★★★★☆ The Berliners are impeccable, but Abbado isn't a revolutionary

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

Claudio Abbado brought many changes to the Berlin Philharmonic after ascending to the podium after Herbert von Karajan. Beethoven brings out the contrasts with startling realism, as the weltering, homogenized sound of Karajan's orchestra is replaced by Abbado's bright, leaner textures. Frankly, I find myself missing the intensity of Karajan, but the added detail and freedom of expression Abbado discovers keeps me from dismissing it. Even in early Beethoven, though, there could more grandeur and passion than Abbado delivers.

Here the Symphony No. 1 starts out positively, with rather zippy spirits, Abbado clearly favoring a classical coloring. It's athletic, with definite touches of HIP (historically informed performance). We're clearly in the realm of Haydn, but shouldn't Beethoven's revolutionary side be more dominating? The Berliners play without a care in the world, but there's no bite to their timbre, something that was never lacking under Karajan. Niceness is a second cousin to blandness, and after awhile, Abbado starts to sound quite ordinary. At least he's genuinely cheerful; the orchestra is quite impressive, especially the woodwinds. It's hard to have anything but admiration for the Scherzo, which moves with energy and complete dedication from the orchestra--it's the standout for me.

The Second Symphony starts out with more depth than the 1st Symphony, which is welcome; Abbado gives a warm, meaningful introduction. Proceeding into the heart of the movement, Abbado continues to be more interesting, using his sensitivity to lay down a genuine interpretation. I hear more heft from the Berliners, too. The energy level is surprisingly high. Abbado's HIPness is more prominent in the Larghetto, though, where he trots along with feeling but not much depth. The Scherzo isn't as striking as in the 1st Symphony, but it still flows with naturalness—at least it doesn't feel breezy. The finale has plenty of enthusiasm, but there's still a feeling of restraint. At least Abbado is supple and warm without fussing the line over. It's gentle and lilting.

In the end, the main attraction to this disc is the playing of the Berliners. I wish Abbado could have given more, adding inspiration to these polished readings. The orchestral execution could hardly be better.