This is not Scherchen’s Beethoven, it’s Beethoven’s Beethoven.
Originally recorded between 1951-1954 for the Westminster label, this mono cycle is a prize tip to celebrate the Beethoven year. Yet, nothing in this set sounds like 1950s – neither Hermann Scherchen’s captivating, almost contemporary approach to Beethoven, nor the sound quality (in most of the cases) suggest a purely historic reissue. As Scherchen’s producer at Westminster, Kurt List pointed out, “With Scherchen the result is never boring, nor does it leave you indifferent.” Scherchen’s interpretation is still breathtaking, demonstrating his personal principle: "Music does not have to be understood. It has to be listened to."
Available as Digital Albums and as 8CD Set
In just under 75 minutes, we traverse the riches he bequeathed us.
Discover all you need to know from Beethoven on 6 digital albums, featuring different genres and allowing you to listen to the essence of Beethoven in excerpts which lead you right to the core of famous Beethoven works.
Ready? Go!
Daniel Barenboim conducts from the piano his orchestra of almost two decades, the Staatskapelle Berlin, in all five Beethoven Piano Concertos. As part of the digitalization of the Deutsche Grammophon archives and In partnership with Euroarts, we are delighted to present these performances as Visual Albums. Daniel Barenboim is one of the most prolific and high-profile artists performing on international stages today and Beethoven’s masterpieces have been a key part of his repertoire throughout his career, both as conductor and as pianist.
Steinberg’s sober, self-effacing approach to Beethoven was warmly received by critics who praised the conductor for allowing the works to speak entirely for themselves. High Fidelity, the leading US classical-record magazine of the time, wrote “… Steinberg does not romanticize the music, but he knows how to turn a good phrase and draw out a singing line.” We release the symphonies altogether for the first time on CD in a 5CD package and digitally as single symphony albums.
Claudio Abbado and the Berliner Philharmoniker received enthusiastic acclaim for their Beethoven cycle, performed at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in February 2001. There were standing ovations after each performance and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. The Claudio Abbado symphony cycle is available on-demand as individual Visual Streaming Albums.