Beethoven: The Symphonies Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Beethoven: The Symphonies Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 2, 2017

Ho hum, another release of Beethoven symphonies on Blu-ray. Classical music lovers have not had any dearth of Beethoven performances to choose from, with an excellent Christian Thielemann cycle with the Vienna Philharmonic (Beethoven: Symphonies 1-3, Beethoven: Symphonies 4-6, Beethoven: Symphonies 7-9, also available together as Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies), a Claudio Abbado cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic (Beethoven Symphonies 1-9), an Ivan Fischer cycle with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra ( Beethoven: Symphonies 1-9), and individual symphonies (Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 9, Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Beethoven: Symphonies 4 & 7 / Coriolan Overture, Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - Ode to Freedom, Beethoven: Symphony No 3 ""Eroica", Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-3), among others (yes, there are others) all being available. This recent release featuring the perhaps unlikely sounding pairing of the late Spanish conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra is, as this review is being published, being offered on Amazon at the inviting price of $24.99, but how are the performances?

Without meaning any disrespect to Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, my hunch is few would immediately think of him when compiling a list of conductors associated with the works of Ludwig van Beethoven. Any number of other conductors from Herbert von Karajan to Arturo Toscanini to Fritz Reiner to even Leonard Bernstein might come to mind first. It’s also worth noting that all of these concerts came toward the end of Frühbeck de Burgos’ long (and distinguished) life, and in fact he passed in 2014 shortly after the last of these performances took place. Therefore, it’s perhaps relevant to note that Frühbeck de Burgos kind of shuffles out onto the stage and then chooses to sit at the conductors’ podium for these performances. However, it’s also relevant to note that Frühbeck de Burgos uses no scores and in fact seems to be in some kind of interior reverie at various moments, as if all of this music has been permanently inscribed on his synapses (which indeed it may well have been).

Taking all of this into consideration, it’s perhaps understandable that some of the tempi in this cycle are what I would consider to be a little on the “relaxed” side, though Maestro Frühbeck de Burgos does elicit some appropriate manic tendencies in moments like the Second Symphony’s Scherzo or the Fourth Symphony’s Allegro vivace. While these are at times curiously placid readings for a composer of Beethoven’s “titanic” sensibilities, there’s also a rather commendable approach toward dynamics, with Frühbeck de Burgos playing rather artfully with crescendos and diminuendos, sometimes mid-phrase, in interpretations that don’t come off as overly precious but well reasoned and ultimately incredibly interesting (at least for those who, like many of us, have heard countless Beethoven performances through the years).

In one of the brief homages to Frühbeck de Burgos included in the oversized softcover booklet attached inside the package, an orchestra official mentions a “turbulent period” for the Danish National Symphony Orchestra before the arrival of the conductor, and that Frühbeck de Burgos’ collaboration with the group brought some much needed stability. There is an obvious camaraderie amongst the members of this orchestra, as evidenced by little smiles and nods of approval “next door neighbors” share with each other when someone has a solo passage. This is also one of the most highly animated reed sections especially I’ve personally witnessed, with some of the clarinet and oboe players seeming about ready to stand up and begin dancing at various moments. The Ninth features some good singing from Albina Shagimuratova, Charlotte Hellekant, Scott MacAllister and Johan Reuter, along with the Danish National Concert Choir.

This set also includes decent performances of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and Strauss’ Eine Alpensinfonie, though I personally could have wished for a little more vivid energy from the brass section in both of these offerings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Frühbeck de Burgos’ reputation with Spanish and/or Latin music, the also included performance of Rodrigo’s exceptional Concierto de Aranjuez, with Pepe Romero on guitar, is arguably (and ironically) the highlight of the set.

Beethoven: The Symphonies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Beethoven: The Symphonies is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of DRS and Da Capo with AVC encoded 1080p transfers in 1.78:1. You have to hunt a little bit, but on the back of the three cardboard sleeves attached to the left side of the inside of this somewhat oddly configured package is information detailing that everything save for Eine Alpensinfonie was captured in native 1080p, while the Strauss piece has been upscaled from standard definition (it's not just obvious from the rampant stair stepping and similar anomalies on display, but also from the fact that Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos is noticeably younger and more spry, and conducts that piece standing up). While the really wide shots taken from what looks like the second balcony of Copenhagen's new(ish) Concert Hall look fairly ragged (almost like upscales themselves), the close-ups of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and various orchestra members have excellent detail levels. The camera coverage of the orchestra is actually exceptional and smart, focusing on soloists very well and featuring a number of interesting angles where at times it's also possible to actually read the scores of the various players. Kind of oddly considering this is a progressive presentation, some vertical slats at the back of the stage (they may be louvers or even sound baffling elements, it's hard to tell) create some resolution problems throughout the various performances, with quasi-aliasing and slight shimmer in medium shots. Otherwise, this is a very nice looking set.

Beethoven: The Symphonies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Just a little oddly, while there are LPCM 2.0 tracks for all of the selections included in this set, the first two discs (which include the First through Eighth Symphonies of Beethoven) all also offer DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 tracks, while the third disc features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks for the Ninth Symphony, the Berlioz and Strauss selections, while defaulting back to a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 track for the Rodrigo. That said, all of the surround tracks provide rather sumptuous sounding accountings of the score. There some really excellent clarity in the lower registers which provides great support for double basses and lower reeds and brass. The strings sound fluid without getting into brittle territory, and the guitar on the Rodrigo piece cuts through the orchestral masses without ever tipping over into stridency. Balance and separation are also well handled throughout all performances.

Beethoven: The Symphonies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

While none of the three discs in this set have any supplemental material beyond the non-Beethoven pieces detailed above in the main body of the review, this is a handsomely if somewhat inconveniently packaged set that does include a rather lavish softcover booklet. The case is approximately 8 7/8" wide by 6 1/4" high by 1 1/4" deep, hinged on the left side. Opening it up reveals a somewhat clunky hinged box on the left which contains three cardboard sleeves attached within the box, each holding one Blu-ray disc. On the right is the booklet, which contains a couple of brief homages to Frühbeck de Burgos as well as a rather in depth essay on the Beethoven Symphonies by Karl Aage Rasmussen. There are also briefer write ups on the Strauss, Berlioz and Rodrigo offerings. The booklet also contains copious pictures of Frühbeck de Burgos as well as the orchestra. The score above reflects the content of the essays.

Beethoven: The Symphonies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have to be honest and say that these performances of the mighty Beethoven warhorses probably aren't spectacular enough to rise to the top of anyone's "must hear" list, especially when the truly exceptional Thielemann cycle is available on Blu-ray, but these are all competent and at times rather arresting interpretations. The set itself is handsomely if somewhat inconveniently packaged, and the supplementary essays are interesting. The fact that this (for the time being, anyway) is being offered at a budget price also makes it an alluring option for audiophiles. Recommended.