ESOTERIC ESSD-90233-37 BEETHOVEN – THE NINE SYMPHONIES

Product Description

ESOTERIC ESSD-90233-37 BEETHOVEN – THE NINE SYMPHONIES

BEETHOVEN The 9 Symphonies
Orchestra of the 18th Century on period instruments
Conducted by Frans Brüggen

Classical masterpiece collection

The reissue of classical music masterpieces by ESOTERIC has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound, and for using hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) technology to improve sound quality. This series marks the first hybrid SACD release of historical recording selections that have been mainstays of the catalog since
their initial release.
These new audio versions feature ESOTERIC’s proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality.

Experience by yourself…

Experience the legendary performance in this new Super Audio CD/CD format. Not only for new followers, but also for well experienced followers of these recorded materials. All will be equally impressed by the “soul” hidden within the notes, but never before found in previously released recordings in any format.

ESOTERIC equipment used for re-mastering

The criterion of re-mastering is to faithfully capture the quality of the original master. ESOTERIC’s flag ship D/A converters, model D-01VU, Rubidium master clock generator model G-0Rb and ESOTERIC MEXCEL interconnect cables and power cords, were all used for this re-mastering session. This combination of
highly advanced technology greatly contributed to capturing the high quality sound of the original master.

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 “Eroica”
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastorale”
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 “Choral”
Overture “Egmont”, Op. 84
Overture “Coriolan”, Op. 62

Orchestra of the 18th Century (on period instruments)
Conducted by Frans Brüggen

DISC 1

Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
II. Andante cantabile con moto
III. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace)
IV. Finale (Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace)
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo (Allegro)
IV. Allegro molto
Overture “Egmont”, Op. 84 (from the music to J.W. von Goethe’s tragedy)
Sostenuto, ma non troppo – Allegro
Overture “Coriolan”, Op. 62 (to H.J. von Collin’s tragedy)
Allegro con brio

Recording producer: Sieuwert Verster
Recording supervisions: Gerd Berg, Hartwig Paulsenr
Balance engineers, recording engineers, tape editors: Dick van Schuppen, Eva Blankespoorr
Recorded: May 1984 [No. 1], June 1988 [No. 2], July 1991 [Egmont], November 1991 [Coriolan], Vredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands

DISC 2

Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 “Eroica”
I. Allegro con brio
II. Marcia funebre (Adagio assai)
III. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)
IV. Finale (Allegro molto)
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
I. Allegro vivace e con brio
II. Allegretto scherzando
III. Tempo di menuetto
IV. Allegro vivace

Recording producer: Sieuwert Verster
Recording supervision: Gerd Berg
Balance engineers, recording engineers, tape editors: Dick van Schuppen, Eva Blankespoor
Recorded: November 1987, Nijmegen, The Netherlands [No. 3]; November 1989, Vredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands [No. 8]

DISC 3

Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60
I. Adagio – Allegro vivace
II. Adagio
III. Allegro vivace
IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastorale”
I. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande (Allegro ma non troppo)
II. Szene am Bach (Andante molto mosso)
III. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Allegro)
IV. Gewitter, Sturm (Allegro)
Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Allegretto)

Recording producer: Sieuwert Verster
Recording supervisions: Gerd Berg, Hartwig Paulsen
Balance engineers, recording engineers, tape editors: Dick van Schuppen, Eva Blankespoor, Sieuwert Verster
Recorded: June 1990 [No. 4] & November 1990 [No. 6], Vredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands

DISC 4

Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio
II. Andante con moto
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto – Assai meno presto
IV. Allegro con brio

Recording producer: Sieuwert Verster
Recording supervisions: Gerd Berg, Hartwig Paulsen
Balance engineers, recording engineers, tape editors: Dick van Schuppen, Eva Blankespoor
Recorded: November 1988 [No. 7] & November 1991 [No. 5], Vredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands

DISC 5

Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 “Choral”
I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
II. Molto vivace
III. Adagio molto e cantabile
IV.
Presto
“O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!”
Allegro assai
Alla marcia (Allegro vivace assai)
Andante maestoso – Adagio non troppo, ma divoto
Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato
Allegro ma non tanto
Lynne Dawson, Soprano
Jard van Nes, Contralto
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Tenor
Eike Wilm Schulte, Baritone
Gulbenkian Choir, Lisbon

Recording producer: Sieuwert Verster
Recording supervisions: Jacob Bogaart
Balance engineers, recording engineers, tape editors: Dick van Schuppen, Eva Blankespoor, Sieuwert Verster
Recorded: November 1992, Vredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Re-mastering
August 1, 6, 12 & 17, 2020
SACD Producer: Motoaki Ohmachi (ESOTERIC COMPANY)
SACD Re-mastering Engineer: Masaya Higashino (JVC Mastering Center Daikanyama Studio)
SACD Authering: Atsuo Fujita (Ef Limited)

■Product ID: ESSG-90233-37
■Format: SA-CD/CD Hybrid
■Label: DECCA
■DSD mastering / SA-CD layer: Stereo
■Deluxe Digipak packaging