Mitch Friedfeld:

>I recently attended a concert that began with Beethoven's Consecration
>of the House Overture.  And just today in the car, I heard the Egmont.
>Very nice music, and I'd like to learn more.  Is there such thing as a
>disc(s) that contains all the Beethoven overtures?  Recommendations
>please.

All the Beethoven overtures run for more than one CD but not enough for
two, so if you buy a set, you also get such slighter pieces as dances
or the Ritterballet.  You also tend to acquire them as fillers for
symphonies, although you're unlikely to encounter such less frequently
recorded overtures as Namensfeier.  In terms of single CD versions of
the overtures, the Sony Essential Classics CD, all but one conducted by
George Szell with the Cleveland, is a good recommendation.  One snag -
it doesn't contain The Consecration of the House.

Richard Pennycuick
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