I am surprised there have been no reviews of this release. I got a copy because I am fond of Masur's Beethoven set with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and wanted give a listen to these live versions with the Orchestra of France. Masur is interviewed (quoted in the booklet) and remarks that he wanted to re-record them because of recent research shedding new light on the compositions and also to show that large orchestral forces are needed to fully appreciate the composer's work. I am not a musicologist so I can only say the recordings are indeed enjoyable. They sound fresh and committed, the woodwinds in particular play wonderfully, and there is plenty of strength in the more dramatic sections. Masur succeeds in showing the tender and the tough sides of the composer's art. The recording is also appealing to me because it is set back just slightly, allowing the sense of a live occasion and not being 'in your face' which some recordings tend to be. The recording of the 6th is slightly muddy so if you require crystal clear sound that may bother you. The recording of the 2nd sounded clearer to me. So, no attempt here to make big claims about these performances, just that I enjoyed them and will listen to them again with pleasure.
