Kubelik's Beethoven 7

[Alex Brown]

For me it was quite difficult over the years to find a recording of
Beethoven's 7th Symphony which was completely satisfying - that avoided
jumping yaks in the first movement, that had pathos in the second
without dragging, and which didn't shoot its bolt too early in the finale.

Perhaps my favourite is Kubelik's 1974 DG recording with the Wiener
Philharmoniker.

However I remember in a back issue of Gramophone Richard Osborne
compared this unfavourably with Kubelik's earlier recording of the
symphony made with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in
1970. This has never been on CD so far as I can find, except in a
"Rafael Kubelik: Rare Recordings 1963 - 1974" box which is now OOP and
horribly expensive. I see though that it is possible to download this
directly as FLACs from Universal. Has anybody got any comments on this
recording? or on downloading FLACs from Universal ... I am hoping one
gets the same as one would by ripping the discs oneself.

- Alex.

[Randy Lane]

Both sevenths are in this box:

http://www.tower.co.jp/item/3010729/ベートーヴェン：-交響曲全集＜タワーレコード限定＞

[lind...@gmail.com]

The CD, with the 8e:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-1770-1827-Symphonien-Nr-7-8/hnum/3159808

Hvdlinden

[Steve de Mena]

You shouldn't have any reservation downloading the FLAC file from
Universal, in terms of the audio quality equaling or exceeding a
ripped CD.... unless someone goofed. Just don't expect any PDF
file(s) with album artwork or notes. (When DG's web site merged with
Decca they lost the album PDFs, maybe by now they have reinstated that
feature).

I have the box set and can scan the relevant cover and track details
page for the work(s) you purchase.

Steve

[Alex Brown]

Thanks for the scan offer, Steve. On the topic of the download, I had a
niggling worry about watermarking:

http://www.mattmontag.com/music/universals-audible-watermark

However, I've not idea whether Universal apply this to the stuff
available from their shop, or whether it's as bad as people say ...

- Alex.


--
- Alex Brown

[Alex Brown]

That's a wrong K ... Kempe!

- Alex.

[Alex Brown]

Aha - Thanks for the tip - and it seems reasonably priced too ..

- Alex.

[David Fox]

I agree with Steve with respect to audio quality, but I cannot recommend
downloading FLAC's from Universal. I did it once and it was
an elaborate, aggravating, and annoying experience.
Comparing/contrasting the process with HDtracks, Amazon, Naxos, Archiv,
CDBaby, etc for example, was night-and-day. Maybe they'll improve or
maybe they already have. Also, their pricing was not attractive. In
many cases you could purchase hi-rez versions of the same tracks at
HDTracks for as much or less than Universal was charging for Redbook
FLACs. Until I hear that their customer experience is competitive with
the marketplace, I'll abstain.

DF