Beethoven: Complete incidental music to Egmont, Op.84, and The Ruins of Athens, Op.113
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Edition: Music CDCD Release Date: 1991-07-01
Music Label: Capitol
Music reviews of Beethoven: Complete incidental music to Egmont, Op.84, and The Ruins of Athens, Op.113
Music Review: 3rd Best Egmont Overture Recording -- but still evokes what actor Gary Oldman said of Beethoven: "Wow! Thanks, Man!"
Rating: 5 Stars
OK, yes an idiosyncractic review title. But sometimes such a thing can give you real insight. But I'll decrypt it for you forthwith: in the movie about Beethoven, "Immortal Beloved", actor Gary Oldman, talking on an interview extra on the DVD of how he finally "got" Beethoven, said the quoted words: "Wow! Thanks, man!" This is exactly the thought & emotion I felt after listening to this recording of the Egmont overture. HOWEVER: I NOW RATE THE RECORDING 4 STARS. WHY? SEE MY REVIEW OF THE FRICSAY RECORDING! (A very close 2nd to the FRICSAY is the "#1 Beethoven Album" by DECCA.) Beethoven wrote the work for Goethe's poem/opera -- and he did it with love and took no money for it. Beethoven may well have enjoyed writing for Egmont more than any other composition. But after listening to the overture, you still want to go back in time and thank the man for bringing you such exquisite pleasure. Perhaps Beethoven was thinking of people some two centuries in the future; perhaps not. Either way, you are emotionally (not just cognitively) thankful he existed and wrote this overture. Though the Egmont overture run time on this recording is rather shorter than most others, it does NOT have an overly speedy or rushed feel. It feels substantive. The brass players are very precise -- a wonderful attribute of this recording.
The only deficits: I would prefer to hear more incisive articulation to the attacks of the tympani. The tone/mood is not contrasty enough between different parts. See my review of Fricsay's recording in which profundity abounds and there is more mood contrast.
Other than that, instrumental and timbral balance is optimal. Sound quality is somewhat distant and less sumptuous than some recordings, but is not thin or tinny.
As to the rest of the CD -- I don't know. I barely listened to it. The liner notes are sensational on this CD; you'll learn alot. Even with this (my 3rd place finisher) CD, you will still understand the Egmont Overture and what Gary Oldman and I mean when we say "Wow! Thanks, man!" But you should really buy Fricsay's recording and/or the "#1 Beethoven Album" by DECCA as well as this Egmont & Athens CD.
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