Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures at Music Hills.com

Music CD 1

Symphony No. 1 In C Major Op. 21: I. Adagio molto -- Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 1 In C Major Op. 21: II. Andante cantabile con moto
Symphony No. 1 In C Major Op. 21: III. Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace
Symphony No. 1 In C Major Op. 21: IV. Adagio -- Allegro molto e vivace
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 36: I. Adagio molto -- Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 36: II. Larghetto
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 36: III. Scherzo: Allegro
Symphony No. 2 In D Major Op. 36: IV. Allegro molto

Music CD 2

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 'Eroica': IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: I. Adagio -- Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: II. Adagio
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: III. Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60: IV. Allegro ma non troppo

Music CD 3

Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: II. Andante con moto
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: III. Allegro
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67: IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': II. Andante molto mosso
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': III. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In F Major Op. 68 'Pastoral': V. Allegretto

Music CD 4

Symphony No. 7 In A Major Op. 92: I. Poco sostenuto -- Vivace
Symphony No. 7 In A Major Op. 92: II. Allegretto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major Op. 92: III. Presto
Symphony No. 7 In A Major Op. 92: IV. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 8 In F Major Op. 93: I. Allegro vivace e con brio
Symphony No. 8 In F Major Op. 93: II. Allegretto scherzando
Symphony No. 8 In F Major Op. 93: III. Tempo di menuetto
Symphony No. 8 In F Major Op. 93: IV. Allegro vivace

Music CD 5

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': Allegro ma nan troppo un maetoso
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': II. Molto vivace
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': III. Adagio molto e cantabile
Symphony No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 'Choral': IV. Presto -- Allegro assai

Music CD 6

Coriolan, Op. 62
The Ruins Of Athens, Op. 113
King Stephen, Op. 117
Leonore No.2, Op. 72a
Fidelio, Op. 72c
Egmont, Op.84
The Creatures Of Prometheus, Op. 43
The Consecration Of The House, Op. 124

Music CD 7

Missa Solemnis: Kyrie
Missa Solemnis: Gloria
Missa Solemnis: Credo
Missa Solemnis: Sanctus
Missa Solemnis: Agnus Dei

Music reviews of Symphonies / Missa Solemnis / Overtures

Music Review: Beethoven of varied quality
Rating: 3 Stars

For a group whose strengths lie in the music of the early Classical period, it is surprising that perhaps their weakest performance comes in the most Haydnesque of all the symphonies, the First. Monica Huggett takes the music at too measured a pace, and the result is a performance that plods along, in contrast to (for example) Karajan's peppy version of the First. The other more "conservative" symphonies (Second, Fourth, and Eighth), however, are excellent. The Sixth is the best of the set, with Roy Goodman and the Hanover Band managing to capture all the nuances of what is Beethoven's most textural symphony with the possible exception of the Ninth.

It is in the more powerful symphonies (Third, Fifth, and Ninth) where the Hanover Band struggles. It is easy to see the vision and striving of Beethoven in these performances, but they lack the excitement and verve of the greatest recordings, and in the end, they can sound hopelessly old-fashioned (in the Ninth wasting an outstanding effort by the soloists).

The biggest argument in favor of this set is, like all of Nimbus's sets, the bargain price, made even more tempting by the inclusion of a sampling of Overtures, and a fine Missa Solemnis (though it, too, is not without its shortcomings).

If you swear by period instruments, then this set is about as good as any. It is also good as a second set if you already have a modern interpretation. But ultimately, I believe, the best recording is one that comes closest to recreating the music that the composer heard in his head, rather than the music that he heard in the concert hall.