Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 - Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm. Rec. 1971

00:00 - I. Allegro vivace e con brio 09:52 - II. Allegretto scherzando 14:13 - III. Tempo di menuetto 19:12 - IV. Allegro vivace Recorded: 1971-05-26 Recording Venue: Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Wien Audio Source: Universal Music Japan / SACD / Stereo Universal UCGG-9136/40 https://www.universal-music.co.jp/karl-boh... DSD remastering by Emil Berliner Studios from the original analogue master tapes in 2018 https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonie... Amazon.com Karl Böhm's Vienna Philharmonic Beethoven cycle is Deutsche Grammophon's best kept secret. Not only is it the finest complete set of Beethoven symphonies in their catalog, it's also far and away the best recorded, and to make matters even more irresistible, it's also the least expensive (it's available on three "twofer" sets). These performances are typical: weighty, intense, powerful, and magnificently played. Listen especially to the (comparatively) neglected Fourth Symphony: if Böhm doesn't convince you that this is major Beethoven, then no one can. --David Hurwitz https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/beetho... Beethoven Orchestral Works / Author: Richard Osborne "These readings are, indeed, werktreu, if not to the letter of the score (Bohm occasionally shows an old-fashioned contempt for repeats), then to its character and spirit as the great Austro-German conductors have traditionally perceived it. Bergman said he ''never heard'' the tempo. At best, that is true of the recordings under review. Bohm's Beethoven is a compound of earth and fire. At worst, you might think it merely dogged (the finale of the Eighth Symphony, for example), but even there the grammar and the diction give the music-making its own special habitation and character: more Austrian, perhaps, than Flemish but none the worse for that. There are those—RL among them, if memory serves me aright who preferred by a small margin Bohm's 1961 Berlin Eroica (10/62—nla) to this Viennese remake. But both are fine. Certainly, I sat suitably awe-struck as Bohm unfolded the Eroica's Funeral March with a justness of gait and emphasis that suggests an unusually rich mix of musical acumen and human judgement. This is also the best of Bohm's several recorded Ninths. (Six have been extant at one time or another.) In the end, I don't find the performance has quite the variety of expression or, ultimately, the emotional reach of Klemperer's (EMI, 8/90) or Furtwangler's (Tahra 4/95). Bohm and his somewhat stentorian soloists are also inclined to make heavy weather of the finale, what G. B. Shaw would have called an ''uphill effort of aspiration''. Both CD sets are good value, but the coupling of the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth symphonies is perhaps the more immediately recommendable. Bohm's Seventh is generally glorious, and his account of the Pastoral was and remains one of the finest accounts of the work ever recorded. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that it is the finest." https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-9-Symphon... Angélica Ibáñez 5.0 out of 5 stars Letting Beethoven speak for himself Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2016 Pros: All of Beethoven's symphonies with Deutshce Grammophon's golden sound from the 70's. Cons: The overtures are not included. Böhm did record them with the Vienna Philharmonic and they're available in double CD bundles of the symphonies. Additional comments: Karl Böhm simply lets Beethoven speak for himself without any of the allegro race-car rush tempos. Every phrase is executed so perfectly that Böhm lets every note breath enough air, so the audience to fully grasp every single detail that Beethoven wanted to communicate. This set includes what may be the finest recording of the 'Pastoral' ever recorded (along with Pierre Monteux's 1957 recording under DECCA, also with the Vienna Philharmonic). The 5th in'st in Kleiber's or Karajan's fashion, so expect slower tempos, but the excitement is still there (there's no fire, but there's still enough heat). Moreover, this is perhaps one of the few sets where every symphony counts, not just the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th. The 2nd and 8th never sound better, specially the 8th; it has all the strength as any of the symphonies. All in all, Böhm, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Deutsche Grammophon did a phenomenal job. Just keep in mind that if you're used to Karajan's 1962 recording, this one may take some time to get used to due to the difference of tempos and overall interpretations. https://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Beethove... Karl Böhm & Wiener Philharmoniker • Beethoven • The Nine Symphonies    • Karl Böhm & Wiener Philharmoniker • Beetho...