As recommendable an album as anyone could wish,
Carlos Kleiber's performances with the
Vienna Philharmonic of
Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, and the Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, are classics that should always be within reach.
Kleiber's clarity of interpretation and communication skills with musicians resulted in performances that were compelling in their power and fascinating for their faithfulness to details in the score. If the hallmarks of great performances are the way they grab onto the listener through their energy and sustain interest for their finer points, then these riveting and utterly lucid readings are great indeed. In depth of musicality, technical polish, and all matters of instrumentation except for the size of the orchestra, these recordings surpass many historically informed performances.