Decca Classics is proud to announce the upcoming release of Sir Neville Marriner's complete Beethoven symphony cycle, a monumental collection commemorating the centenary of the legendary British conductor's birth on 15 April 2024.

Sir Neville Marriner, widely regarded as one of the most prolific musicians in history, has left an indelible mark on the world of classical music. Known for his extensive discography and significant contributions to the art form, Marriner founded the renowned Academy of St Martin in the Fields, conducted the soundtrack for the 1984 film Amadeus and made history as the oldest conductor at the Proms in 2014. He was also honoured as a Companion of Honour by the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace and has also been acknowledged in France, Germany, and Sweden.

Known and celebrated for his recordings of Baroque music and Mozart, Marriner also created highly-desired recordings of Beethoven's first two symphonies with “his” Academy of St Martin in the Fields – a chapter in his recorded history that is now being gathered together for the first time. The recordings received critical acclaim: “The orchestral detail is beautifully clear. The tempos are all quite moderate: no sentimental slowness, no exaggerated virtuoso rushing. In short, these performances are extremely enjoyable … Excellent recordings throughout” – Gramophone (Symphonies nos. 1 & 2).

In addition to the symphonies, the set features Marriner's recordings of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, presented in two distinct performances – one with the long-standing leader of the Academy, Iona Brown (herself also a conductor), in January 1980, and another with Gidon Kremer for Philips, who incorporated two of the Schnittke cadenzas into his performance. These were complemented by a disc of a selection of charming Minuets, German Dances, and Contredanses, also for Philips, in 1978.

The collection is presented in its original jackets, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the historical recordings.

“This is unmistakably her most powerful achievement on record to date … the trueness of Brown's tone is a delight … Like Mutter and Chung, she prefers spacious tempos in the first two movements but then presents the finale at a dashing tempo, classically elegant, a formidable challenge, particularly in the double-stopping. With excellent recorded sound – arguably as fine as the digital sound for the Decca Chung disc, this makes a refreshing addition to a very long list of versions.” – Gramophone (Violin Concerto – Iona Brown)