Beethoven: Symphonies 3 & 9 -- Berlin PO/Abbado DVD

The celebrated Claudio Abbado conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in performances of Beethoven's Third and Ninth Symphonies. No. 9 comes first, in a performance given in the Berlin Philharmonie hall for the year 2000 Europe Concert; the finale of Beethoven's masterpiece having been coopted as the anthem of the European Union, this tenth annual concert emphasised unification in an international broadcast seen by millions worldwide. Abbado is as qualified to conduct this music as anyone alive and brings a deeply sympathetic reading from the BPO, eliciting a particularly... spirited and uplifting second movement Molto vivace and eloquently moving Adagio. The epic choral finale features the combined forces of the Swedish Radio Choir and Eric Ericson Chamber Choir together with top international soloists, including the soprano Karita Mattila. The result is exhilarating, rapturous music-making which is never overwhelming but which truly captures the joy of Schiller's text. Recorded in February 2001 at the National Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome, a fine performance of Beethoven's Third Symphony, "Eroica" completes the programme. The two venues ensure some visual contrast in both pieces, with Abbado a compelling figure to watch as he delivers this incomparable music. On the DVD: Beethoven Symphonies 3 amp; 9 is presented anamorphically enhanced at 16:9 ratio with a strong, clear picture and sound options covering PCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. The last of these is the best, the surround speakers being used subtly to give a real sense of live concert-hall ambience and an enveloping spread of the choirs in the Ninth. Other than a reasonably informative booklet the only significant extra is a multi-angle option for No. 3. With this selected the camera remains on Abbado throughout, offering a useful orchestra's eye view for musicians and conducting students. Finally there is a sound-check to test for the correct connection of surround speakers. --Gary S Dalkin [show more]

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