Rattles new Beethoven set?

Has anyone sampled it yet? Gramophone

Simon gave it a tepid review here recently, with which I agree (we both like the 9th; he likes the 3rd a little better than I do; I like the 2nd a little better than he does; we neither care much for the rest). The engineering is quite disappointing, except for the 9th

I am a big Rattle fan, I must admit and certainly liked his recent Mahler 5 a lot more than most seemed to, but I must admit that the Beethoven set wasn't quite the sparkling listen I hoped it would be.

I've only listened through the entire thing once, but have given a couple a second spin. I think my biggest disappointment was the 9th, although in fairness it's not a symphony I like as much as I think I ought to (if you see what I mean), but I hoped this might make me love it, but the seemingly curious tempo choices, particularly at the very end, didn't quite work for me. I was hoping for a repeat of the spectacular Mahler 5 ending, but the final tempo just didn't take flight like I thought it should.

concertos. Definitely

Last year the NY Times wrote rapturously about Aimard's NY appearances - I look forward to hearing his Beethoven.

Marc Perman

says...

Tony M and I expressed disappointment in it in a different thread (inquiring re whether the discs would be released separately from the box) a couple of days ago. I pretty much agree with the Gramophone review.

Well there has been discussion of this set on this newsgroup. MusicWeb devoted a whole day to it carrying two detailed reviews which you can see here: http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2003/Apr03/ Beethoven_symphonies_R... A.htm
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2003/Apr03/ Beethoven_Symphonies_R...

Rattle seems afraid of/averse to (or whatever it is) the possibility of vulgar exuberant excitement in this music - most of the codas to the outer movements strike me as underplayed/damped down (the most obvious perhaps being that to Eroica/iv, where the reserve of the performance contrasts oddly with what comes before it). Somewhere (the Gramophone feature?) he's quoted as saying something to the effect that he wants to make Beethoven speak rather than shout - which is all very well, but it seems to me that Beethoven is a composer who shouts at times (sometimes angrily, sometimes with joy, etc.); and if you ignore that, the result isn't the discovery of additional bits where Beethoven has conversations but merely muted shouting, which to these ears doesn't work.

Simon (who likes Rattle's 9th less than Tony M. seems to think I do; it's the best recorded performance in the set, though.)

Indeed

You didn't complain about it as much as you complained about the others.

Tony Movshon (who likes i-iii of the Rattle 9th, but finds iv a bit disappointing)

[Rattle]

If he wants to make Beethoven speak rather than shout, I hope he doesn't do the Missa Solemnis. (Or has he?)

Interesting. I missed that. I'll have to look it up. I really like Barenboim's set and really don't want another (to add to the way too many that I have) modern one. Gramophone makes no mention of the vocal soloists in the 9th. Any comments?

Thanks. I was going to ask about that next. I like Aimard very much