Octo_Russ

Beethoven - Overtures [Abbado-Wiener Philharmoniker]

It's good to have all the Beethoven Overtures in one nice box set, this replicates the same 11 Overtures that Karajan did on his box set [22nd May 2010], also for DG, and almost in the same order too, there's something revolutionary and noble about a Beethoven Overture, almost like a Symphony in microcosm, and Beethoven's first movement of his Fifth Symphony would have made a staggering overture!, in listening to this set, it was good to hear the lesser known Overtures too, The Consecration Of The House is actually rather good. 

Claudio Abbado is Italian, now 78, and not in good health, this box set is drawn from a number of different recordings, from 1985 to 1988, the front cover is from a painting by Gustav Klimt, not exactly inspiring. 

Of all these Overtures, again it was the Coriolan which i found so exciting, there's an anger and toughness about it, but also punctuated with short oases of serenity,  

Here's Carlos Kleiber conducting the Coriolan Overture on YouTube.