Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

“The recording of the Fifth, always very fine, comes up superbly in this transfer.
What, though, of the Seventh, an equally distinguished performance though always perceptibly greyer-sounding on LP, and on CD? The result is a performance of genius that now speaks to us freely and openly for the first time. In some ways this is a more important document than the famous Fifth.
Great recordings of the Seventh, greatly played and conducted, but with first and second violins divided left and right, are as rare as gold dust. Freshly refurbished, this Kleiber Seventh would go right to the top of any short list of recommendable Sevenths. It's wonderful to have these two legendary performances so expertly restored.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Mercurial, thrilling accounts of two warhorses from the unique Carlos Kleiber” Gramophone Magazine, 1000th issue (James Jolly)

“an essential recommendation for any collection. These are performances which seem to present a Beethoven 'for the ages', a distillation of a long interpretative tradition, without concern for historical accuracy in text or performance practice. The sense of something monumental is enhanced by the imposing Vienna Musikverein acoustic.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2012

“In Carlos Kleiber's hands the first movement of the Fifth is electrifying, yet still has an underlying hushed intensity...In the Seventh the symphonic argument never yields to the charm of the dance. Incisively dramatic, his approach relies on sharp rhythmic contrasts and thrustful rhythms.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition

“the gorgeous engineering has not dated a bit” Classics Today

“they actually don't get much better than this... the Berliners play their hearts out... even if you've heard the Fifth and the Sixth a thousand times... these timeless documents will give enormous pleasure” International Record Review