Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 (Herbert Blomstedt, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig)

From the Church of St. Nikolai, Leipzig
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Herbert Blomstedt - conductor

0:00 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
0:20 I. Allegro con brio
7:46 II. Andante con moto
17:55 III. Allegro
26:30 IV. Allegro

Herbert Blomstedt (born July 11, 1927) is a Swedish conductor. Herbert Blomstedt was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and two years after his birth, his Swedish parents moved the family back to their country of origin. He studied at the Stockholm Royal College of Music and the University of Uppsala, followed by studies of contemporary music at Darmstadt in 1949, Baroque music with Paul Sacher at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, and further conducting studies with Igor Markevitch, Jean Morel at the Juilliard School, and Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood's Berkshire Music Center. Blomstedt also lived in Finland during his youth.
He won the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize in 1953 and the Salzburg Conducting Competition in 1955.
Blomstedt is most noted for his performances of German and Austrian composers, such as Beethoven, Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner and Richard Strauss, and also as a champion of Scandinavian composers, such as Edvard Grieg, Franz Berwald, Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen.
A devout Seventh-day Adventist, Blomstedt does not rehearse on Friday nights or Saturdays, the Sabbath in Seventh-day Adventism. He does, however, conduct concerts, since he considers actual performances to be an expression of his religious devotion rather than work.
He has been Music Director or Principal Conductor of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (1954–1962), Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (1962–1968), Danish Radio Symphony (1967–1977) and Swedish Radio Symphony (1977–1982). From 1975-1985, he served as chief conductor of the Dresdner Staatskapelle, in the process making many well-regarded recordings, including works of Richard Strauss and the complete Beethoven and Schubert symphonies, and leading the orchestra on international tours.
Blomstedt was music director of the San Francisco Symphony from 1985 to 1995. He led the orchestra on regular tours of Europe and Asia, and made numerous prize-winning recordings for London/Decca, winning two Grammy Awards, a Gramophone Award and a Grand Prix du Disque, as well as awards from Belgium, Germany and Japan. After leaving San Francisco full-time, Blomstedt held principal conductorships with the North German Radio Symphony (1996–1998) and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (1998–2005).
Blomstedt is currently Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Symphony and Honorary Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony, Swedish Radio Symphony and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

[saraaltuna]

I love how the Maestro looks like he's having the time of his life conducting Beethoven. Adorable.

[Schleiermacher]

What a great person and artist Herbert Blomstedt is, you are tempted to bow low to him

[tomaxi]

Der 1.Satz durchgezogen wie eine Linie und unbeschreiblich konsequent imTempo. Hervorragend wiedergegeben und ohne Kompromisse in atemberaubender Spannung, die nie nachlässt.
Der 2. Satz nicht pathetisch, sondern in graziöser, doch bestimmend und im Anschluss passend zum 1. Satz stimmungsmäßig getroffen.Der 3. Satz bleibt trotz tänzerischer Einlagen und abwechslungsreicher Coloristic ( pizzicati, pianissimo) von Beethoven und fugato sehr seriös und sehr spannungsgeladen, das dann im 4. Satz wie ein sprudelnder Ausbruch mit herrlich breiten Ausrufen zur Befreiung sich entlädt und zum Schluss zum äußersten Finale die Kraft vom 1. Takt im 1. Satz bis zum letzten Takt des letzten Satzes beibehält.
Herr Blomstedt nimmt diese große und äußerst bekannte Sinfonie Beethovens mit Bravour und Souveränität in die Hand wie ein griechischer Gott gleich Neptun den Dreizack die Wogen des Meeres durchwebt und weiß genau wie er die Stürme und Wogen beschreibt. Grandios, Bravissimo!!

[YellingCompetitions]

11:55 dude knows the best part is coming up

[adrimellet]

I admire the absolute devotion and concentration of the 1st violonist. It is outstanding.

[rel]

This conductor looks like being John Eliot Gardiner's brother. He is magnificent anyway and gave one of the most fantastic performances ever of Beethoven's 5th. Great job Maestro, great job Orchestra.

[agape]

The other performance(Beethoven - Symphony No. 5) was just a simple great harmony, but I could feel Beethoven's sensitivity when I heard this performance.
Wonderful performance.
I thought Beethoven is resurgence.

[volkerf.sesselmann]

Und nun hat er jüngst mit ebendiesem Orchester die Brahms Sinfonien eingespielt... Bravo Maestro

[HelenaWilliams]

Beethoven's GLORIOUS MUSIC goes so well with St. Nicolai medium. Extraordinary orchestra & conductor.
SUBLIME!

[karlbauer]

Mir ist aufgefallen- aber vielleicht ist dies nur eine zufällige Beobachtung-, daß die Orchestermitglieder sehr auf den Dirigenten achten, diesen immer wieder in den Blick nehmen. Daher vermute ich, daß das Orchester und Herr Blomstedt sehr gut aufeinander eingehen. Im übrigen gefällt mir diese Interpretation Beethovens Fünfter sehr gut.

[rubine]

Fabulos !
Dirijorul meu preferat cu una din cele mai bune orchestre, pentru mine cea mai buna e cea din Dresda.
Au nemtii astia niste orchestre... Bravo !
Sa nu uitam de Celibidache si de Karajan, amandoi putin aromani....

[johnrapp]

A most beautiful performance, Mr. Blomstedt! And your wonderful orchestra! Thank you so much!.. John Rapp

[KWT]

0:21 Here's a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have
old turning the key.
Knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of
Beelzebub?

[rainbowvine]

Had the piccolo been fired after concerts ? lol
Just don't know why she made so many mistakes in the final movement and the cam was still focusing on her sarcastically

[iwavns]

Beethoven doesn't need to use Grammarly 😐

[kleberkarlos]

三楽章に反復のあるギュルケ版だね。
初録音だったブーレーズ盤はちょっと大騒ぎになった。