Beethoven: Symphony No.5 etc

Advantages: Great songs - wonderful, popular tunes
Disadvantages: A few songs aren't as good as the others

...I recently bought this CD from amazon, costing £4.97 (which I thought wasn't too bad a price for a CD of anout 75 minutes of good, popular classical music), because I thought it would be nice to have to listen to when I'm learning to drive in a few months time. When the CD arrived I put it on the shelf, intending to keep it until I'm learning to drive but the attractive cover was too attractive and so I just had to listen to it - and I'm glad I did. The CD is really good, with some absolutely wonderful songs like Gabriel's Oboe and Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini (18th movement), played by famous orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra etc. Tracks include: 1. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - first movement (07:12) This famous piece of music is played by the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra... Read review

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Advantages: A new way to hear Beethoven
Disadvantages: Surpassed by some later period cycles

...depiction of a trio of birds, a village band and a thunderstorm. The Seventh brought a completely new emphasis on the use of rhythm, something that had never been heard of before at this scale, while the Eighth proved that little is sometimes more with its witty and humor-filled attitude completely off-setting the greater Seventh. And finally there came the Ninth Symphony that not only out-scaled the Eroica, but also introduced human voices in a symphony. The addition of a chorus and soloists in a profoundly instrumental work would be much explored by the Romantics that followed. In essence and deed, Beethoven was one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) influences in the way music evolved through the Classical era to the Romantic. And, of course, his influence also effected many other genres like piano sonatas, chamber music, concertos, etc... Read review

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Advantages: Outstanding music on period instruments
Disadvantages: Swaping C.D'S in music player.

...The 9 symphonies by Ludwig Van Beethoven. (1770 - 1827) Performed by The London Classical Players. Conducted by Sir Roger Norrington. With the Schutz choir of London. Not everybody likes classical music. Even those who do, do not all like the same things. This boxed set of CD's if different from previous recordings. Firstly, it is played on period instruments. This is not to everybody’s taste. These instruments are not like today’s instruments. For instance, the violin has a cleaner but more plaintive tone. The woodwinds each has a colour and clarity of tone that blends to a harmonious whole. The timpani, those smaller drums, are hit with hard sticks more reminiscent of military drum sounds. The horn section has a different feel to it. Considering the lapse of some 184 years, it would be strange if the sounds produced were... Read review

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Advantages: The music, the chorus, the memorable melody
Disadvantages: None

...as in a fugue, as more and more instruments join with their particular qualities a joyfull interaction and socialisation occurs, indicating the coming of life on the newly created world. 3rd Movement Adagio Molto E Cantabile This slow movement is lyrical and tranquil as order develops from the chaos of creation. The 4th Movement Presto and the 5th Movement Allegro Assai, combine to make the finale. This part of the symphony is based on the poem by Schiller (An Die Freude) Ode To Joy. Beethoven combines choral with orchestral music, hence the colloquial name for this symphony (Beethoven’s Choral Symphony).The theme of joy is first herd from the orchestra and the cello’s and double basses alone, they are then joined by the entire orchestra, a bass voice proclaims “O friends, not such sounds as these; let us strike up more pleasing ones, full... Read review

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