# Beethoven Symphonies



## Violapower

I'm a high-schooler currently considering a carrer in in music (either as a violist or a conductor). To my horror, I have realized I have not heard a Beethoven Symphony in it's entirety! 

I'm curious: what is the best collection of Beethoven Symphonies I can get? I'm tempted to get the Minnesota Orchestra cycle because I live in Minnesota, but I want to know what other people think I should get.

(They don't have to be from the same cycle. I could buy MP3's of several recordings to get the best collection).


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## Rachovsky

Violapower said:


> I'm a high-schooler currently considering a carrer in in music (either as a violist or a conductor). To my horror, I have realized I have not heard a Beethoven Symphony in it's entirety!
> 
> I'm curious: what is the best collection of Beethoven Symphonies I can get? I'm tempted to get the Minnesota Orchestra cycle because I live in Minnesota, but I want to know what other people think I should get.
> 
> (They don't have to be from the same cycle. I could buy MP3's of several recordings to get the best collection).


First and foremost I would recommend Carlos Kleiber's recording of his 5th and 7th with the Vienna Philharmonic (Here it is.) I would then recommend Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic for the remaining recordings (especially the 9th). Although there are a number of other great recordings of the 9th out there (Furtwangler, Solti, and Osmo Vanska as well). I'm sure World Violinist will persuade you to go with Vanska and the Minnesota Symphony, but I've yet to hear anything from him other than the 9th. (Link.

Anyhow, there's my two cents. I'm sure the others will encourage other recordings, there's so many wonderful recordings of the Beethoven symphonies.


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## nickgray

Do you guys know if there are some uh... "unusual" interpretations of Beethoven's Symphonies out there? Like Celibidache or something?


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## jhar26

Klemperer's set (poor 9th, but otherwise great) or Karajan's 1963 set.

For individual symphonies Furthwangler's 9th, Kleiber's 5th and 7th and Klemperer's 3th (if you don't buy his complete set).


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## Elgarian

jhar26 said:


> Klemperer's 3th


Threeth?


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## jhar26

Elgarian said:


> Threeth?


It's one of them ancient dialects, Alan.


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## Elgarian

jhar26 said:


> It's one of them ancient dialects, Alan.


Nothing to do with the twooth fairy, then?


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## nickgray

jhar26 said:


> Klemperer's set (poor 9th, but otherwise great) or Karajan's 1963 set.
> 
> For individual symphonies Furthwangler's 9th, Kleiber's 5th and 7th and Klemperer's 3th (if you don't buy his complete set).


Already got Furtwangler, Kleiber and Karajan. Klemperer's thirt... theer... threeth?  Yeah, I don't have Klemperer, maybe I'll check him out, thanks!

oh... wait, was this post for me or for the topic starter?


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## jhar26

Elgarian said:


> Nothing to do with the twooth fairy, then?


I don't know. What region was she from?


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## Elgarian

jhar26 said:


> I don't know. What region was she from?


I don't know. All I know is that the story about her began 'Oneth upon a time'.

Enough of this nonsense. Back to Beethoven, and his oneth, twooth and threeth symphonies.


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## Weston

Most of my versions are either Dohnányi or von Karajan. I like the Karajans because he seems to my unscholarly listening to be a transparent interpreter -- in other words he seems to let Beethoven come through and not fill it with a lot of over the top bombast. I like the Dohnányi for similar reasons but also they are relatively recent recordings (late 1980's).

I have the Schermerhorn 9th from Naxos and it kicks anatomy! I like it better than the Szell 9th I have, although the Szell is fine too.


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## maestrowick

you can't go wrong with Carlos Kleiber!


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## Edward Elgar

Karajan and the BPO all the way! These accounts are the most perfect anyone will ever achive with Beethoven.

Violapower, if you havn't heard one all the way through, try the 5th for starters and try spot how many times da da da daaaaaa appears in the whole work. You may be suprised, you may be aroused... I was!


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## handlebar

I tend to love my set by Gardiner and then when needed revert to Rattle's set.
The Karajan is ok but a bit too sugary sounding to me.

Jim


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## SixFootScowl

nickgray said:


> Do you guys know if there are some uh... "unusual" interpretations of Beethoven's Symphonies out there? Like Celibidache or something?


Not that it probably matters now a decade later, but Zinman is unusual in its fast tempos. The Turkish March is more like a Turkish run--spoiled the whole cycle for me.


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## Rogerx

maestrowick said:


> you can't go wrong with Carlos Kleiber!


He only recorded a few


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## SixFootScowl

Rogerx said:


> He only recorded a few


Can we fill in the blanks with some other conductor?

Could do better with Fricsay. He recorded six (but not 6). Only need to find suitable other performances of 2, 4, and 6. Funny, but I am a stickler to have one conductor for the whole cycle, yet for Mahler I have a mix of different conductors. Maybe mixes of conductors works better with Mahler.


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## Handelian

Karajan and the BPO are the best set, either 1963 or 1977. Of course there are lots of other ways of doing it including HIP performances but HvK will give you a tremendous introduction. Terrific performances and no real duds


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## Merl

Violapower, you might want to check at least one of the threads below. Lots of diverse opinions on Beethoven cycles over the years . There are so many cycles I'm sure you will find your Cinderella cycle or have a lot of fun trying to find it.

Your Beethoven Frankencycle
Beethoven symphony cycle with the best sound and performance
If You Could Only Have One Beethoven Symphony Cycle
Best Beethoven complete symphonies set?

Alternatively Granate and I have both done a large number of reviews that cover the majority of even the most obscure cycles. I'll link some below. If you have a streaming service I'd advise you to listen to as many of the most recommended and/or controversial of these cycles as possible. Links to my other reviews are at the bottom of my review post below.

Merl's Beethoven Symphony Cycle Reviews Pt.17 (a retrospective one)
Granate's Beethoven Symphony Challenge - Table 1 (Mono + HIP)

Ps. If you want to know anything else (but don't want to ask in the thread) then the PM is always an option.


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## jegreenwood

Of course, Violapower has now completed graduate school.


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