Beethoven Symphonies - best perf + sonics on CD

Hi,
I listened to the Gardiner Beethoven 7th yesterday and was thoroughly pleased with the performance but not so much with the recording. It seems that with these recordings in general, that the lowest registers, i.e. the double basses, tend to suffer from anemia. The dynamics are not the same, detail is lost and the sound stage leaves some shallow muddiness that just appears as a quiet low drone. It's still worth having these performances but I would make sure to purchase the newer box set.

As I think I mentioned much earlier in this thread, I have been watching the DVD's of Abbado's performances of the Beethoven symphony cycle that were recorded about 10 years ago, with the Berlin Philharmonic. About 2/3 of the personnel of that orchestra changed under Abbado, and he made that group what it is right now, one of the top handful of orchestras in the world. All of those performances are incredible, and there is a nice interview with Abbado about both Beethoven (about which I agree with basically ever word he says) and his time in Berlin in general. Very highly recommended, especially for the performances. The blend and transparency he achieves with the Berliners is amazing. For me, there is not a better living conductor, and would be my first choice to get to work with at some point on the list of those I have not been able to in my career.

Sir Colin Davis just passed at 85. If I'm not mistaken, I remember his recordings with the Cleveland. Could have been the Egmont Overture. I'm amazed that conductors of this era are able to continue, Claudio Abbado being among them.

Can we go back to Brahms for a second? Yesterday I made the trip to Chicago to hear Thielemann/Dresden State Orchestra do the Brahms 4. Wow, that was some kind of Brahms. Best Brahms 4 I ever heard. Well worth 7 hours of driving and a $30 parking bill. Anyone else make the concert?

I'm going to have to rethink my preference for Italian conductors and Brahms.

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