Great Works, Variable Performances

Another example of the DG series of double cd's Panorama, this one with the formidable task of trying to represent the music of Ludwig van Beethoven. A starry cast of musicians produce mixed results. Disk one features the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Herbert von Karajan in Symphony No 1 and Symphony No 3, Eroica. It is tempting to think of the first symphony as a fledgling work with close links to Haydn and Mozart but while there is truth in those links, Beethoven was already moving away from a pure classical form and that move became a leap with the third symphony. The Eroica has many well known tales associated with it, the abortive dedication to Napoleon, the circumstances of the premiere etc. But the stature of the work as a major move forward from what had gone before can't be doubted. Sadly, it gets something of a lack lustre performance from Karajan who is perhaps perversely much more animated in No 1. I may change the habit of only buying one copy of any particular work in this case and also in the case of the Violin Concerto, a wonderful work given a turgid rendition here by Karajan, the Berlin Phil and soloist Anne Sophie Mutter. Fortunately the disk is bookended by splendid performances, concluding with Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich playing the Cello Sonata Op 69. This is chamber music playing of a very high quality.