Beethoven
Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of the Holy Roman Empire, Beethoven displayed his musical talents at an early age and was taught by his father Johann van Beethoven and by composer and conductor Christian Gottlob Neefe. At the age of 21 he moved to Vienna, where he began studying composition with Joseph Haydn and gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. He lived in Vienna until his death. By his late 20s his hearing began to deteriorate, and by the last decade of his life he was almost completely deaf. In 1811 he gave up conducting and performing in public but continued to compose; many of his most admired works come from these last 15 years of his life.
Beethoven
HAYDN Symphony No. 93
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21
RAVEL Pavane pour une infante défunte
FALLA El Sombrero des Tres Picos, Suite No. 2
VIVALDI L'Estro Armonico: Concerto Grosso No. 11
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
PISTON Toccata
COPLAND El Salón México
Recorded in 1955
Total duration: 2hr 26:56
Walter Gieseking, piano
Rudolf Firkušný, piano
New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Guido Cantelli
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4
VIVALDI L'Estro Armonico: Concerto Grosso No. 11
R. STRAUSS Don Juan
CRESTON Dance Overture
Recorded in 1956
Total duration: 2hr 23:36
Wilhelm Backhaus, piano
Walter Gieseking, piano
New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Guido Cantelli
HANDEL Largo from 'Xerxes'
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
BARBER Adagio for Strings
RESPIGHI The Pines of Rome
Recorded live in 1955
Total duration: 70:31
New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Guido Cantelli
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
Recorded 1959 in stereo
Total duration: 61:48
Robert Casadesus, piano
Concertgebouw Orchestra
conducted by Eduard van Beinum
BACH (arr Elgar) - Fantasia and Fugue in C minor
BEETHOVEN - Gratulations-Menuett
BEETHOVEN The Creatures of Prometheus - Overture
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 'Choral'
Recorded between 1925 & 1928
Total duration: 78:04
Elsie Suddaby, soprano
Nellie Walker, contralto
Walter Widdop, tenor
Stuart Robinson, bass
Philharmonic Choir
London Symphony Orchestra
Albert Coates, conductor
MOZART - Symphony No. 41, 'Jupiter'
MOZART - Der Schauspieldirektor - Overture
BEETHOVEN - Symphony No. 7
Acoustic HMV recordings 1921-1924
Total duration: 70:41
The Symphony Orchestra
Albert Coates, conductor