“Weil and his [Tafelmusik] players convince us that Beethoven can sound as radical in the 21st century as he must have done in the 19th”
— Gramophone Magazine
Toronto, September 7, 2017 – Tafelmusik is thrilled to present its recordings of the complete Beethoven symphonies, six CDs packaged in a striking box set. Recorded under the direction of guest conductor Bruno Weil over a twelve-year period, Tafelmusik’s cycle marks the first time a North American orchestra has recorded all nine Beethoven symphonies on period instruments. Tafelmusik’s complete Beethoven symphonies will be released on CD on the Tafelmusik Media label starting September 22, 2017, with worldwide distribution by Naxos. The symphonies are also available for digital download from Analekta.
“Although the Beethoven symphonies are familiar to many music lovers, few have had the privilege to experience them as Tafelmusik and Bruno Weil have over the past many years. Our journey with Bruno exploring these great works has been a profound and intensely personal one,” says Music Director Emerita Jeanne Lamon, who was Music Director during the period when these recordings were made.
Recorded in Toronto at Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, and George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts between 2004 and 2016, these performances chart Tafelmusik’s evolution as it expanded its repertoire to explore the music of classical and early romantic composers.
The set contains recordings originally made for the Analekta label, including the JUNO Award-winning Symphony Nos. 5 & 6, and the JUNO Award-nominated Symphony Nos. 7 & 8. Symphony Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and the JUNO Award-nominated Symphony No. 9 were recorded live in concert on the Tafelmusik Media label.
Tafelmusik’s first live performance of a Beethoven symphony (No. 2) in Toronto took place under the direction of Bruno Weil in 1993. Maestro Weil also directed the orchestra in performances of Beethoven symphonies at the Klang und Raum Festival in Irsee, Germany, during its 19-year tenure there as orchestra-in-residence.
Much admired by the international music press, Tafelmusik’s Beethoven interpretations have been praised for their “transparency of articulation and balance … remarkable precision, vitality and tonal focus. Beethoven benefits mightily from the silken strings, woodsy winds, clarion brasses and pinpoint timpani.”(Gramophone Magazine).
“We approach the Beethoven concerts and recording as if they were the very first performances, as though the music had been composed yesterday. There’s no sense of routine with Tafelmusik musicians and everybody’s playing with a full heart and a full soul and spirit. That is the secret to a great performance,” says Maestro Weil.
In-Store Release Information :
Release date: September 22, 2017
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Chamber Choir
Complete Beethoven Symphonies
Bruno Weil, Conductor
Tafelmusik online store 6-CD package price: $40.00
Recording Dates: October 2004 to February 2016
Sound Format: 24-bit high definition sound
Product Number: TMK1034CD
UPC: 8 80513 10342 5
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ABOUT TAFELMUSIK
Led by Music Director Elisa Citterio, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir is one of the world’s leading period ensembles and Canada’s most-toured orchestra. Tafelmusik engages Toronto audiences with an annual season of more than 80 concerts in diverse venues across the city, as well as national and international audiences through an extensive schedule of tours and critically acclaimed recordings. The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, under the direction of Ivars Taurins, was formed in 1981 to complement the Orchestra. Tafelmusik also seeks to transport audiences to the baroque and classical periods through adventurous cross-cultural collaborations, on stage with Toronto’s Opera Atelier, and underground at its new Haus Musik series. The orchestra’s musicians share their knowledge and experience through artist training initiatives such as the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer and Winter Institutes. Tafelmusik’s catalogue of award-winning recordings on the SONY, CBC Records, Analekta, and Tafelmusik Media labels have garnered nine JUNO Awards and numerous other recording prizes. Jeanne Lamon continues her association with Tafelmusik as Music Director Emerita.
2017/18 SEASON PARTNERS
Tafelmusik wishes to thank the following for their generous support: BMO Financial Group, TD Bank Group, RBC Foundation, Hal Jackman Foundation, KPMG, Great West Life, London Life, Canada Life, Blakes LLP, iA Securities, Stikeman Elliott LLP, John and Margaret Catto, Margaret and Jim Fleck, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Classical 96.3 FM, and NOW Magazine. Tafelmusik is a proud partner of the Bloor St. Culture Corridor.
