Ode To Joy????

[PeruvianSkies]

Does anyone know of any decent CD/SACD releases that have the full-length version of ODE TO JOY that is a decent recording? I have snippet versions that are decent, but I want the full movements and can't seem to locate any that I can preview to know what the recording and performance is like.

Any suggestions??? I am really looking for a fullness of the vocal pieces.

[Dusty Chalk]

You mean, Beethoven's 9th?

[PeruvianSkies]

Yes sir.

[Davey]

I've always liked the 1962 Karajan 9th, and I've got an old LP box of the 8th and 9th that sounds very good. Not too sold on the rest of the Karajan versions (or visions) but love that 9th. It's been remastered and reissued ad nauseum, and I'm sure is on SACD, but I haven't heard it. Depends how modern you wanna go, since it will have some hiss unless they mucked with it, in which case you don't want it anyway. Probably many better sounding ones out there, but the '62 is a good place to start for a nice solid view, and widely available too. Probably get it used for pocket change. Or check the library. I think it's the one that closed out Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange" too, if you've seen that film, although they used some bastardized (but fun) versions in the film

Wilhelm Furtwängler's 1951 live recording is often cited as the best overall performance, even with a few minor glitches, but the recording is kind of primitive by modern standards. Still very rousing, just pretend you're listening on the radio

[Pat D]

Does anyone know of any decent CD/SACD releases that have the full-length version of ODE TO JOY that is a decent recording? I have snippet versions that are decent, but I want the full movements and can't seem to locate any that I can preview to know what the recording and performance is like.

Any suggestions??? I am really looking for a fullness of the vocal pieces.

Karajan's 1962 set is very strong, including the 9th. Many don't especially like the 6th, but it is pretty good, too, though one might favor something a little more expressive. But as a set, it's hard to beat and is available quite inexpensively. Some prefer Karajan's 1977 recording of the 9th, but I haven't heard it.

Leibowitz did a very fine recording with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, now available on Chesky. Although he recorded all 9, I don't think it's issued as a set on CD, and it is fairly expensive to get all of them, though worth it.

I've always liked Suitner's recording of the 9th with the Berlin Staatskapelle on Denon. I don't recommend the set as highly, though it's OK. The other outstanding performance in it is the 4th

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, for the whole set, I like the Zinman set. But since you're only looking for the 9th...well, I'm not as familiar with individual recordings.

Penguin says...well, it says a lot of things. Doesn't give the Rosette or Key to any recording, but there's a whole column of mostly 3-star (their highest, short of a key or rosette) recordings. Zinman is one of them, so I presume that's available separately. One of the Karajan's gets three stars (the one that's SACD), another gets two-and-a-half. Bernstein gets 3, Abbado gets three, bunch of others get 3. Heck, even the Naxos gets three. No, wait, there's a third Karajan that gets three, also.

I'd say go into Borders or Tower or your local library and find a couple of their classical music guides and look it up. And take notes. That's what they're there for.

[nobody]

Don't know if its on SACD or not, but I've always liked Soltis' 9th.

[JoeE SP9]

Since the subject is Ode To Joy, does anyone know a good version of Bach's Ode To Joy? Any current format is OK.

[Pat D]

Since the subject is Ode To Joy, does anyone know a good version of Bach's Ode To Joy? Any current format is OK.

I'm wondering what Bach's "Ode to Joy" might be. Bach died in 1750, whereas Friedrich Schiller, who wrote the poetry for the "Ode to Joy" was only born in 1759.

Actually, a couple of things come to mind. There is the famous "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," which comes from Cantata No. 147. Then, there is a splendid motet, "Jesu, Meine Freude."

I think the first is the one you have in mind, and I imagine "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" is available on any number of choral music compilations. On CD, we have it on Reflections by the Roger Wagner Chorale on EMI CDM 7 63255 2, which we picked up used for about a dollar a while ago, and it's very nice, restful stuff including the Bach chorale. I don't think any of the recordings I have are still available new.

"Jesus Meine Freude" (Jesus My Joy) is one of Bach's six motets, which are some of the greatest choral music ever composed. I have a couple of recordings on LP. Anyway, there are some recordings available on CD which I have not heard but any of the ones done by well-known groups should be fine.

[Pat D]

Well, for the whole set, I like the Zinman set. But since you're only looking for the 9th...well, I'm not as familiar with individual recordings.

Penguin says...well, it says a lot of things. Doesn't give the Rosette or Key to any recording, but there's a whole column of mostly 3-star (their highest, short of a key or rosette) recordings. Zinman is one of them, so I presume that's available separately. One of the Karajan's gets three stars (the one that's SACD), another gets two-and-a-half. Bernstein gets 3, Abbado gets three, bunch of others get 3. Heck, even the Naxos gets three. No, wait, there's a third Karajan that gets three, also.

I'd say go into Borders or Tower or your local library and find a couple of their classical music guides and look it up. And take notes. That's what they're there for.

I mentioned the set because Karajan 1962 is very good and quite inexpensive, so one may as well get them all. I haven't heard Zinman but a number of people like it a lot and it is listed as a superbudget issue (BB) in the PG, so again, one may as well pop for the whole set as opposed to messing around with single full-priced CDs. I don't know if I really need another set of Beethoven Symphonies (I have Ansermet, Karajan, Leibowitz, and Suitner, plus a number of single LPs and CDs), but if I come across it, I may well pick up on Zinman.