Beethoven For All - Symphonies 1-9 Daniel Barenboim & West Eastern Divan Orchestra

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Symphony No.1 in C, Op.2:
• 1 Beethoven: Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21: 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio 09:29
• 2 Beethoven: Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21: 2. Andante cantabile con moto 06:46
• 3 Beethoven: Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21: 3. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace) 03:35
• 4 Beethoven: Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21: 4. Finale (Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace) 06:10
• Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -'Eroica':
• 5 Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica": 1. Allegro con brio 16:11
• 6 Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica": 2. Marcia funebre (Adagio assai) 15:59
• 7 Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica": 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace) 06:07
• 8 Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica": 4. Finale (Allegro molto) 12:13
• Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36:
• 9 Beethoven: Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36: 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio 13:03
• 10 Beethoven: Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36: 2. Larghetto 10:54
• 11 Beethoven: Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36: 3. Scherzo (Allegro) 03:48
• 12 Beethoven: Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36: 4. Allegro molto 06:34
• Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60:
• 13 Beethoven: Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace 10:30
• 14 Beethoven: Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 2. Adagio 10:52
• 15 Beethoven: Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 3. Allegro vivace 06:31
• 16 Beethoven: Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60: 4. Allegro ma non troppo 07:16
• Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67:
• 17 Beethoven: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67: 1. Allegro con brio 08:10
• 18 Beethoven: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67: 2. Andante con moto 10:12
• 19 Beethoven: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67: 3. Allegro 05:46
• 20 Beethoven: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67: 4. Allegro 09:04
• Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -'Pastoral':
• 21 Beethoven: Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral": 1. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande: Allegro ma non troppo 10:35
• 22 Beethoven: Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral": 2. Szene am Bach: (Andante molto mosso) 11:27
• 23 Beethoven: Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral": 3. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Allegro) 05:54
• 24 Beethoven: Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral": 4. Gewitter, Sturm (Allegro) 04:00
• 25 Beethoven: Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral": 5. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm: Allegretto 09:15
• Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92:
• 26 Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace 12:30
• 27 Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: 2. Allegretto 08:52
• 28 Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: 3. Presto - Assai meno presto 08:48
• 29 Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92: 4. Allegro con brio 06:58
• Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93:
• 30 Beethoven: Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93: 1. Allegro vivace e con brio 09:47
• 31 Beethoven: Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93: 2. Allegretto scherzando 03:48
• 32 Beethoven: Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93: 3. Tempo di menuetto 05:15
• 33 Beethoven: Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93: 4. Allegro vivace 07:34
• Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - 'Choral':
• 34 Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral": 1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 17:08
• 35 Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral": 2. Molto vivace 12:21
• 36 Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral": 3. Adagio molto e cantabile 16:44
• 37 Beethoven: Symphony No.9 In D Minor, Op.125 - "Choral": 4. Finale (Presto - Allegro assai) 25:36
• Total Runtime 05:55:42

Info for Beethoven For All - Symphonies 1-9

“Beethoven’s music is universal,” says Daniel Barenboim. “Everywhere in the world – it speaks to all people.” For that reason the master’s symphonies are a central focus of his work this year with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

At the heart of this all-embracing project are a series of recordings of Beethoven’s complete symphonies, piano concerti and piano sonatas with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and the Berlin Staatskapelle, along with Barenboim at the keyboard. As well as the physical formats all releases will also be available in standard digital and Mastered for iTunes formats.

The project also includes a world tour, which began in August 2010 at the legendary Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and will cover four continents by 2013, including engagements in Doha (Qatar), South Korea, China, Europe and the USA (Carnegie Hall).

The world finds itself in a time of upheaval. In the Arab lands an unprecedented struggle for self-determination is taking place. Seldom before have the words of Beethoven the Sturm und Drang revolutionary been more relevant. But Edward Said, a great Beethoven expert in his own right, valued the Bonn master not only for his transcendental qualities. He repeatedly pointed out that the universality of his music stems from its expression of the highest human ideals. Music for Beethoven begins only after the revolution – at the point when the question becomes how all people can leave together in peace. Daniel Barenboim knows about this spirit of optimism and idealism, about revolutionary force and the power of visions – that is also why his Beethoven captures the spirit of the times and sounds so topical and so modern.

“I think the Beethoven symphonies with the Divan orchestra is different in the sense that there is a terrific amount of energy because of the youth of the people – but there is just as much rigour. The combination of rigour with youthful energy is very strong” (Daniel Barenboim, speaking in the TV documentary on this project).

The Symphonies were recorded in August 2011 in Cologne, the glorious (final) instalment of a worldwide tour that began in August 2010 at the legendary Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and will cover four continents by 2012. The orchestra’s 2012 engagements include a European tour culminating in the performance of all Nine Symphonies at the BBC Proms.

Daniel Barenboim, conductor
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Daniel Barenboim
one of the outstanding musical figures of our time, was born in Buenos Aires to parents of Russian-Jewish descent. He began piano lessons at the age of five with his mother, continued musical studies with his father, and gave his first official concert in Buenos Aires when he was seven. In 1952, the family moved to Israel, and two years later his parents took Daniel to Salzburg to take part in Igor Markevitch’s conducting classes. Following his debut in Vienna and Rome in 1952, he soon became known as one of the most versatile pianists of his generation. Always active as a chamber musician, he performed most frequently with his late wife, cellist Jacqueline du Pré, and violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman. In song recitals, he has accompanied such artists as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Dame Janet Baker, Thomas Quasthoff, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón.

From the mid-1960s, Barenboim began to devote more time to conducting. From 1975 to 1989 he was Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris. He made his opera debut in 1973 at the Edinburgh Festival and his Bayreuth Festival debut in 1981. In 1991, he succeeded Solti as Music Director of the Chicago Symphony and in 2006 was named “honorary conductor for life”. In 1992, he became General Music Director of Berlin’s Deutsche Staatsoper and in 2000, the Berlin Staatskapelle appointed him “chief conductor for life”. In 2006 he began a close relationship with La Scala. Currently he is in the midst of conducting a new Ring cycle in both Berlin and Milan. He also appears regularly with the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Wiener Philharmoniker.

In 1999, together with the late Palestinian-born writer and Columbia University professor Edward Said, Barenboim founded the West-Eastern Divan workshop and orchestra, bringing together talented young musicians from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia and Israel to make music under the guidance of some of the world’s finest musicians.

A prolific, prize-winning recording artist since making his first recordings for Philips in 1954, Daniel Barenboim began his close association with Deutsche Grammophon in 1972. His vast discography on the Yellow Label features the artist as conductor of orchestral works and operas, and as pianist in chamber music, song recitals and solo repertoire. In 2010, he signed a wide-ranging new contract with Deutsche Grammophon and Decca Classics.

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