Favorite Beethoven Symphony Recordings


OK, it’s one of Ludwigs anniversary years.  There must be over 200 complete Symphony Cycles, with seemingly dozens this year alone.  While most Classical listeners are bound to have several, we can’t possibly know them all.  Make a list of favorites of each work, try not to repeat a Conductor if possible.
1-Hogwood/AAM
2) Krips/LSO
3) Furtwangler/Vienna PO (1944)
4) Szell/Cleveland
5) Kleiber/VPO
6) Walter/Columbia SO
7) Solti/Chicago (1970s cycle)
8) Gardiner-Revolutionary Romantic etc. Orchestra 
9) Von Karajan/ Berlin PO (sixties)

mahler123

Showing 3 responses by mahler123

I’ve been playing that sixties Karajan cycle frequently.  It just sounds so “right” in so many places...
I like the Zinman  cycle.  The Honeck  3 and 7 are fine recordings, if not particularly memorable, imo.
The new Jordi Savall cycle is worth hearing; they only finished 1-5 before having to adjourn due to Covid.
re: Mangleburg, I wouldn’t worry about You Tube sound, given the limited frequency response of the original source, you won’t be missing out.  For historical choices, I prefer Furtwangler, Weingatner, and Toscanini.