This is the fourth volume in a cycle of the complete Symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven being released by conductor Jan Willem de Vriend and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. The new disc features Symphonies No.2 and 3 ‘Eroica’ and, as with the previous titles, it is being made available as a hybrid SACD.

Jan Willem de Vriend is the artistic director of Combattimento Consort Amsterdam and since 2006 has been the chief conductor and artistic director of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. De Vriend has been a guest conductor with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hague Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra is based in the province of Overijssel and performs concert series in Enschede, Hengelo, Zwolle and Deventer. Another important role for the orchestra is accompanying De Nationale Reisopera and provincial choral societies.

Volume 3 (CC72500), which included the Seventh and Eighth Symphonies and was released in July 2010, has received excellent reviews:
“(4 stars) As long as you’re not allergic to performances played in period style then these are among the best of their kind” - Malcolm Hayes, Classic FM Magazine