Stylistically, Hogwood is on firm ground, and there is much to be said for his insights into the music. He prefers not to "conduct" the symphonies in the conventional manner, but to "coordinate" their performance as a musician of the period might have done. His Eroica and Pastorale are outstanding, and his Ninth most impressive. The symphonies were recorded in the order of their composition, and the sound is consistently good throughout. --Ted Libbey

Tracklisting:

CD 1

Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21

1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
2. Andante cantabile con moto
3. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace)
4. Finale (Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace)
Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica"
5. Allegro con brio
6. Marcia funèbre (Adagio assai)
7. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)
8. Finale (Allegro molto)

CD 2
Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36
1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
2. Larghetto
3. Scherzo (Allegro)
4. Allegro molto
Symphony No.6 in F Major, Op.68 -"Pastoral"
5. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande (Allegro ma non troppo)
6. Szene am Bach (Andante molto mosso)
Symphony No.6 in F, Op.68 -"Pastoral"
7. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Allegro)
8. Gewitter, Sturm (Allegro)
9. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Allegretto)

CD 3
Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60
1. Adagio - Allegro vivace
2. Adagio
3. Allegro vivace
4. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67
5. Allegro con brio
6. Andante con moto
7. Allegro
8. Allegro

CD 4
Overture "Coriolan", Op.62
Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92
2. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
3. Allegretto
4. Presto - Assai meno presto
5. Allegro con brio
Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93
6. Allegro vivace e con brio
7. Allegretto scherzando
8. Tempo di menuetto
9. Allegro vivace

CD 5
Overture - Music to Goethe's Tragedy "Egmont" op.84
Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral"
2. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
3. Molto vivace
4. Adagio molto e cantabile
5. Presto - Allegro assai

Boxset Dimensions: 5.1"x0.6"x5.29"