Licad, Gallois/Rampal)
59 Horn Sonata (Tuckwell/Ashkenazy) Mandolin Works (Fietz/Webersinke) String Duos (Hagen Quartettt) Cello Sonata (Casals/Horszowski)
TRIOS
60 Piano Trios no. 9 (Kempff/Szeryng/Fournier) nos. 1 & 2 & Unv 9 (Beaux Arts Trio)
61 Piano Trios nos. 3, 5 & 6 (Beaux Arts Trio)
62 Piano Trios nos. 10, 11 & 8 (Kempff/Szeryng/Fournier) no. 7 (Previn/Mullova/Schiff)
63 Piano Trios no. 4 & op. 38 (Beaux Arts Trio) no. 4 (Kempff/Leister/Fournier)
64 Piano Trio WoO37 (Kontarsky/Zoeller/Thunemann) Wind Trios op. 87 & WoO28 (Holliger/Elhorst/Bourgue)
65 String Trios nos. 1 & 2 (Mutter/Giuranna/Rostropovich)
66 String Trios nos. 3-5 (Mutter/Giuranna/Rostropovich)
67 Serenade op. 25 (Zoeller/Ueberschaer/Brandis) Hess 29; WoO9 & 15 (Hagen Quartett)
STRING QUARTETS
68 String Quartets nos. 1-3 (Emerson String Quartet)
69 String Quartets nos. 4-6 (Emerson String Quartet)
70 String Quartets nos. 7 & 8 ("Rasumovsky" nos. 1 & 2) (Emerson String Quartet)
71 String Quartets nos. 9 ("Rasumovsky" no. 3) & 10 (Emerson String Quartet)
72 String Quartets nos. 11 & 13 (Takács Quartet)
73 String Quartets nos. 12 & 14 (Takács Quartet)
74 String Quartets nos. 15 & 16 (Takács Quartet)
75 String Quartets nos. 12 & 15 (Hagen Quartett)
76 String Quartets nos. 13 & 14 (Hagen Quartett)
77 String Quartets nos. 16, Hess 32 & WoO209 (Hagen Quartett) Hess 34 (Amadeus Quartet) Hess 30 & 31 (Endellion String Quartet)
LARGE CHAMBER WORKS
78 Piano Quartets WoO36 (Eschenbach/Amadeus Quartet) Equali WoO30 (Philip Jones Brass Ensemble)
79 Quintets op. 29 (Amadeus Quartet) op. 16 (Lupu) Other Quintets
80 String Quintets op. 4 (Endellion String Quartet) op. 104 (The Lindsays) Sextets op. 71 & WoO29 (BP Octet)
81 Sextet op. 81b (Gewandhaus-Quartett) Septet op. 20 (Wiener Oktett) Octets op. 103 & WoO25 (Netherlands Wind Ensemble)
LIEDER & PARTSONGS
82 Lieder I (Fischer-Dieskau/Demus)
83 Lieder II (Fischer-Dieskau/Demus, Schreier/Stolte/Olbertz)
84 Lieder III (Schreier/Stolte/Olbertz, Helzel/Horn/Maus/Person/Hilsdorf)
85 Partsongs (Person/Maus/Lukas & others) Canons & Musical Jokes
FOLKSONG SETTINGS
86 Folksongs op. 108 (Martineau & others)
87 Folksongs WoO152 (Martineau & others)
88 Folksongs WoO152 & 153 (Martineau & others)
89 Folksongs WoO154 & 157 (Martineau & others)
90 Folksongs WoO155 (Martineau & others)
91 Folksongs WoO156, 158b & 158c (Martineau & others)
92 Folksongs WoO158a (Martineau & others)
VOCAL WORKS WITH ORCHESTRA
93 Ah! perfido (Studer/BPO/Abbado) op. 118, 121b & 122 (Haywood LSO/Tilson Thomas)
Other Works for Solo Voices with Orchestra
94 Emperor Cantatas (Deutsche Oper/Thielemann)
95 Der glorreiche Augenblick (Chung) Meeresstille und Glückliche Fahrt; Mass in C (ORR/Gardiner)
96 Missa solemnis (ORR/Gardiner)
97 Missa solemnis (BP/Karajan)
98 Christus am Ölberge (WS/Klee)
RARITIES
99 Solo Piano Works (Brautigam, Koch, Beck)
100 Chamber Music (Ax/Stern/Ma/Laredo, Hope, Endellion String Quartet, Covington String Quartet)
101 Contrapuntal Studies (Koch, Covington String Quartet) Doubtful Works (Gazzelloni/Canino, Koch, Buchbinder)
HISTORICAL & CLASSIC PERFORMANCES
102 Symphony Movements (Nikisch, R. Strauss, Klemperer, Karajan, van Kempen) Leonore II Overture (Busch) Symphony no. 8 (Scherchen)
103 Egmont, Leonore III, Coriolan Overtures; Symphony no. 5; Grosse Fuge (Furtwängler)
104 Symphonies nos. 5 & 6 (RCO/E. Kleiber)
105 Egmont Overture; Symphony no. 9 (BP/Fricsay)
106 Piano Concerto no. 3 (Fischer/BS/Fricsay) Violin Concerto (Schneiderhan/BP/Jochum)
107 Piano Sonatas no. 30 (Schnabel) nos. 8 & 31 (Kempff) no. 23 (Arrau)
108 Piano Sonatas no. 18 (Haskil) no. 11 (Richter) no. 28 (Backhaus) no. 31 (Serkin)
109 Piano Sonatas no. 15 (Gulda) no. 4 (Michelangeli) no. 32 (Pogorelich)
110 Cello Sonatas no. 3 (Fournier/Kempff) no. 5 (Rostropovich/Richter) Piano Trio no. 7 (Gilels/Kogan/Rostropovich)
111 String Quartets no. 13 (Busch Quartet) Grosse Fuge (Hollywood String Quartet) no. 16 (The Lindsays)
112 String Quartets nos. 6 & 15 (Quartetto Italiano)
113 An die ferne Geliebte (Schreier/Schiff) Various Songs (Bartoli/Schiff) Fidelio extracts (Various)
PERIOD INSTRUMENT PERFORMANCES
114 Piano Concertos nos. 1 & 2; Rondo WoO6 (Levin/ORR/Gardiner)
115 Piano Concerto no. 4 (Levin/ORR/Gardiner) Violin Concerto; Violin Romance no. 2 (Zehetmair/Brüggen)
116 Piano Sonatas nos. 8, 14 & 17 (Lubin) Lieder (von Otter/Tan) Horn Sonata (Halstead/Levin)
117 Piano Trio no. 5 (Staier/Sepec/Queyras) String Quartet no. 2 (Schuppanzigh-Quartett) Quintet op. 16 (Levin/AAM Chamber Ensemble)
118 Chamber Versions of Symphony no. 2 & Piano Concerto no. 4 (Levin/ORR) Ah! perfido (Tilling/Gabrieli/McCreesh) Creatures of Prometheus Finale (Armonia Atenea/Petrou)
119 Blu-ray Audio: Symphonies nos. 1-9 (BP/Karajan)
120 Blu-ray Audio: Piano Sonatas nos. 1-32 (Kempff)
121 Blu-ray Audio: String Quartets nos. 1-16 (Amadeus Quartet)
122 DVD: Fidelio (Janowitz/Popp/VPO/Bernstein)
123 DVD: Symphonies nos. 4 & 7 (Concertgebouw/Kleiber)


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

*Beethoven - The Complete Works*

Doing full justice to Beethoven's awe-inspiring, but profoundly humane genius, this is Warner Classics' first-ever complete edition of his works. It draws discerningly on the riches of the label's catalogue, assuring integrity by assigning entire cycles to the same artist, ensemble or team of performers.

Classics from the age of the LP are complemented by the best of the CD era and by a wealth of new recordings of rarely heard works that are ripe for discovery. This is a comprehensive and most satisfying tribute to Beethoven, a transformative force who has enhanced the lives of music-lovers for more than two centuries.

2020 marks the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth.
Beethoven was born in Bonn in December 1770 - probably on 16th December, since his baptism took place on 17th December. He died in Vienna on 26th March 1827.
The all-round recommendation for a complete Beethoven edition

This complete Beethoven edition follows the major success of Warner Classics' complete Debussy and Berlioz editions, acknowledged as the best of their kind. The 80CD set offers recordings of exceptional artistic and technical quality at a price that represents outstanding value for money.

Carefully selected from the Warner Classics and Erato catalogues, and complemented by items licensed in from external catalogues, the recordings do full justice to the extraordinary breadth, diversity and depth of Beethoven's oeuvre. The edition includes classic recordings from the LP era, but the majority of the collection, above all the complete cycles (symphonies, piano concertos, piano sonatas, string quartets etc.), comprise recordings that represent the best of the CD era.

Celebrated and authoritative Beethoven interpreters from the past and the present Such artists as (in alphabetical order): Artemis Quartet, Daniel Barenboim, Rudolf Buchbinder, Renaud Capuçon, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Otto Klemperer, Stephen Kovacevich, Yo-Yo Ma, Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman, Jacqueline du Pré, András Schiff, János Starker.

Contents

An emphasis on complete cycles by a specific artist, ensemble or team of musicians

A particular feature of the box is continuity of the interpreter(s) throughout an entire cycle of works in the same musical genre/related genres:

Symphonies Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Piano Concertos András Schiff, Bernard Haitink, Staatskapelle Dresden

Violin Concerto & Romances Itzhak Perlman

Piano sonatas Stephen Kovacevich

String quartets Artemis Quartet

Violin sonatas Renaud Capuçon, Frank Braley

Fidelio & Missa Solemnis Otto Klemperer

Other artists who feature in the collection include: Daniel Barenboim, Rudolf Buchbinder, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Carlo Maria Giulini, Otto Klemperer, Yo-Yo Ma, Yehudi Menuhin, Jacqueline du Pré, János Starker.

Some 300 tracks specially recorded for the box
These specially recorded tracks mostly comprise rarely heard works that are waiting to be discovered by a broader body of listeners. In the main these are piano works, choral works and songs.

Booklet note by David Wyn Jones
David Wyn Jones is Professor of Music at Cardiff University in Wales, UK. He is an authority on music of the Classical Period, in particular Haydn, Beethoven and Vienna.

A luxury boxset in the same vein as the Debussy and Berlioz boxes

The CD covers will carry evocative paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, Josef Anton Koch and other German and Austrian artists of Beethoven's time.

The booklet is richly illustrated and includes a timeline and the Index of all Beethoven's works.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

*Beethoven - Complete Edition*

Beethoven's monumental contribution to Western classical music is celebrated here in this definitive collection marking the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth. Surveying the totality of his career and achievement, the Complete Edition spans orchestral, concerto, keyboard, chamber, music for the stage, choral and vocal works, encompassing his most familiar and iconic masterpieces, alongside rarities and recently reconstructed fragments and sketches in world premiere recordings. The roster of artists and ensembles includes some of Beethoven's greatest contemporary exponents, in performances that have won critical acclaim worldwide.
Key Features:
● 90-DISC box, featuring over 1,550 individual tracks, a detailed 136-page booklet and a bonus of two free album downloads.
● Accompanied by an authoritative and compelling note, the repertoire included spans Beethoven's orchestral, concerto, keyboard, chamber, music for the stage, choral and vocal works. Encompassing his most familiar and iconic pieces as well as only recently discovered rarities, it is a truly thorough and exhaustive compendium of a complex genius.
● The track list features a host of fragments, sketches, drafts, arrangements, transcriptions and reconstructions - some of which have never before been recorded - that reveal a very intimate, personal insight into the inner workings of Beethoven as a composer.
● Musical director of the Unheard Beethoven project Willem Holsbergen was the key consultant on this boxed set. Together with producer Mark S. Zimmer, Holsbergen has tirelessly created an exhaustive archive of rarities, unheard works and forgotten pieces that have been left uncovered for centuries, and granted them a new lease of life through his own reconstructions and realisations.
● Also includes the first recording of the narrated version of The Ruins of Athens.
● Bonus: Free downloads - purchasers of the box may download two albums from Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies and songs. Coupon code with details included in the box.
● Beethoven demands musicians bring their own dialogue to performances, and while the artists featured - ranging from experienced readers such as the Kodály Quartet, Takako Nishizaki and Boris Giltburg, to fresh interpreters - exceed these expectations in their renderings, with performances that have won critical esteem worldwide, all are bound by the fervour within his writing.

Contents

ORCHESTRAL 1-8
Symphonies Nos. 1-9 • Overtures • Wellington's Victory • German and Viennese Dances • Marches • Minuets

CONCERTO 9-13
Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5 • Piano Concerto, Op. 61a • Piano Concerto, WoO 4 • Violin Concerto • Triple Concerto • Romances • Fragments

KEYBOARD 14-34
Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-32 • Early Sonatas • Dances and Bagatelles • Piano Variations • Works for Piano Four Hands • The Creatures of Prometheus (version for piano) • Wellington's Victory (version for piano) • Fragments, Arrangements and Sketches

CHAMBER 35-65
Violin Sonatas • Cello Sonatas • Flute Sonatas and Serenades • Horn Sonata • String Trios • String Quartets • String Quintets • Piano Trios •Piano Quartets • Wind Quintet • Sextets • Septet • Octet • Preludes and Fugues • Canons • Dances and Marches • Duets, Trios and Quartets • National Airs and Variations • Fragments

STAGE 66-72
Fidelio • Leonore • Egmont • King Stephen • The Creatures of Prometheus • The Ruins of Athens • The Consecration of the House • Leonore Prohaska • Germania

CHORAL 73-77
Missa solemnis • Mass in C major • Choral Fantasy • Christ on the Mount of Olives • Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage • Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II • Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II • The Glorious Moment • Opferlied • Abschiedsgesang • Cantata campestre • Gesang der Mönche • Der freie Mann • Bundeslied

VOCAL 78-90
Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English Songs • Folk Songs • Lieder • Concert Arias • Canons and Musical Jokes • Fragments and Alternative Versions

FEATURED ARTISTS
Martin Galling • Sergio Gallo • Patrick Gallois • Boris Giltburg • Amy and Sara Hamann • Jenő Jandó • Jakub Junek • Dong-Suk Kang • Maria Kliegel • Warren Lee • Takako Nishizaki • Carl Petersson • Hermann Prey Matti Salminen • Konstantin Scherbakov • Kazunori Seo • Nina Tichman • Stefan Vladar • Larry Weng • Ian Yungwook Yoo Fine Arts Quartet • Kodály Quartet • New Zealand Piano Quartet • Xyrion Trio
Capella Istropolitana • Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice • Minnesota Orchestra • Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Chorus • New Zealand Symphony Orchestra • Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra • Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra • Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra • Staatskapelle Dresden • Turku Philharmonic Orchestra Herbert Blomstedt • Hilary Davan Wetton • Oliver Dohnányi • Béla Drahos • Stephen Gunzenhauser Michael Halász • Kenneth Jean • James Judd • Ondrej Lenárd • Kenneth Schermerhorn • Leif Segerstam • Stanisław Skrowaczewski • Marek Štilec


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Enough Betthoven! In this day of streaming, who do they think will buy these big boxes? Most cd collectors likely have all the Beethoven they want (or need). I have 10 symphony sets and don't intend to ever buy another. Maybe Warner and DG figure Beethoven is so important that people will gladly get these. I don't know. For newbies, these could be quite a bargain. I remember Time Life having a complete Beethoven edition 50 years ago on LP of course and a lot of people bought it just to have them collect dust and then wind up at the 2nd Hand store or the dump. And all these conductors doing yet more symphony sets. Why? Do they really think they have such important ideas that we need them, or even want them? Now maybe if someone would put together an edition using all of Weingartner's (disowned) ideas for retouching, or the symphonies Mahler did retouch, I'd be more open. I just hope that when this 250th anniversary year is over that every orchestra will ban Beethoven from the concert hall for a few years. I've burned out already on LvB.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

This discussion takes me back to the glory days, when Amazon mispriced the complete Brilliant Beethoven box at $29.95. They caught the error soon enough, but those who jumped on the offer early were covered by Amazon's lowest-price guarantee.

I assume these beautiful sets cost a bit more...


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

I wouldn’t be surprised if the market in China alone would justify these collections.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

KenOC said:


> This discussion takes me back to the glory days, when Amazon mispriced the complete Brilliant Beethoven box at $29.95. They caught the error soon enough, but those who jumped on the offer early were covered by Amazon's lowest-price guarantee.
> 
> I assume these beautiful sets cost a bit more...


Beethoven 2020 - The New Complete Edition - DG - 245.50 USD

Beethoven - The Complete Works - Warner Classics - 108.00 USD

Beethoven - Complete Edition - Naxos - 130.00 USD

Ken, I'm going to write this in your reply rather than mbhaub's because I'm fairly certain that his head will explode when he finds out that both Sony/Columbia and Brilliant Classics have "Complete Beethoven Editions" in the pipeline although it is my understanding that the Brilliant box edition will be unchanged from the current version except for a "250th Anniversary Edition" banner on the box.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

The Beethoven bicentennial in 1970 was pretty much what you would expect it to have been -- complete with a completely embarrassing Beethoven "special" on NBC During the Bach tricentiennial in 1985 I used to opine that there would have been a quite well-subcribed concert series in any major metropolitan area if they had titled it "No Bach Allowed." I have often thought that classical radio stations that only played a piece by, say, Symanovsky, on his birthday were doing as much of an injustice as those who loaded up on Beethoven on _his_ birthday. Maybe Ken Burns can do a PBS bio-series that might do him justice.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

mbhaub said:


> Enough Betthoven!.


No such thing...



mbhaub said:


> In this day of streaming, who do they think will buy these big boxes?


Me...


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

26.99 USD

https://www.spreadshirt.com/beethov...t-shirt-D12978151?appearance=317&color=3A3D87


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

KenOC said:


> This discussion takes me back to the glory days, when Amazon mispriced the complete Brilliant Beethoven box at $29.95. They caught the error soon enough, but those who jumped on the offer early were covered by Amazon's lowest-price guarantee.
> 
> I assume these beautiful sets cost a bit more...


Ken, long time, no 'see'! I hope that you are doing well!


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

Mollie John said:


> No such thing...
> 
> Me...


Ha! Mollie John, I feel the exact same way!


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

Both the DG and Warner box sets also include new recordings and (in the DG box) 'world premieres', which leads me to conclude that despite each claiming 'completeness', there will be some number of variations from one box to another.

In other words, to really ensure that you have the COMPLETE Beethoven, you'll have to buy them all!!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Phil in Magnolia said:


> Ken, long time, no 'see'! I hope that you are doing well!


Hey Phil, how ya doin'? Hope all is well up in neutron land. Also hope you plan to stay around here a bit.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Sony too???? Oh no. Except - they do have a Beethoven symphony cycle that I really wish they would put on CD. It's the old Ormandy/Philadelphia. Not even close to historically correct, but the set was made when the orchestra was in its prime. My 50 year old LP set is well worn. Some of the symphonies were on CD, but not all. And he made some fine concerto recordings, too, that would be fun to hear. If they aren't released here at a bargain price, I'll get the Japanese editions someday.

There is another cycle I'd like to hear again: it was on PBS back in the early '80s with Antal Dorati and the Detroit Symphony. EG Marshall did the intros. I think Dick Cavett was involved in some way too. I old was able to hear them on a lousy tinny TV. It'd be nice to see them again with better equipment.

And the reason I say enough: every year, for the past 45, I play one or more symphonies, usually a concerto or two and more. This year I get to play symphonies 4, 5 (twice), 7, 8, 9. The violin concerto and 3rd piano concerto. Lenore #3. Egmont overture. I'm tired of all this Beethoven! There's so much else out there. But, if it sells tickets, who am I to complain...


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

I'm always tempted by these large box sets, less because of the music (I have enough of it) and more because of the fantastic packaging and extras they usually come with. Luckily I've been able to suppress my collector-itus enough that I haven't bought any of the latest ones: The Mozart 225, Bach 330, or Beethoven 2020. Last one I did buy was the Philips Complete Mozart over a decade ago, and that was largely how I discovered most of his music. Looking at the list of performers, it still seems superior to the latest DG box set. I also manage to sell it for a profit when I moved my entire CD collection to my NAS. Really, these deluxe box sets tend to make good investments for gree... ahem, intelligent capitalists.


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

KenOC said:


> Hey Phil, how ya doin'? Hope all is well up in neutron land. Also hope you plan to stay around here a bit.


Ken, I am doing very well, thank you. I will see if I can start participating a bit here. I don't have as much 'free' time as I did a few years ago, particularly back when the Amazon forums were still active and enjoyable (I really do miss those discussions). I will have to start following the 'listening to now' thread and participate when I can, I assume that there are others here from those days, and I'd like to reconnect.

Also, the neutrons are all idle up here now. Work is all taking care of the byproducts and associated cleanup . . .


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I wish they release this one on CD, alas only downloads.

Beethoven 2020 - Rarities

Beethoven: Andante in C major
Beethoven: Anglaise in D major, WoO 212
Beethoven: Bagatelle in C major, Hess 57
Beethoven: Menuett in F major, WoO 217
Beethoven: Sonata for flute & piano in B flat major, Kinsky-Halm Anh 4

Groups & Artists

Brautigam, Ronald
Buchbinder, Rudolf
Endellion String Quartet
Hope, Daniel
Knauer, Sebastian
Lang, Lang
Müller-Schott, Daniel


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

I will be taking in a complete cycle at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Riccardo Muti is the current music director. It looks as though the tempii will be slower than is my preference in recordings, but nonetheless I am still looking forward to it, as live music is a whole different ballgame.






I also bought this book to bone up throughout the season. Hasn't arrived yet.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The problem with these large sets is you simply don't have time to play them unless you are a hermit in an acoustic room with speakers devoted only to the out-ut of classical music. I love the thought of big boxed sets as collectors items but I must admit relatively few of the discs actually get played.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Bought Bach333 and this Beethoven 2020 looks too tempting.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Not tempted by any of these, too much duplication would be involved. However, it seems Naxos are filling in the gaps in their catalogue, and some of the rarer stuff - Lieder, incidental music and the like - looks worth getting.


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

Well, after pondering for nearly a month (since I learned of the new DG Beethoven set), I've pre-ordered it on Amazon (release date is 11/1/19).

I swear, this will be my final CD purchase! I'm pretty much convinced to stick with the collection I have, which after all is enough music to last any sane person for a lifetime or two, and anything new I may want to listen to seems to be available to me now via streaming.

(My rationale, not that I need one, is that this is a 'collectors' item and something worth having & hopefully passing on to someone appreciative when the time comes . . . )


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

CnC Bartok said:


> Not tempted by any of these, too much duplication would be involved. However, it seems Naxos are filling in the gaps in their catalogue, and some of the rarer stuff - Lieder, incidental music and the like - looks worth getting.


I will make a point to listen to rarities that are also a part of the DG collection, once I receive it.


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

DG's new Beethoven edition is out now. Frustratingly I haven't yet received my own copy - UPS delivery had been scheduled for Friday but was delayed; I'll receive it tomorrow. Uploading various .jpg's showing the box and contents.


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

Here is the disc listing & brief description of contents of each. Box includes 123 discs altogether, 3 are Blu-ray and 2 are DVDs, plus a hardcover biography of Beethoven and 9 separate smaller booklets giving information on the compositions and performances.

I'm anxious to receive it!!


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I've had second thoughts about not buying one of these monstrosities. Last night I was playing a concert with the Beethoven 5th. Somewhere in the middle of the second movement it hit me just how awesomely beautiful this music is. And even though I've played the 5th many, many times the sense of magnificence at the end is overwhelming. So -- I'm going for this huge DG set. Then I'm going to try something that I've done with other composers: listen to the complete works in the order they written. I figure an hour or so a day should fill 2020 quite easily. Then it can be a doorstop.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

MatthewWeflen said:


> I also bought this book to bone up throughout the season. Hasn't arrived yet.
> 
> View attachment 124040


I absolutely love that book. Thoroughly researched, detailed, passionate (yet not overly opinionated in the slightest!), and overall as enjoyable as it is edifying to read. I have his Brahms biography too, but I haven't spent as much time with it.


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## brahmsgirl (Apr 4, 2019)

Here in Poland we have annual Easter LvB's Festiwal, organized and "hosted" by Mrs Elżbieta Penderecka. 
The program is quite rich every year and contains not only Beethoven's pieces. As there is this special Beethoven's year I believe the program would be more concentrated on Ludwig - but it's only my presumption, the program is not officially released yet. A couple days ago they've released the Festival's poster which I enjoy a lot:









<personal pride: my younger sister is also going to perform on that festival :clap:>


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

100 USD for the complete works of Beethoven? Man, this classical music is cheap. 
The complete edition of John Williams' 3 Harry Potter scores cost over a 100 USD and it was considered a bargain.


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## Phil in Magnolia (Oct 6, 2017)

mbhaub said:


> I've had second thoughts about not buying one of these monstrosities. Last night I was playing a concert with the Beethoven 5th. Somewhere in the middle of the second movement it hit me just how awesomely beautiful this music is. And even though I've played the 5th many, many times the sense of magnificence at the end is overwhelming. So -- I'm going for this huge DG set. Then I'm going to try something that I've done with other composers: listen to the complete works in the order they written. I figure an hour or so a day should fill 2020 quite easily. Then it can be a doorstop.


That is a terrific plan and I hope you share your thoughts along the way (in the Current Listening thread, or elsewhere). A few years ago I listened to all of Haydn's symphonies, a similar project although quite a bit less challenging. I would like to do this myself, for both Mozart and Beethoven. Something for a future project although there is no reason I could not do it now, albeit at a bit slower pace . . .

And by the way, the Beethoven box is beautifully done. It is dimensionally exactly the same as DG's Mozart collection from a couple of years ago, however the Beethoven box has fewer 'bonus' extras (only one hardback book, vs two for Mozart, and the Mozart box has several 'framable' prints, etc), and the Mozart box has 200 CDs vs 123 for Beethoven (includes 2 DVD and 3 Blu Ray). The cost is slightly higher for the Beethoven box, on a per-CD basis . . .


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

I just ran into this one, a nice clip for all Beethoven enthousiasts!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

NLAdriaan said:


> I just ran into this one, a nice clip for all Beethoven enthousiasts!


I once came across one for 'In the Hall of the Mountain King'. I never understood why people love this kind of videos, it's boring to watch. Just a random rider doing his own thing unrelated to the music.


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

I usually post new Beethoven releases on the New Releases thread in the Recorded Music and Publications section of T.C., but today I decided to try this Beethoven Theme Park Thread:

*Konstantin Lifschitz* (a pianist who has recorded such wonderful Bach cds) is releasing a complete cycle of Beethoven's piano sonatas:









A new cycle of Beethoven's violin sonatas on period instruments (I don't know these musicians):









This *Buchbinder* CD looks like a re-release?:









Buchbinder is also releasing a book *NB: IN GERMAN!!!* about the Diabelli Variations.:


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

mbhaub said:


> Enough Betthoven! In this day of streaming, who do they think will buy these big boxes? … I remember Time Life having a complete Beethoven edition 50 years ago on LP of course and a lot of people bought it just to have them collect dust and then wind up at the 2nd Hand store or the dump.


Well, I purchased two of the boxes (the Naxos and the Warners) to assist in my celebration of the 250th. I already have a couple of other Beethoven boxes (including the Brilliant and the [email protected] sets) and on vinyl disc I have the complete set of Murray Hill releases from years ago: Krips' Symphonies, the Complete String Quartets, the Complete Music for Woodwinds and Brass, the Complete Piano Music featuring largely Brendel …. And, my dear mbhaub, I still retain a well-cared for complete set of the Time Life LP boxes. And I play them regularly on my VPI Scoutmaster fitted with a Clearaudio Maestro Wood cartridge. The sound is wonderful still. So don't check the dumpsters outside my property. You won't find any Beethoven (or Betthoven!) discards there.



Mollie John said:


> Beethoven - The Complete Works - Warner Classics - 108.00 USD
> 
> Beethoven - Complete Edition - Naxos - 130.00 USD


By the way, I got both of these for under $100 each, which is not to say they are not worth more. After all, Beethoven remains priceless. I for one worship at his shrine and am not adverse to adding to my already large Beethoven collection because I can never have enough respect for this composer, the Everest of music makers. And, I can never have enough Beethoven.

I will celebrate tomorrow by cracking into those two still sealed box sets and exploring a tune or two … or several or many more. It will be a Beethoven day for me.

Thank you, Ludwig, for your contribution to our culture. We would not be the same civilization without you.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Why did the two of you buy both the Naxos and Warner boxes and not the DG box? Do you already own many of the recordings in the DG box?

I don't care for the look of the Naxos set. It's highly generic and unattractive.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Ludwig van Beethoven (Bonn, *16 December 1770 *- Wenen, 26 March1827)


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## regnaDkciN (May 24, 2011)

mbhaub said:


> So -- I'm going for this huge DG set. Then I'm going to try something that I've done with other composers: listen to the complete works in the order they written. I figure an hour or so a day should fill 2020 quite easily.


That's what I'm doing with the first Brilliant set, which I purchased about a decade ago. Given that all the major live events commemorating the anniversary have had to be canceled (and I doubt they'll ever be rescheduled - "Beethoven 251" just doesn't have the same ring to it), it's really about the only way to celebrate the "Beethoven Year.".

And the only reason I'm not purchasing all current three box sets (and the Mozart 225 and Bach 333 collections) is that I'm seriously out CD storage space. Not only that, but I've ripped my whole collection to my music server and, I'm on the verge of having to upgrade the hard drives (both onboard and for backup purposes) to at least 10TB because I'm running out of space!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The problem with these complete sets is that very little actually gets played in my experience. I bought the Brilliant Mozart Complete edition for £20 from a charity shop. No problem financially and £20 to charity. I've played bits but not very much as I had plenty of Mozart already. Perhaps if you are starting a collection it would be worth getting.


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## regnaDkciN (May 24, 2011)

DavidA said:


> The problem with these complete sets is that very little actually gets played in my experience. I bought the Brilliant Mozart Complete edition for £20 from a charity shop. No problem financially and £20 to charity. I've played bits but not very much as I had plenty of Mozart already. Perhaps if you are starting a collection it would be worth getting.


Sure, if you just get it as "backup," to supplement your other recordings, it will probably be mostly untouched. My remedy for that, at least in Beethoven's case, is to consciously go through the entire box in order of composition, over a period of several weeks/months, while studying a biography of the composer (I'm using Swofford's in this case). I consider it the equivalent of taking an extension course about the composer. Since I have the three Brilliant "big boxes," I'm going to move on to Mozart next year (the 265th anniversary of his birth and 230th of his death), then eventually to Bach. After that, ??? (Of course, it helps that I'm a retired "empty nester" - and am stuck inside due to COVID - so have enough time on my hands.)


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## Caroline (Oct 27, 2018)

Although not the 'official' Stieler portrait (~1823?) - but considered to be the 'best' likeness overall is the drawing by Letronne - image 1 and the idealized engraving by Blasius Hoefel (1814)...








and


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## billeames (Jan 17, 2014)

I bought the DG box and am glad of it, as I was missing some items. Note that there may not be one artist for a set of pieces. I thought about the Warner box as it is much cheaper. Still am, but I dont know yet. I like the historic extras that are included.


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