# Beethoven symphonies played by solitists emsembles?



## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I was wondering if there is a Beethoven cycle where all the parts are played by soloists? I know that the Cantus Cölln ensemble has recorded baroque works for Harmonia Mundi in such a fashion, where every vocal and instrumental part is performed by a single person. But I'd love to hear Beethoven that way too. Just curious if anybody knows?

I don't mean arragements for chamber ensemble, although they can be great, too. I have a set of late Mozart symphonies arranged by Hummel für flute, violin, cello and piano (Naxos, really great). Hummel also reworked some Beethoven symphonies.

I know chamber orchestras can come fairly close to a soloistic performance, maybe the Immerseel and Krevine Beethoven cycles are the next best thing in that regard? I'm basically looking for something that is as chamber-music-like as possible without being an arrangement.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I do know that Cyprien Katsaris played al the symphonies of Beethoven on the piano .


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Do you mean the whole orchestral score but only one of each type of instrument, one violin or two violins if the score has two groups of violins? That would be interesting. What would happen to the Ninth though if you only had the four solo singers and no choir. Would be interesting though.


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Of course not. It'll never happen. Who's going to record Beethoven 5 with 10 wind players, 9 brass, 1 timpanist and 5 string players?

The only duplication in the symphonies is in the string parts. All the wind and brass are already one player per part. Difficult to imagine you could get an acceptable performance with strings any fewer than, say 8,6,6,6,3 and even that's thinning it out a bit much.
GG


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

GraemeG said:


> Of course not. It'll never happen. Who's going to record Beethoven 5 with 10 wind players, 9 brass, 1 timpanist and 5 string players?


That's 30 players. There's an excellent recording of the Eroica played by the Ensemble 28 with fewer players than that. Same number as the initial performance at Lobkowitz's place.


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

KenOC said:


> That's 30 players. There's an excellent recording of the Eroica played by the Ensemble 28 with fewer players than that. Same number as the initial performance at Lobkowitz's place.


Thank you, I'll check that out!


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Liszt did piano transcriptions that are very good.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Andreas said:


> Thank you, I'll check that out!


The recording can be hard to search for. Here's the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphony-No-3-Eroica/dp/B0008GIRC4


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