The highly anticipated recording of Thomas Adès and the Britten Sinfonia playing Beethoven and Barry; specifcally the Beethoven Symphony Cycle and a selection of Barry’s works. This CD features Beethoven’s first three symphonies, interspersed with Barry’s piece Beethoven and his Piano Concerto.
Beethoven intended to stake his claim to be the rightful successor to the Viennese classical tradition with the first of his symphonies, premiered in 1800. He had already began to lose his hearing by this point, and when he composed his second symphony, he placed on the page his spirit of defiance and determination against his deafness. The third marks a significant turning point in his style, as well as in the framwork of how a symphony was expected to be composed.
Gerald Barry grew up in rural Ireland. His music shows us how his upbringing had an effect on his compositional style – giving a piece a title such as Beethoven would suggest an attempt at emulating his legacy nearly two centuries after his death. Do not be fooled by this however; his music shows his major influence from radio, moving from the sublime and the ridiculous with carefree abandon.
All downloads include booklets.
★★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording “Thomas Adès and the Britten Sinfonia present tightly knit performances, and dynamic subtleties are largely preserved in the concert recordings” – BBC Music Magazine
“The opening movement of the Eroica had me on the edge of my seat. The quasi-fugal passage at 7’03” is thrillingly taut and the subsequent crunching climax…packs plenty of power without losing a degree of momentum. And listen to the Britten Sinfonia’s violins at 11’12”, where one can almost hear the rosin spraying off their bows” – Gramophone
“Adès’ interpretation is lighthearted but also meticulous…A solid effort by Adès and the Britten Sinfonia, then, and well worth a close listen” – The Classic Review
“Adès tackles the “Eroica” in a blazing performance, very energetic but not lacking in affection…I shall return to these CDs” – Musicweb International
“All in all, there isn’t a dull moment here” – AllMusic.com
