Danish Chamber Orchestra - Beethoven: Complete Symphonies (2019)

Beethoven‘s symphonies pose without any doubt one of the greatest artistic challenges to every conductor. Of the countless questions about what an authentic interpretation means, I am addressing only one here, namely the problem of Beethoven’s metronome markings. As we know, the first metronomes were built in Vienna during Beethoven’s lifetime and he did then give metronome markings to his pieces (retrospectively in most cases).

For generations, the musical world has debated the subject of how to approach these metronome markings and to what extent a close adherence to Beethoven’s tempi must form an integral part of a faithful rendering of Beethoven’s work. In my student days it was still generally believed that Beethoven’s metronome was faulty, on the grounds that the tempi were too fast and unplayable. So, the markings had to be wrong. Later, especially with the advent of period instrument ensembles, some recordings were made which were unwavering in their strict adherence to Beethoven’s tempi, for better or worse so to speak.

Sara Swietlicki, soprano
Morten Grove Frandsen, countertenor
Ilker Arcayürek, tenor
Lars Møller, baritone
Danish Chamber Orchestra
The Danish National Concert Choir
Ádám Fischer, conductor

Tracklist:

CD1:

01. Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: II. Andante cantabile con moto
03. Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: III. Menuetto
04. Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21: IV. Finale. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace
05. Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
06. Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: II. Larghetto
07. Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: III. Scherzo. Allegro
08. Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto



CD2:

01. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 :Eroica:: I. Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 :Eroica:: II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai
03. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 :Eroica:: III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
04. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 :Eroica:: IV. Finale. Allegro molto
05. Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: I. Adagio - Allegro vivace
06. Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: II. Adagio
07. Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: III. Allegro vivace
08. Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo



CD3:

01. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
02. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: II. Andante con moto
03. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: III. Scherzo. Allegro
04. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: IV. Allegro
05. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 :Pastoral:: I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings upon Arrival in the Country. Allegro ma non troppo
06. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 :Pastoral:: II. Scene by the Brook. Andante molto mosso
07. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 :Pastoral:: III. Merry Gathering of Country Folk. Allegro
08. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 :Pastoral:: IV. Thunderstorm. Allegro
09. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 :Pastoral:: V. Shepherd's Song. Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm. Allegretto



CD4:

01. Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
02. Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: II. Allegretto
03. Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: III. Presto
04. Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: IV. Allegro con brio
05. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: I. Allegro vivace e con brio
06. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: II. Allegretto scherzando
07. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: III. Tempo di menuetto
08. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: IV. Allegro vivace



CD5:

01. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125: I. Allegro, ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
02. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125: II. Scherzo. Molto vivace
03. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125: III. Adagio molto e cantabile
04. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125: IV. Finale. Presto