Beethoven’s symphonies are generally regarded as the greatest single body of music for orchestra. An Australian orchestra has never recorded them complete – until now. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has recorded them all and released a 5CD boxed set on the ABC Classics label.

The recordings of the complete Beethoven symphonies were made over two years with Maestro David Porcelijn, and were performed, then recorded in venues around Australia especially chosen for their fine acoustics – in Canberra, Newcastle, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and in the TSO’s new home, Federation Concert Hall in Hobart.

The project was produced and engineered by ABC staff: Recording producer was Stephen Snelleman, Recording Engineer was Andrew Dixon (and Jim Atkins on Symphony No. 3), Edited by Andrew Dixon with David Garrett from the TSO and mastered by Virginia Read.

The TSO is “an ideal size to specialise in the classical repertoire, particularly Beethoven, resulting in a significant Antipodean and Tasmanian contribution to historically informed performances of Beethoven on modern instruments,” according to the ABC’s Stephen Godbee.

The packaging of the new boxed set is features a range of “stunning Tasmanian wilderness images by the late and acclaimed photographer Peter Dombrovskis.”