Thread: Best Beethoven symphonies

5th
9th
3rd
2nd
6th
4th
and others

9 > 3 > 5 = 8 = 6 > 7 = 4 > 2 > 1

I always cry a little when I see that No.6 isn't in someone's top 5 Beethoven symphonies.

I'm all up for different tastes, but 6th is full of color and beautiful melodies.

9
3
5
6
7
4
8
2
1

Hard to choose, they are all good, at least to my taste.

6
3
1
4
5
8
7
9
2

Originally Posted by neoshredder

6
3
1
4
5
8
7
9
2

´9th so low :O

Originally Posted by jani

´9th so low :O

The second is too low.

4
1
3
2
8
6
7
9
5

Originally Posted by Carpenoctem

I always cry a little when I see that No.6 isn't in someone's top 5 Beethoven symphonies.

I'm all up for different tastes, but 6th is full of color and beautiful melodies.

I completely agree. There are things in this work that are far too subtle to have appeared in the 5th.

9
3
5
6
7
8
4
1
2

Originally Posted by val

My list:

Nº 7
Nº 3
Nº 9 (it would be my favorite but, sincerely and trying not to sound snobish, I don't like the Finale)
Nº 4
Nº 5
Nº 6
Nº 8
Nº 2
Nº 1

While I don't care as much for the finale (I will say though that the entrance of the Ode to Joy theme on the lower strings gets me every time), I love the first three movements so much that this is still my favorite Beethoven symphony.

Originally Posted by ClassicalDJ

While I don't care as much for the finale (I will say though that the entrance of the Ode to Joy theme on the lower strings gets me every time), I love the first three movements so much that this is still my favorite Beethoven symphony.

Interestingly your opinion was shared by Mendelssohn. He however said that there bits in the last movement he didn't understand, but in the case of such a great master, it was probably the performance or himself that was to blame.

I've never liked the contrapuntal parts with the singers very much.

My favourite parts are the contrapuntal string parts after the theme first enters, the fugue just after the turkish march, and when the first verse is reprised with the full choir

1. 5
2. 6
3. 9
4. 3
5. 7
6. 8
7. 4
8. 1 & 2

But by tomorrow my opinion will have changed.

4
3
1
6
7
2
9
8
5