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Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately released as a set (along with three overtures: Egmont, Coriolan, and Leonore no. 3); that set won the 1975 Grammy Award for Classical Album of the Year from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Medinah Temple
May 1974
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Medinah Temple
May 1974
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Medinah Temple
November 1973 and May 1974
Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Medinah Temple
May 1974
A recording session for Beethoven's Fifth or Eighth Symphony at Medinah Temple in November 1973.
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Medinah Temple
November 1973
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 (Pastoral)
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
September 1974
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
September 1974
Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93
Ray Minshull, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Medinah Temple
November 1973
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125
Pilar Lorengar, soprano
Yvonne Minton, mezzo-soprano
Stuart Burrows, tenor
Martti Talvela, bass
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Margaret Hillis, director
David Harvey, producer
Kenneth Wilkinson and James Lock, engineers
Recorded at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
May and June 1972
Margaret Hillis and Solti listen to playbacks of the Ninth Symphony at the Krannert Center in May 1972.
from the archives 
15 comments
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January 31, 2023 at 7:01 AM
Sir Georg Solti: Grammy champ | from the archives
[…] of the Year–Classical (nom, 26, win 9)Best Classical Performance–Orchestra (nom 27)Beethoven’s SymphoniesBEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36BEETHOVEN […]
February 21, 2022 at 9:57 AM
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 | from the archives
[…] Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately released […]
January 6, 2022 at 8:44 AM
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93 | from the archives
[…] Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately […]
September 28, 2021 at 7:00 AM
Hillis @ 100: In Pictures Through the Years | from the archives
[…] Symphony Orchestra Association) Margaret Hillis and Sir Georg Solti during recording playbacks for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Krannert Center in May 1972 (Robert M. Lightfoot III) Margaret Hillis (front row, second […]
February 18, 2020 at 8:39 AM
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 | from the archives
[…] Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately released as […]
February 17, 2020 at 8:46 AM
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 | from the archives
[…] Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately released as […]
September 25, 2019 at 3:46 PM
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica) | from the archives
[…] Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately released as […]
September 23, 2019 at 2:53 PM
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 | from the archives
[…] Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus first recorded Beethoven’s nine symphonies between May 1972 and September 1974 for London Records. The recordings were ultimately released as […]
December 4, 2018 at 10:38 AM
Happy birthday, Yvonne Minton! | from the archives
[…] 12 and 13, 1972, Orchestra Hall BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 Pilar Lorengar, soprano Yvonne Minton, mezzo-soprano René Kollo, tenor Martti Talvela, bass […]
August 18, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Sir Georg Solti + CSO = 108 | from the archives
[…] range of repertoire is vast: complete cycles of symphonies by Beethoven (twice, see here and here), Brahms, Bruckner, and Mahler (see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here); […]
May 12, 2016 at 8:31 PM
Steven J. Pierson
I was there, working for Decca- Incredible experience!!!
September 9, 2012 at 5:21 AM
Geelhoed engineering | Media4teen
[…] Solti 74: Beethoven's symphonies, take 1 « from the archives […]
May 31, 2012 at 4:52 PM
Solti 51: Grammy champ « from the archives
[…] Album of the Year—Classical (9) Beethoven’s Complete Symphonies BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 BEETHOVEN […]
March 30, 2012 at 2:03 PM
hayeshorn
This is my favorite box set of the Beethoven symphonies 🙂
March 27, 2012 at 4:59 PM
David Sanders
The 7th and 6th Symphonies in September, 1974, in Vienna, were my first sessions of any kind with Maestro Solti. What an unbelievable thrill it was, to finally play for the Maestro who had changed my life by giving me this incredible opportunity.