EuroArts releases a special edition of all nine Beethoven Symphonies played by the Berlin Philharmonic under former chief conductor Claudio Abbado. Each of the symphonies is a masterpiece in itself – they are all quite different, each representing the composer’s musical idiom at a particular stage in his development. This DVD includes symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 and offers a “Conductor Camera” in the famous 5th Symphony showing the maestro from the perspective of the musician. The recordings feature interpretations that are the fruit of decades of Claudio Abbado’s involvement with Beethoven. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado’s musical intentions into sound – there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. Claudio Abbado was the orchestra’s fifth Artistic Director, a post he held from 1989 to 2002. He has remained close to the orchestra. This series of live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome was an overwhelming success: the concerts ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this DVD series pays tribute to Abbado’s achievement.
Available as separate symphonies on iTunes:
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 5
L.v. Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op.36; Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op.67