**** Excellent album

“… a fine account of [Overture ‘Coriolan’] a great but elusive piece.”

“Fischer balances the suavely light and the resiliently heroic”

“Ivan Fischer conducts the first movement of the Eroica very fluently, and the music becomes very colorful and luminous thanks to the good transparency and the importance he gives to the woodwinds… It is an interpretation of great seriousness, radiating thoughtfulness as well as pain and sadness… The performance of the Coriolan Overture, which is presented here in all its immediate drama, is very special, with sharp accents and high contrast.” ****

“…Fischer and the orchestra navigate the score’s dynamic shifts with impressive ease, seamlessly executing the transitions from hushed passages to forceful outbursts. Fischer’s master use of subtle tempo fluctuations adds further depth to the performance… a highly enjoyable performance that will please collectors following this cycle…”

Outstanding Release

“…this is an essential ‘Eroica’.”

Performance *****      Sonics (Multichannel) *****

“…There is no doubt that Iván Fischer's much awaited release of Beethoven's ‘Eroica’ Symphony is a triumph for all concerned. With its exceptional performance, pristine sound quality, and punctilious approach, it undoubtedly deserves a place among the top recommendations for collectors seeking a definitive and fresh interpretation of this iconic work.”

Performance ****      Recording ****

“… a fine and well-recorded performance, with a welcome degree of expressive flexibility in such moments as the opening movement’s gentle second subject.”

“… Fischer’s players make the most of the slow movement’s funeral march, although the performance is at its finest in the fire and crisp attack of the opening allegro and the scherzo’s dancing colours. (Oh, those gorgeous hunting horns!) … a thoroughly decent release …” ****

“…Their [Ivan Fischer/ Budapest Festival Orchestra] account of Beethoven’s Symphony No 3 “Eroica” (Channel Classics), along with the Coriolan Overture, is fresh and vigorous. Attack is clean, strings crisp, brass and woodwind full of personality, horns properly heroic. From the offset, the music’s revolutionary zeal is to the fore …”