# Beethoven - Op. 68 - Symphony No. 6



## HansZimmer (11 mo ago)

How do you rate this piece?

Here below you find a live perfomance of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony with Andrés Orozco-Estrada as conductor.

The last week I also opened a new poll for my competition in the Movie Corner: Best Film Score Award - 1994


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

My favorite work from Beethoven, and highly distinct and revolutionary, a 6/6. The melody from Szene am Bach also made it into my top 5 recently, I definitely recommend that recording


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Ethereality said:


> My favorite work from Beethoven, and highly distinct and revolutionary, a 6/6.


For me as well.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

What can I say about the Pastorale? Life itself would be poorer without it! As a friend of nature and countryside scenery myself, it is wonderful to hear Beethoven´s thoughts and feelings from his journey a long time ago.


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## Tarneem (Jan 3, 2022)

I highly recommend you guys listen to the opus conducted by celibedache.... it gives it a whole new meaning!


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

For me, it's Beethoven's greatest orchestral work -- a romantic piece of seeming utter simplicity well before its time. Unfortunately most performances these days rush and ruin it. Celi is fascinating with perhaps unrivalled insights but for me, Sanderling is the most consistent.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

This is an excellent work, but it is not easy to play it to its full potential. Karl Bohm with the Vienna Philharmonic has done it the best to my ears.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

One of the best symphonies ever written, clearly the highest rating.

Like Kubrick's _2001 A Space Odyssey_ a unique masterpiece, different from anything else Beethoven wrote or just about anyone else in history. Very unusual for Beethoven -- a set scene piece with little or no monumentality, yet just as memorable and full of life and vitality as Eroica and Choral symphoies.

One of the few Beethoven big pieces where woodwinds play as important a role as strings, brass and timpani. Many great period and old-style recordings exist including my old pals Norrington and Ansermet.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

It's not only one of Beethoven's most accessible works - it's also one of his most "Beethovenian".
The first movement, in all of it's prettiness, has some of the most intricate thematic development that Beethoven ever tried. The way the main theme is cut up in little fragments, recombined and cut again in different ways, serving as building blocks for the composition is truly astounding. And the greatest marvel is that this rigorous, almost mathematical method results in music that's amazingly easy-going, natural and elegant.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

It mostly but not completely escapes the silliness of program music in movements 2-4 and I find mvts 2 and 5 tending to outstay their welcome; it's considerably shorter than the Eroica (or of course the 9th) but it's probably the only Beethoven symphony I'd call "lengthy". I still love the first movement and there are a few more great moments (like the "clearing up" after the storm) but it's among my less favorite major Beethoven pieces and I rarely listen to it anymore.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

There is no perfect recording of this work, but I turn to Klemperer most often even though it’s on the slower side. Furtwängler is beautiful and dramatic in the storm, but misses a little of the lightness of the work. Bohm has excellent sound and pretty much a perfect interpretation, and yet there’s something just a bit mundane about it to my ears. Walter would maybe be the top choice - just the right spirit - except the storm is such a letdown. More like a light rain. Cluytens is also excellent.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Excellent. It's the first Beethoven symphony I have ever heard complete, and I love all it's movements. When I'm in the mood for it, I usually go for Bernstein/VPO or Böhm/VPO.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I also voted "excellent". Only Beethoven's 9th among all his symphonies gets more playing time in my home.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Wonderful work...so special...great fun to play
...great woodwind parts, that lay in comfortable excellent sounding keys...
Reiner/CSO for me...Szell, Solti, Walter/ColSO very good also...


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

The first Beethoven symphony I paid attention to and owned, but now one of those I listen to the least. It's ok.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Excellent my preferences Haitink. RCO-Antal Doráti L.S.O- Herbert von Karajan first recording from DG with the B.P


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Rogerx said:


> Herbert von Karajan first recording from DG with the B.P


aka "Joyful arrival in the countryside driving your Porsche convertible" 

This was later but Karajan (then in his late 70s) trashed his first of the limited legendary Porsche 959 by driving it into a ditch, so they presented him with another one!


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Not my favourite of Beethoven's symphonies as I've never been as keen on the 2nd and 5th movements (I agree with Kreisler, they outstay their welcome) but still a fine symphony. I prefer accounts to have a brisker first movement and a storm that has real power. Laboured intros and soppy storms turn me off. Apart from the 2nd symphony it's probably the Beethoven symphony I play/like the least. Karajan viewed it as such, too. Whilst he publicly never said so, former members of the BPO have all discussed this in podcasts since. He had similar misgivings about the 2nd and 5th movements, apparently, and would often "roll his eyes during rehearsal" (much to the amusement of the BPO front chairs). Lol.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Merl said:


> Apart from the 2nd symphony it's probably the Beethoven symphony I play/like the least. Karajan viewed it as such, too. Whilst he publicly never said so, former members of the BPO have all discussed this in podcasts since. He had similar misgivings about the 2nd and 5th movements, apparently, and would often "roll his eyes during rehearsal" (much to the amusement of the BPO front chairs). Lol.


It didn't stop him from recording the piece over and over again... and with increasing levels of boredom. I cherish the disk with 5 and 6 from his digital cycle as one of the great Beethoven party disks. An overblown, disjointed and pompous 5th followed by a 6th that's as exciting as watching grass grow. All captured in glaring, wallpaper-peeling early digital sound, engineered by the half-deaf maestro himself.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

RobertJTh said:


> .....engineered by the half-deaf maestro himself.


Unfortuntely that particular myth isn't true. Breest was solely responsible for the final mix and odd balances on the original digital cycle. It was mixed while Karajan was on tour/ill/having ructions with the BPO and he received a fax telling him it was finished. He didn't even approve the mix. He'd lost patience with Breest and the whole process well before then. He was (allegedly) never happy with the mix and it all got remixed/remastered in the Karajan Gold editions after he died (which removed those weird balances and glassy digital glare). Nearly all of those early DG digital recordings were really glassy and the multi-miking they were experimenting with made those early digital orchestral performances on DG sound horrid (which is why they all got remastered successfully in the 90s). Ironically the set he was most involved with was the 1977 set that has arguably the best sound of all his cycles and even then he only approved the final mixes.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Tarneem said:


> I highly recommend you guys listen to the opus conducted by celibedache.... it gives it a whole new meaning!



In what way? I generally avoid Celibedache at all costs.


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## Tarneem (Jan 3, 2022)

haziz said:


> In what way? I generally avoid Celibedache at all costs.


he spreads a whole landscape in front of you

come on.... give him a try! I highly recommend you to listen to his Brahms 2nd and Schumann's 3rd


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Tarneem said:


> he spreads a whole landscape in front of you
> 
> come on.... give him a try! I highly recommend you to listen to his Brahms 2nd and Schumann's 3rd



If you are referring to his better known late "slow" phase, then thanks. Not my cup of tea.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Excellent! A symphonic masterpiece.

Preferred recordings include Bohm/VPO, Walter/Columbia SO (stereo) and Monteux/VPO (stereo), and in period performace inspired form Immerseel/Anima Eterna.


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## Nipper (Jun 5, 2020)

Excellent. I view the 5th/6th as kind of a yin/yang pinnacle of the symphony.



Heck148 said:


> Wonderful work...so special...great fun to play
> ...great woodwind parts, that lay in comfortable excellent sounding keys...
> Reiner/CSO for me...Szell, Solti, Walter/ColSO very good also...


I just played the Solti/CSO 6th (from their first cycle) today in honor of his birthday.

My favorite is Walter with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Reiner/CSO is great (with a more terrifying storm). I’m a big fan of Blomstedt/Dresden in the 6th; just love the sonics of that orchestra. Klemperer is similar with beautiful sonics, even if Walter Legge is still getting used to the tempo. Haitink/LSO is a fine modern recording.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

.


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## Tarneem (Jan 3, 2022)

Mandryka said:


> What do you think of Furtwangler's Lugano performance? (Bad sound I'm afraid)
> 
> 【Cetra盤復刻】Furtwängler & BPO - Beethoven: Sym. No.6 in F major, Op.68 "Pastorale" (1954.5.15 Live) - YouTube
> 
> I like Celibidace too, but most of all, I like Mengelberg.



Thank you for the recommendation boss, yeah it seems similar to selibidache but unfortunately the quality of the sound is too bad for me


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## Tarneem (Jan 3, 2022)

Mandryka said:


> What do you think of Furtwangler's Lugano performance? (Bad sound I'm afraid)
> 
> 【Cetra盤復刻】Furtwängler & BPO - Beethoven: Sym. No.6 in F major, Op.68 "Pastorale" (1954.5.15 Live) - YouTube
> 
> I like Celibidace too, but most of all, I like Mengelberg.



Thank you for the recommendation boss, yeah it seems similar to celibidache but unfortunately the quality of the sound is too bad for me


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> There is no perfect recording of this work, but I turn to Klemperer most often even though it’s on the slower side. Furtwängler is beautiful and dramatic in the storm, but misses a little of the lightness of the work. Bohm has excellent sound and pretty much a perfect interpretation, and yet there’s something just a bit mundane about it to my ears. Walter would maybe be the top choice - just the right spirit - except the storm is such a letdown. More like a light rain. Cluytens is also excellent.


Generally I agree with this. Most often I turn to Klemperer, Walter and Cluytens. Honestly I prefer HIP, but I have not yet heard a HIP-version which matched these.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Voted "Very Good". Wouldn't be without the "Pastoral" but I've always preferred 3,5 and 7.

As far as recordings go, Cluytens and Klemperer for me too. I'd expect Walter to do it very well but don't actually know his version.


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## ronsoccer (Mar 22, 2020)

RobertJTh said:


> It didn't stop him from recording the piece over and over again... and with increasing levels of boredom. I cherish the disk with 5 and 6 from his digital cycle as one of the great Beethoven party disks. An overblown, disjointed and pompous 5th followed by a 6th that's as exciting as watching grass grow. All captured in glaring, wallpaper-peeling early digital sound, engineered by the half-deaf maestro himself.


Karajan's last recorded version of the 6th came at the dawning of the CD/Digital age. That shining cd with the sunburst cover was my introduction to the 6th when I was a teen. I did not know about which conductor did what or conducted this way or that way. I just knew the music was beautiful. So one man's watching the grass grow, was ear candy for a young teen and started him on a beautiful musical journey into the world of classical music. I still have that cd and cycle but now own many more Beethoven cycles - some good, some bad but all cherished.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

haziz said:


> In what way? I generally avoid Celibedache at all costs.


Try-




"One of the best symphonic endings"


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## feierlich (3 mo ago)

The fact is every single symphony by Beethoven is a milestone and testament to human creativity.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

dko22 said:


> For me, it's Beethoven's greatest orchestral work -- a romantic piece of seeming utter simplicity well before its time. Unfortunately most performances these days rush and ruin it. Celi is fascinating with perhaps unrivalled insights but for me, Sanderling is the most consistent.


Do you like Klemperer's?


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

Sanderling is often regarded as a sort of successor to Klemperer and I think the latter's Pastoral is for the most part very good. Perhaps the wonderful finale is a little hard driven, though.


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

I’m going to see this symphony today live played by the Concertgebouworkest along with Brahms’ violin concerto played by Kavakos. I’m really excited for it


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

For me, Walter's version is the perfect, definitive recording of the work. Klemperer's the only other version I've heard that comes close.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

hammeredklavier said:


> Try-
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Interesting choice of composer and conductor as far as I am concerned. I am generally not a fan of Bruckner, although when in the mood I do find his 4th and 7th symphonies listenable. Taking the 7th symphony as an example, my favorite recordings are by Ivan Fischer with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and François-Xavier Roth with the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln. Both play the symphony in 58 minutes. Another fine recording is by Leon Botstein and the American SO who play the symphony in 52 minutes (?edition)! Looking up Celibidache, there is a video performance of his conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in a 1992 recording of Bruckner's 7th in which they traverse the symphony in 1h 28 min!!?!

But then we have really drifted off from the original subject of the thread, Beethoven's 6th.


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