Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies, 3 Overtures, Piano Concertos 4 & 5, Missa solemnis (CD7)

CD1

1. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21, I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21, II. Andante cantabile con moto
3. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21, III. Menuetto: Allegro molto vivace – Trio
4. Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21, IV. Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace
5. Egmont Overture, Op. 84
6. Overture: Leonore No. 3, Op. 72b
7. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
8. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, II. Larghetto
9. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, III. Scherzo: Allegro – Trio
10. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, IV. Allegro molto
11. Coriolan Overture, Op. 62

CD2

1. Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major “Eroica”, Op. 55, I. Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major “Eroica”, Op. 55, II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
3. Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major “Eroica”, Op. 55, III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio
4. Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major “Eroica”, Op. 55, IV. Finale: Allegro molto – Poco andante – Presto
5. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, I. Allegro con brio
6. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, II. Andante con moto
7. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, III. Allegro
8. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, IV. Allegro – Presto
9. Fidelio, Op. 72: Act 1, Scene 6, “Abscheulicher!”
10. Fidelio, Op. 72: Act 1, Scene 6, “Komm, Ho nung”

CD3

1. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, I. Adagio – Allegro vivace
2. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, II. Adagio
3. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, III. Menuetto: Allegro vivace – Trio: Un poco meno allegro
4. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, IV. Allegro ma non troppo
5. Ah! perfido, Op. 65
6. Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral”, Op. 68, I. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande (Awakening of pleasant feelings upon arriving in the country). Allegro ma non troppo
7. Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral”, Op. 68, II. Scene am Bach (Scene at the Brook). Andante molto mosso
8. Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral”, Op. 68, III. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Peasants’ Merrymaking). Allegro
9. Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral”, Op. 68, IV. Gewitter. Sturm (The Storm). Allegro
10. Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral”, Op. 68, V. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Shepherds’ Hymn after the Storm). Allegretto

CD4

1. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace
2. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, II. Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, III. Presto – Assai meno presto
4. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, IV. Allegro con brio
5. Symphony No. 8 in C major, Op. 93, I. Allegro vivace e con brio
6. Symphony No. 8 in C major, Op. 93, II. Allegretto scherzando
7. Symphony No. 8 in C major, Op. 93, III. Tempo di Menuetto
8. Symphony No. 8 in C major, Op. 93, IV. Allegro vivace

CD5 

1. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
2. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, II. Molto vivace – Presto
3. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, III. Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato
4. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, IV. Presto
5. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Recitativo. “O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!”
6. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Allegro assai. “Freude, Freude!”
7. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Allegro assai vivace. Alla Marcia. “Froh, froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen”
8. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Andante maestoso. “Seid umschlungen, Millionen!”
9. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato. “Seid umschlungen/Freude, schöne Götterfunken”
10. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Allegro ma non tanto. “Freude, Tochter aus Elysium!”
11. Symphony No. 9 in D minor “Choral”, Op. 125, Prestissimo. “Seid umschlungen, Millionen!”

CD6

1. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major “Emperor”, Op. 73, I. Allegro
2. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major “Emperor”, Op. 73, II. Adagio un poco mosso
3. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major “Emperor”, Op. 73, III. Rondo. Allegro
4. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, I. Allegro moderato
5. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, II. Andante con moto
6. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, III. Rondo. Vivace

CD7

1. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Kyrie
2. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Gloria in excelsis Deo
3. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Qui tollis
4. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Quoniam tu solus Sanctus
5. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Credo in unum Deum
6. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Et incarnatus est
7. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Et resurrexit
8. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Sanctus
9. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Praeludium – Benedictus
10. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Agnus Dei
11. Missa solemnis, Op. 123, Dona nobis pacem

This boxset includes the Beethoven recordings made with the Philharmonia Orchestra between 1951 and 1958: the complete symphonies (with the Nos. 8 and 9 in stereo), his most highly regarded cycle, as well as three overtures, some arias with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, the Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5 with Swiss pianist Walter Gieseking, and finally the Missa solemnis.

“Karajan’s 1953 recording of the Seventh Symphony truly is one of the finest performances of the Symphony ever put on disc ... his 1954 Pastoral is indeed miraculous.” “What gave Karajan his enormous authority, his special appeal to layman and serious critic alike? Partly the orchestra which, under Walter Legge, he had helped to forge. For the Philharmonia was a virtuoso orchestra, almost as perfect an ensemble as Toscanini’s NBC orchestra ... but more humane of utterance and individually more distinctive. To this was added the astonishing vividness and beauty of the Columbia recordings, supervised by Walter Legge.” Gramophone