# What are some "Must Own" Beethoven Symphony sets?



## Boldertism (May 21, 2015)

Here are the sets I already own:

Gardiner/ORR
Bohm/VPO
Bernstein/New York

I also have singles from Klieber, Muti, Karajan (70s), and von Dohnanyi.

I'm largely satisfied with these recordings, but you know how it is. Are there any sets that I just gotta have, or else?


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

The Chailly set.

http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-16264/


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

I really enjoy the Immerseel and listen to it more than the Gardiner and Harnoncourt sets I own.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Abbado's recent set with the London SO, a big change from his earlier cycles and, IMO, better. Energetic, detailed, musical.

http://www.amazon.com/Symphonies-No...&sr=1-1&keywords=beethoven+symphonies+haitink

The old Rene Leibowitz set with the Royal Philharmonic. Good sound, kind of pre-HIP HIP, amazing all around. Also super-cheap, the price of a Sausage McMuffin.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...sr_1_1&s=dmusic&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0


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## LHB (Nov 1, 2015)

Morimur said:


> The Chailly set.
> 
> http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-16264/


Seconded. The Chailly has my favorite performance of 1, 2, 5, and 7.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra Amsterdam 
Karajan firts set on DG


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I think the only must-owns are Karjan '63 and Gardiner.


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## Aleksandar (Feb 21, 2015)

Barenboim one is an excellent modern edition with a very clean sound.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

KenOC said:


> The old Rene *Leibowitz* set with the Royal Philharmonic. Good sound, kind of pre-HIP HIP, amazing all around. Also super-cheap, the price of a Sausage McMuffin.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...sr_1_1&s=dmusic&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0


Checked that Leibowitz MP3; glad that they have now fixed the unusual horns in IX,2 in the digital transfer; they were barely audible in some of the first CD versions of the original LP set ...


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

What do you guys think of the Blomstedt/Dresden? 
I believe I'll get it for Christmas, a present from Mrs GioCar. We recently went to a concert with Blomstedt conducting Schubert's unfinished symphony and Bruckner 9. She was deeply impressed.

I already have the Karajan 1963, the Harnoncourt, the Vanska/Minnesota, the Barenboim/West-Eastern Divan (the only "must *not* own", imo), the Chailly and a Furtwangler set issued by EMI in the year 2000.


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## Dawood (Oct 11, 2015)

For me, Solti's 5th first movement sounds like it was channeled through a Bernard Herrmann 'Psycho' filter...

It sounds ever so slightly scary!


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

These are the 'must have' sets of Beethoven symphonies from my perspective:

Leipzig Gewandhaus O/Riccardo Chailly
Berlin PO/Andre Cluytens
Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique/John Eliot Gardiner
SWR Sinfonie-Orchester Baden-Baden/Michael Gielen


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

"Must own" sets? No. Listen widely and accumulate performances of individual symphonies that speak to you.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I agree with MarkW above in that I have individual recordings that I would always choose in preference to a set such as by Bohm and Kleiber. However, the most consistent set I've heard is Karajan's '63 and listen to it frequently.


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

My preference is the same as science's, Karajan 1963 and Gardiner are my essential sets.

*Karajan 1963*

An _excellent_ Ninth; a brisk but not too brisk, intense, and majestic 1st movement. A maniacal energy in the second movement (doesn't take the repeat, which is a strong point for many, considering its repetitive nature. I don't mind it with or without the repeat, I think it's one of his very strongest movements). The weak point of Karajan's 1963 Ninth is the slightly too swift 3rd movement _Adagio_, he glides over some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard (if you want the best Adagio, you gotta listen to the Fricsay's 1958 Ninth on DG, not just for the slow movement, but also for the best Finale out there). Karajan's Finale is well done, the only issue that could perhaps mar it is the dull/muffled sound of the timpani. Of course this is just a recording issue, and is not to be taken away from the performance.

The Fifth among the very best, as well, even if he doesn't quite match the clarity and overall thrust of Kleiber's justly famous recording. Karajan doesn't take the repeat in the final movement, which is a deal breaker for some. Nevertheless, it's my second favorite Fifth after Kleiber's.

The 3rd 'Eroica' is great _despite_ the omission of the repeat in the first movement. This will purely be my personal tastes speaking, but I just prefer a HIP Eroica. If you want to hear a phenomenal "romantic" approach to the Eroica (w/first movement repeat), you can't go wrong with Bernstein's with the NYP.

The First, Second, Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth are all fine performances, if not truly best of the best. The Sixth is the only disappointment for me here in this cycle, I feel much of the immense joy of this work is glided over and not properly dealt with. Listen to Walter or Böhm for the Sixth done right!

*Gardiner*

Gardiner does justice to every symphony. The only reason why I never reach for Gardiner's Ninth is because I'm incredibly picky about my favorite symphony, it just doesn't feel or sound right in the HIP approach, not to these ears. Give me Karajan, Fricsay, and Furtwängler any day over the HIP approach. This is the first Romantic symphony. According to Jan Swafford in his Beethoven biography, he comments that there is nothing "Classical" about the phrasing of the Adagio which seems to foretell Wagner's "_unendliche melodie_" (unending melody) with its long-breathed lyricism. Furthermore, "Not that for Wagner, the Ninth was an obsession and in many ways a starting point... The beginning of the _Ring_, that enormous, slow-unfolding E-flat-major chord which evokes the Rhine is one of many descendants of the Ninth's opening, others to be found in Bruckner and Mahler" (Note 18, page 1043, Swafford).

Excuse the digression, I can't help it sometimes! Gardiner's Third is my very favorite, you will not find a more fiery and intense reading of this revolutionary symphony. The Fifth and Seventh are equally well-treated. Gardiner does especially well in the more "classical" symphonies such as the First, Second, and Eighth, which happen to be my go-to performances for these. The Sixth, as I've previously stated, is similar to the Ninth in that I feel a more romantic approach suits it best (read Walter/Böhm).

All symphonies taken into account, Gardiner's is my favorite followed by Karajan 1963, for consistent excellence.

Special mention to Immerseel's HIP Beethoven cycle, which must be heard for its amazing sound quality. I've never heard a performance where you can hear _every _instrument as clearly as you can with Immerseel. You can hear all the different lines of music, interacting with each other. It was like hearing Beethoven's symphonies with completely new ears, it's worth purchasing for that alone. The performances are also uniformly very good to great.

*Recordings mentioned:*


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

You old timers love the slooooooow tempos, eh? Personally I think the Chailly set stands head and shoulders above the rest because it stays true to Beethoven's original marked tempos.


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## Biwa (Aug 3, 2015)

Along with those mentioned above, you might want to explore:

Klemperer... http://www.amazon.com/Otto-Klemperer-Beethoven-Symphonies-Overture/dp/B008YKRRI6
and http://www.amazon.com/Symphony-9-L-..._15_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1MK183C628PVEJ5WKQ1W

Jarvi... http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/beethoven-the-nine-symphonies/

Vriend... http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Netherlands-Symphony-Orchestra-Willem/dp/B006Z10BMK

Kempe... http://www.amazon.com/Symphony-No-9-Beethoven/dp/B007G3H8TK

Toscanini... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0S6ZZCVD1ER2JF59H7CX

Furtwängler... http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-The-Symphonies-Ludwig-van/dp/B000002S1Z


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

I grew up on the Karajan 1963 set, but I've found that he disregards Beethoven's repeats far too much for me to be satisfied with him any more. Structurally, ignoring all of those repeats leads to lopsided developments. Not good. Beethoven knew what he was doing when he chose to put in a repeat.

The Leibovitz Readers' Digest set has become my new favorite--he also takes nearly all of the repeats and the readings are spirited and the sound is excellent. If you want a great, incredibly cheap set with virtually no drawbacks, that's the one. Listening to his set, I've heard things and textures that I've missed in other recordings---I check the scores and he's not making it up. Whoever engineered these recordings was a master, whom I salute.

I was never keen on Bernstein, but the more I've revisited him, the more I find that when I hear the music in my head, it's almost exactly the way Bernstein plays it. So I find he's moved way, way up towards the top for me. YMMV. He also observes nearly all of the repeats (sadly, not the one in the Scherzo of the Ninth, which would help make that movement as substantial as the other three--but far too few conductors bother with it).

Zinman is entertaining in his reckless attempts to meet Beethoven's metronome markings. I don't agree with everything he does, but it's a helluva ride.

If you can handle historic (i.e., not good) sound, Toscanini is tough to beat. He has some fast tempi that anticipate the HIP readings, and they're always lively and exciting. Unlike Furtwängler, who's generally renowned as a Beethoven conductor, Toscanini takes most of the repeats.

Hogwood is not exciting by any means, but working through 20-odd sets he's the one and only conductor I've found to observe every single one of Beethoven's repeat markings. If that's of prime importance to you, he's your man (the piano equivalent is Claudio Arrau). Sound is very good early digital.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

There´s a big difference from Bernstein on CBS-Sony and his later, more subdued take with the VPO/DG. I prefer the earlier one.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2015)

Well I will be the first here to recommend the Vanska/Minnesota cycle on BIS, for both musicianship and modern sound.
Another that I am surprised to not see is the excellent Szell/Cleveland set on Sony.
I like Gardiner the best for HIP.

I'll also put in my vote for the Karajan '63.


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

Carlos Kleiber never did the complete set. But his 5 + 7 are among the best.


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## Machiavel (Apr 12, 2010)

Bruggen live Rotterdam 2011 in sacd.


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

joen_cph said:


> There´s a big difference from Bernstein on CBS-Sony and his later, more subdued take with the VPO/DG. I prefer the earlier one.


Yes, in most cases the earlier New York version is the better one.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

gardibolt said:


> Yes, in most cases the earlier New York version is the better one.


That is good news as I have the NYPO set. There is a nice low priced box set of that one too for under $10 new or used here (and has a fine portrait of Lenny on the cover),
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003S0IJWA

What about the new box set with Monteux (I know, two different orchestras but...) here?
Here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013HFUAHC


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

DrMike said:


> Another that I am surprised to not see is the excellent Szell/Cleveland set on Sony.


I was about to suggest that one. He's not to everyone's taste, because he is so precise, but this cycle always holds my attention.

I also agree with most of the suggestions already posted.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Manxfeeder said:


> I was about to suggest that one. He's not to everyone's taste, because he is so precise, but this cycle always holds my attention.
> 
> I also agree with most of the suggestions already posted.


Oh, they have Szell in the same series as the Bernstein I posted above, and at similar low prices. I have both.

Did anyone mention Gunter Wand's cycle? That is a great one too.


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## Lyricus (Dec 11, 2015)

Morimur said:


> You old timers love the slooooooow tempos, eh? Personally I think the Chailly set stands head and shoulders above the rest because it stays true to Beethoven's original marked tempos.


Nothing wrong with both, even if I prefer the speedier times and less rubato. My wife's the opposite, which led me to wanting to hear both all the time (and not just Beethoven, also Ashkenazy v. Rubinstein's Chopin, etc.).


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## Gouldanian (Nov 19, 2015)

I have a question of my own, which set has the most ''agressive'' performance of LVB's symphonies? I have the Harnoncourt one and I hate it... It's too soft. I'm not much into Beethoven in general but if I'm to listen to his symphonies I want them to be mad... That's how I see LVB: Violent, agressive and mad. I don't want soft interpretations, which I like for Brahms and others but I would like your suggestion of *angry* LVB.

For instance Furtwangler's 9th in 1942... very dark. I like that. Problem is I don't like his other interpretations of LVB.

Any input?


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

Gouldanian said:


> I have a question of my own, which set has the most ''agressive'' performance of LVB's symphonies? I have the Harnoncourt one and I hate it... It's too soft. I'm not much into Beethoven in general but if I'm to listen to his symphonies I want them to be mad... That's how I see LVB: Violent, agressive and mad. I don't want soft interpretations, which I like for Brahms and others but I would like your suggestion of *angry* LVB.
> 
> For instance Furtwangler's 9th in 1942... very dark. I like that. Problem is I don't like his other interpretations of LVB.
> 
> Any input?


Try Bernstein (NYPO) and Celibidache (not complete) sets.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Maddened, aggressive Beethoven? Some have said that Gardiner's interpretations "grab you by the throat and slam you up against the wall." I suspect that Gardiner would take exception.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Gouldanian said:


> I have a question of my own, which set has the most ''agressive'' performance of LVB's symphonies? I have the Harnoncourt one and I hate it... It's too soft. I'm not much into Beethoven in general but if I'm to listen to his symphonies I want them to be mad... That's how I see LVB: Violent, agressive and mad. I don't want soft interpretations, which I like for Brahms and others but I would like your suggestion of *angry* LVB.
> 
> For instance Furtwangler's 9th in 1942... very dark. I like that. Problem is I don't like his other interpretations of LVB.
> 
> Any input?


*Scherchen* in the 3rd (the fast Vienna recording) and 8 (London). 





Scherchen´s Lugano cycle (the orchestral coordination is not always exactly a priority there, however ) 




*Mengelberg*, of course - but the sound is very dated.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I also like the Hogwood set with The Academy of Ancient Music.


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

Machiavel said:


> Bruggen live Rotterdam 2011 in sacd.


Doesn't get mentioned enough, my new favourite, beats Gardiner for electricity.


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## Gouldanian (Nov 19, 2015)

KenOC said:


> Maddened, aggressive Beethoven? Some have said that Gardiner's interpretations "grab you by the throat and slam you up against the wall." I suspect that Gardiner would take exception.


Thanks KenOC, it's exactly what I was looking for... I listened to his 5th on youtube and it's as mad and agressive as I wanted it to be.

Just ordered his cycle from Amazon (can you believe the whole Gardiner cycle is going for 18$?)


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