Credits:

Lohmann, Antoinette

Description:

Harmonie Mundi Beethoven Year Series continues! Symphonies No. 1 & No. 2 by the Berlin Academy of Ancient Music! Beethoven Year Series by Harmonie Mundi, Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 by the Berlin Academy of Ancient Music The "Rural" (HMM 902425/ KKC 6206) was a great success, and here, too, the members of the orchestra, who are all too skilled, give a refined and energetic performance. The performance of No. 1 was both gorgeous and delicate, reminiscent of an opera. The ensemble of No. 2 was perfect down to the smallest detail. The contrast in the third movement, the Scherzo, is also very vivid. The coupling is two symphonies by C.P.E. Bach. C.P.E. Bach was a great symphonic composer before Beethoven, and his works are of course full of originality, but when you listen to them side by side like this, even if you only listen to the characteristic opening of the first movement of each piece, you will realize that Beethoven tried to exceed the works of his predecessors and devised many different ideas. I am impressed again by Beethoven's various ideas to surpass the works of his predecessors.The Berlin Academy of Ancient Music offers a vivid and refined performance of the definitive work by Beethoven, who was about 30 years old when he created it and presented it to the world with full confidence. For this recording, the members of the Berlin Academy of Ancient Music visited all the places where Beethoven had performed in Vienna (so-called "halls") and studied their acoustics. In the end, they decided on the ideal acoustics of a small hall, which is why the number of string players was reduced. Although there are no detailed records or paintings of the concerts conducted by Beethoven himself, we can infer the composition of the orchestra at that time from records of the number of orchestra members in the theater directories of the time. As for the layout, strings were placed on the left side of the stage as seen from the audience, wind instruments on the right, and the double basses were placed slightly behind the trombones, trumpets and timpani. This made it easier for the members to make contact with each other, and even without a conductor, they were able to consider each section's next move as if they were playing chamber music. King International

Tracklisting:

1.Sinfonie in F major, Wq. 175, H. 650~Allegro assai
2.Sinfonie in F major, Wq. 175, H. 650~Andante
3.Sinfonie in F major, Wq. 175, H. 650~Tempo di Menuetto
4.Sinfonie Nr. 1 in C major, Op. 21~Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
5.Sinfonie Nr. 1 in C major, Op. 21~Andante cantabile con moto
6.Sinfonie Nr. 1 in C major, Op. 21~Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace - Trio
7.Sinfonie Nr. 1 in C major, Op. 21~Finale. [Adagio] - Allegro molto e vivace
8.Sinfonie in G major, Wq. 183, H. 666~Allegro assai
9.Sinfonie in G major, Wq. 183, H. 666~Poco andante
10.Sinfonie in G major, Wq. 183, H. 666~Presto
11.Sinfonie Nr. 2 in D major, Op. 36~Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
12.Sinfonie Nr. 2 in D major, Op. 36~Larghetto
13.Sinfonie Nr. 2 in D major, Op. 36~Scherzo. Allegro - Trio
14.Sinfonie Nr. 2 in D major, Op. 36~Allegro molto