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BIS

Beethoven: Symphonies No 2 & 7 / Vanska, Minnesota Orchestra

$21.99

Details

Composer
BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN
Artist
Osmo, Vanska
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Aug 01, 2008
Catalog #
BIS-SACD-1816
UPC
7318599918167

About

Beethoven began composing his Second Symphony around late 1800, after a successful performance of his First Symphony at a benefit concert in April that year. The hope seems to have been to perform it at a similar concert the following spring - the week before Easter was just about the only time of year when such concerts could be staged in Vienna at that time, since the orchestras were engaged mainly in operas during the rest of the season. After sketching the first movement in considerable detail, however, plans for the rest of the work were suddenly put on hold when he was commissioned to write a ballet, Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus. This was duly performed in March 1801, and Beethoven finally returned to complete the symphony the following winter, in readiness for the next opportunity for a benefit concert. When the time came in April 1802, however, Beethoven was disgusted to find that he had not been given one of the few available slots in the calendar, and that the date had instead been allocated to what he called 'thoroughly mediocre artists'. Nevertheless, this misfortune may have enabled him to make further refinements to the music before it was first performed. Certainly he did make substantial alterations to the finale at a late stage, in particular by greatly enlarging the coda. Osmo Vänskä became the Minnesota Orchestra's tenth music director in September 2003. Praised for his intense and dynamic performances, Vänskä is recognized for compelling interpretations of the standard, contemporary and Nordic repertoires, as well as the close rapport he establishes with the musicians he leads. He began his musical career as a clarinettist, occupying the co-principal's chair in the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra for several years. After studying conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, he won first prize in the 1982 Besançon International Young Conductor's Competition. His conducting career has featured substantial commitments to such orchestras as the Tapiola Sinfonietta, Iceland Symphony Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. His numerous recordings for BIS continue to attract the highest acclaim; his Beethoven symphony cycle with the Minnesota Orchestra - including a Grammy-nominated recording of Symphony No.9 - has broadcast the exceptional dynamism of this musical partnership to audiences worldwide. Meanwhile Vänskä is heavily in demand internationally as a guest conductor with the world's leading orchestras, enjoying regular relationships with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra of Washington. In May 2008, after two decades at the helm of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Vänskä was named that ensemble's conductor laureate. Among the many honours and distinctions he has been awarded are the Pro Finlandia medal, a Royal Philharmonic Society Award, Musical America's 2005 Conductor of the Year Award, the Sibelius Medal in 2005 and the Finlandia Foundation Arts and Letters Award in 2006.

Tracklist 8 tracks

  1. 1 I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio 12:20
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
    Duration
    12:20
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  2. 2 II. Larghetto 10:35
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Larghetto
    Duration
    10:35
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  3. 3 III. Scherzo: Allegro 03:46
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Allegro
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  4. 4 IV. Allegro molto 06:22
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Allegro molto
    Duration
    06:22
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  5. 5 I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace 13:55
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
    Duration
    13:55
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  6. 6 II. Allegretto 08:37
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Allegretto
    Duration
    08:37
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  7. 7 III. Presto, assai meno presto 06:56
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Presto, assai meno presto
    Duration
    06:56
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä
  8. 8 IV. Allegro con brio 08:45
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Allegro con brio
    Duration
    08:45
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Minnesota Orchestra
    Conductor
    Osmo Vänskä