Ludwig van Beethoven: Klemperer Conducts Beethoven (Medici Masters Audio CD)

Otto KLEMPERER

Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor ‘Choral’
Maria Stader/Grace Hoffman/Walter Kmentt/Hans Hotter

Chor des Norddeutschen / Rundfunks Kolner Rundfunk Chor / KRSO

BONUS: Klemperer rehearses Beethoven: Symphony No.9 – Finale

Recording: Saal 1, Funkhaus, Cologne, 6 January 1958


Klemperer conducting Beethoven's Symphony No.9 is a major event and comes from his golden period in Germany at WDR during the 1950's.

This recording has never been issued before using the original WDR master tapes.

This live performance from 6th January 1958 came two months after the EMI studio recording made in November 1957. In terms of timing, Klemperer's live performance is 2 minutes faster than the studio version and has all the hallmarks of his Beethoven interpretations, very powerful and rock solid.

Both Walter Kmentt (tenor) and Hans Hotter (bass) are present on the WDR performance as they are in the EMI version. The distinguished Hungarian soprano Maria Stader and the equally celebrated American mezzo-soprano Grace Hoffman make up the quartet. These two singers are different to the EMI studio version.

The WDR recording is typical of the other Klemperer tapings in the Medici series - wonderful clarity with warmth and immediacy.

A short bonus has been added with Klemperer conducting a piano rehearsal and singing!

Reviews:
• The qualities for which we prize [Klemperer] the most - firm grasp of structure, amazing clarity of texture, something one can only call utter integrity, and a disregard for momentary beauty of sound - are present in this recording to the highest degree...its impact is so direct and intense, and the sound quality so high, that I would recommend it as a first choice... (Michael Tanner, BBC Music Magazine – MM021-
• This recording, with Otto Klemperer conducting the Cologne Radio Symphony
Orchestra, brings out [Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis’] blazing majesty. (Gavin Engelbrecht, The Northern Echo – MM015-2)

Sample track: Beethoven Symphony No.9 - finale (extract)