Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 Wiener Symphoniker, Philippe Jordan

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21:
• 1 I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio 08:45
• 2 II. Andante cantabile con moto 06:57
• 3 III. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace 04:05
• 4 IV. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace 05:27
• Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, "Eroica":
• 5 I. Allegro con brio 16:39
• 6 II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai 12:58
• 7 III. Scherzo. Allegro 05:46
• 8 IV. Finale. Allegro molto - Poco Andante - Presto 11:23
• Total Runtime 01:12:00

Info for Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3

The Wiener Symphoniker wrote music history with the first performances of works by Bruckner, Ravel and Schoenberg. And under the baton of such illustrious music directors as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, Carlo Maria Giulini or Georges Prêtre they acquired worldwide fame for their unique Viennese sound. Considering its rich, more than a century long history, it comes as a surprise that the orchestra has never before recorded a full cycle of the nine symphonies by Ludwig van Beethoven which are widely considered to constitute the apex of the symphonic repertoire. This shortcoming is about to be remedied: Starting in autumn 2017, the Wiener Symphoniker will release the full cycle on 5 CDs. With a new CD of the series to be released every 6 months, the full cycle will be completed just in time for the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven in 2020.

The symphonies were recorded live during a critically acclaimed concert cycle in Spring/Summer 2017 in the Great Hall of the Musikverein Wien. At these concerts, the international press specifically praised Jordan’s approach to combining a traditional Viennese sound with a more contemporary, slimmed down interpretation of the material, original tempi and insights from the historically informed performance practice. Through a close reading of the score and by focusing on the content of the works, Jordan aimed to create – in his words – a “more natural, direct, humanised“ image of the famous composer.

A key work for this approach constitutes, in Jordan’s mind, the Third Symphony E-flat major op.55 „Eroica“ – which will be included on the first album of the series along side the First Symphony C Major op. 21. According to Jordan, both works are unified in their portrayal of Beethoven‘s immense, innovative, revolutionary creative will. In its perusal of the Prometheus-myth the “Eroica” has additional meaning for Jordan’s depiction of Beethoven as an essentially modern and human composer: “In the way Beethoven uses the Prometheus theme, the composer reveals his fascination for the eventual failing of mankind not his heroic deeds.”

Wiener Symphoniker
Philippe Jordan, conductor

Philippe Jordan
has already established himself as one of the most gifted and exciting conductors of his generation. At present, he is Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris and Music Director of the Wiener Symphoniker.Philippe Jordan’s musical education began with piano lessons at the age of six. At the age of eight, he joined the Zurich Sängerknaben and he was eleven when he began studying violin. At sixteen, he entered the Zurich Conservatory where he obtained his diploma of piano teacher with honors. He studied theory and composition with the Swiss composer Hans Ulrich Lehmann and continued his piano studies with Karl Engel. At the same time, he worked as assistant to Maestro Jeffrey Tate on Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the Châtelet in Paris. He continues to appear occasionally as pianist in recital and chamber music. His career began in 1994–95 as Kapellmeister of the Ulm Stadttheater. From 1998–2001, he was assistant to Daniel Barenboim at the Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin. From 2001–04, he held the position of Chief Conductor of the Graz Opera and Graz Philharmonic Orchestra. In this period he made his debut at several prestigious international opera houses and festivals, the Houston Grand Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, the Aix-en-Provence Festival, the Metropolitan Opera New York, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Teatro alla Scala, the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, the Salzburger Festspiele (Cosi fan tutte), the Wiener Staatsoper, the Festspielhaus Baden Baden (Tannhäuser) and the Bayreuth Festival (Parsifal). From 2006–10, he was Principal Guest Conductor of the Berlin Staatsoper unter den Linden. Highlights of previous seasons include his opera debut at the Teatro alla Scala (Der Rosenkavalier). Philippe Jordan’s orchestral engagements have included the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Staatskapelle, Vienna RSO, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Philharmonia Orchestra London, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Tonhalle Zurich, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, NDR/Hamburg Symphony, DSO Berlin, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Rotterdam Phil- harmonic Orchestra and the Munchner Philharmoniker. In North America, he has appeared with the symphony orchestras of Seattle, St. Louis, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Washington, Minnesota, Montreal, New York and San Francisco.

Wiener Symphoniker
As Vienna’s cultural ambassador and premier concert orchestra, the Wiener Symphoniker handles the lion’s share of symphonic activity that makes up the musical life of the city. The preservation of the traditional, Viennese orchestral sound occupies a central role in the orchestra’s many artistic pursuits. The Wiener Symphoniker is one of Europe’s most prestigious ensembles and boasts 128 members. For this reason, the orchestra is precisely the right vehicle for the great Romantic works of Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler and Richard Strauss that constitute its core repertoire.

The Vienna Musikverein and nearby Konzerthaus are the principal performing venues of the Wiener Symphoniker. The orchestra has also been in residence at the Bregenzer Festspiele since 1946 and continues to maintain close ties to the festival. Beginning in 2006, the orchestra added another feather to its cap: The Wiener Symphoniker now serves as resident opera orchestra for a whole host of stylistically diverse productions taking place at the Theater an der Wien. Periodic international tours to the most important music centers round out the extensive portfolio of this traditional, Viennese orchestra.

Booklet for Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3