Which Beethoven's symphony do you like the best?

The fifth is OK. The others are so-so. The ninth proves how deaf he was (IMHO).

On the other hand, Mozart never wrote anything that isn't wonderful.

A_e_watkins..IMHO means In My Humble Opinion. The question asks for opinions, and that's mine.

And yes, Quadophile, Beethoven wrote some really good stuff, but I think that his Symphonies are overrated.

What a nest of hornets I stirred up by disliking the 9th!

No, I can't write a symphony, but I can do many other things that Beethoven couldn't. It would be more appropriate to compare Beethoven to Bach or Mozart.

No wonder Wagner liked the 9th. It is pompous and overbearing just like much of Wagner's music.

As the saying goes..."If I said that I was misquoted".

No, I am not a conductor..so what? I do know a little about music having, as an amateur, played violin in an orchestra.

Yes, I do enjoy Beethoven's symphonies, but given a choice between two concerts, Mozart or Beethoven 9, I would go to Mozart. They are not "bad": just overrated (and overplayed).

As an aside...I live a few miles from Tanglewood, the summer music festival in western Mass, and have attended many concerts these. One disturbing aspect of these concerts is the reaction of the audience to what is often a mediocre or perfunctory performance of something like a Beethoven symphony. (The musicians will tell you this. Remember, they are on summer vacation, and not really focused on their job). Wild applause. Standing ovation. Bravos. For some people the fact that it's Beethoven is all they care about. Makes you sick.

Everything said by everyone on this site is an opinion

Marakanetz...Yes, Beethoven was innovative, in fact that was the major criticism of him in his own time.
If you think that Mozart was not creative you need to do some more thinking. If "inovation" is the key to Beethoven then "creativity" describes Mozart. As one very very simple example: look what he did with "twinkle, twinkle, little star".

Newbee...As usual this thread has strayed far from its original intent. I did identify my favorite, the 5th, as per the question of the thread. What stirred up all the talk was my suggestion that the others are not up to their godlike reputations, and I suggested Mozart as an equally good (sometimes better) composer. Of course that judgment is subjective, but I am not alone in my view.

As to the specific features that bother me, I referred to a "pompous" character, and I have in mind particularly the choral movement of the 9th. (Some other parts of his symphonies are beautiful). Also I expressed the more specific comment the choral movement begins well but lacks a satisfactory development. It was certainly innovative of Beethoven to introduce a chorus, but just imagine what Mozart would have done with it!

Evidently one cannot make any criticism of Beethoven in this company without being acused of being ignorant. For what it's worth, my appreciation of classical music, including Beethoven, dates from about 1948 when I attended a musically oriented boarding school in New Zealand, and it has continued ever since. I may disagree with you, but not because I am ignorant. Perhaps I've heard that 9th too many times. Does anyone else have the feeling that the choral part begins well but goes nowhere?