L.V. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral' - Karl Böhm & VPO (DG 1996)

A musical painting of the countryside.

Beethoven's Sixth Symphony provides a great contrast with the stormy Fifth, written in the same year. In this peaceful work, Beethoven uses the orchestra to evoke images of the countryside. In the various movements one hears birds singing, villagers dancing, a thunderstorm bursting, and finally a shepherd's song of thanks after the storm. Karl Böhm's recording highlights the human side of the music – the ''merry gathering of country folk'' sounds happy and spontaneous, and there is a palpable sense of relief after the thunderstorm. If you're looking for a more dramatic approach, try Bruno Walter's celebrated version, which conveys the music's grandeur in every note.

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