Need recommendation for LVB Symphony 9

Yes, the various Furtwangler Beethoven Ninths were recorded in monophonic sound. For stereo, I would recommend Fritz Reiner with the Chicago Symphony on RCA or Leopold Stokowski's underrated performance with the London Symphony on the London Phase Four label.

I don't know if you can find this on an individual disc, but if you can stand buying a budget CD set, I'd want to have Bernstein's VPO performances on my shelf. His Beethoven is excellent! It is IMHO joyous music. Toe tapping stuff! Not the somber, heavy performances so popular. His 9th is excellent. It is fairly straight forward tempi wise (not so typical of Bernstein).

Vanska's is better recorded but its full price and for me, not quite as engaging. Interestingly on my system it sounds better with higher (than normal) volume, really opens up. Better dynamics perhaps.

If you happen to hear Bernsteins Beethoven and like it, and if you happen to like Schumann, but you have never been engaged by the highly rated performances, try Bernstein's set with the VPO. My view of these performances is similar to those on Beethoven.

FWIW.

There must be something i'm missing here because I do not see anything about the Haitink that elevates it above the level of an also-ran. I bought the set based on reviews, and honestly I don't get it. The performance isn't particularly dynamic, the orchestra sound as if they all drink decaf coffee with soy milk, and the reading just isn't convincing.

I like the Furtwangler from 1942 the best, but that is too uncomfortable to listen to on a hi-res system or even a low-res system because it would make you too depressed. A good modern version is the Abbado/Berlin Phil recording. The sound is as good as RBCD gets, and I have never heard the BPO sound as frenzied under Karajan as under Abbado. For a more stately version go for the Klemperer, the 1960's sound holds up surprisingly well even now.

Ferenc Fricsay/Berlin in the late 1950's is one that I come back to often. Good balance of passion and spirituality. Playing and singing in top rank. Sound very natural.

I have Solti (both from Chicago)/Karajan(60's and 80's)/Furtwangler (WW 2, Bayreuth, Lucerne)/Bohm/Klemperer/Reiner/Toscanini/Barenboim/Norrington and a few others I can't remember off the top of my head. Fricsay is a keeper.

I second the Vanska on Bis hybrid SACD. I would also add Haitink on LSO Live SACD.

I would 3rd the Solti. I also really like the Karajan/Berlin Phil on DG from the 60's. Another recent option is the Vanska/Minnesota Orchestra on BIS - - beautifully recorded and a very fine all around performance.

Yes, the Solti is justly famous. Besides the Decca original, there was a very high quality LP reissue by Mobile Fidelity many years ago, if you can find it. And there is a currently available LP reissue (about which I have no particular knowledge) by Decca itself, which is available here:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=10274

Regards,
-- Al

Gunter Wand & Hamburg North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, RCA. Back in the late 80's I got this version in a Beethoven Sym. Box Set. I was new to classical and one of the magazines recommended the Wand box set. Years later this interpretation of the 9th is still my favorite. The recording was made by Deutsche Harmonica Mundi and released on RCA Red Seal in the states.

Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Decca/London

Always one of my favorites for power, energy and drive. An exciting visceral performance with good sonics even if highly multi-miked.