Oct. 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantiques founding. 20 years after their acclaimed Beethoven Symphony recordings for DG, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the orchestra continue to revisit this repertoire. The Seconds life-affirming energy is at times romantically tender and at other times ferociously determined. Beethovens adventurous spirit can be heard in the Eighth, which is buoyant and energetic with a spirit of wit and playfulness. The albums 28 pg. booklet contains original notes by BBC presenter and music journalist Stephen Johnson.