Beethoven Symphonies - best perf + sonics on CD

Lloyddelee, Have you considered Harnoncourt's cycle? Don't be put off by the fact that it is HIP. It is, but not to the extreme. I like it a lot. Much more in fact than most of the slow, grand, performances. It got pretty good reviews and is highly regarded.

BTW, while not small scale, Bernsteins performances are fine - they will keep your toe tapping. :-)

For me tempo and orchestration are major factors in performances. I especially favor brisk tempos with a good beat, which I think more what Beethoven had in mind. I also like reduced orchestration where the inner instrumental detail becomes audible. For me both are sorely lacking in a lot of highly esteemed performances which seek grandiosity and gravity. I much prefer a sense of 'joy'. This is why I also prefer Kleibers style with the 5th for example. It is a great performance! Recording is OK, but I rarely pay any attention to the recording quality when it plays. It could sound as bad as Richter's Sofia performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures. Absolutely terrible recording of a live performance at which all of the audience members seemed to have colds. But the performance is transcendant and must be heard if you like this piece. It sets a standard against which others pale.

Fine recordings are just that, but without fine performances fitting my preferences they are not worth much to me. But we all hear differently.