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Best Beethoven symphonies

224K views 769 replies 310 participants last post by  catoblepas 
#1 ·
My rank of my favorite BEethoven symphonies

1 Symphony #5
2 Symphony #3 Eroica
3 Symphony #9 choral
4 Symphony #6 pastroal
5 symphony #1
6 Symphony #7
7 symphony #2
8 symphony #4
9 symphony #8

What are your ranks?
 
#125 · (Edited)
Why there is no love for Eroica's finale? It has beautiful themes and brilliant uplifting conclusion.

Eroica is clearly my favorite - I would say its not only my favorite Beethoven symphony but my favorite symphony in general. I think it's actually less "heroic" than say fifth; compared to it it is more wistful and thoughtful, though it has intense and energetic moments too.

Fifth is instantly appealing but I think I'm bored of it already even though I have listened to Eroica much more. Seventh is fun though perhaps a bit trivial compared to his third, fifth or ninth. Sixth just bores me. I really like first movement of the ninth, it has cool anticipating, "doomsday" feeling, scherzo is ok, the slow movement is a bit boring. I have problems with the fourth movement because like many people I don't like classical solo vocals, they sound corny and annoying. The choral singing is fine though. I haven't listened very much his other symphonies.
 
#126 ·
Why there is no love for Eroica's finale? It has beautiful themes and brilliant uplifting conclusion.

Eroica is clearly my favorite - I would say its not only my favorite Beethoven symphony but my favorite symphony in general. I think it's actually less "heroic" than say fifth; compared to it it is more wistful and thoughtful, though it has intense and energetic moments too.

Fifth is instantly appealing but I think I'm bored of it already even though I have listened to Eroica much more. Seventh is fun though perhaps a bit trivial compared to his third, fifth or ninth. Sixth just bores me. I really like first movement of the ninth, it has cool anticipating, "doomsday" feeling, scherzo is ok, the slow movement is a bit boring. I have problems with the fourth movement because like many people I don't like classical solo vocals, they sound corny and annoying. The choral singing is fine though. I haven't listened very much his other symphonies.
For me the most consistently enjoyable Beethoven symphonies are probably 1,3,5,6. The last movement of the third has some spine tingling moments for sure. Maybe the main theme is a bit on the light side though, this might be highlighted even more because it follows a scherzo. I don't really understand anyone who says the 6th is boring, except perhaps they heard a performance that was too slow and lugubrious and without the freshness it deserves.
 
#127 · (Edited)
Well I don't think it's the performers fault that I don't like the sixth - the word "pastoral" translates to "boring" usually anyways.

The only movement that is a bit mediocre in Eroica is in my opinion the scherzo. Now that I think of it none of the Beethoven's scherzos are too spectacular.... but then again I'm not big fan of scherzos in general. The slow movement is Beethoven's best one, though 5th has a gorgeous slow movement too.
The only problem with the finale IMO is the too abrupt shift from the hopeless quiet minor moment to the triumphant end. Fast shift would be okay, but there should be somekind of glue there at least; like quiet major, perhaps dominant chords gradually but fast getting louder.
 
#128 ·
I remember someone saying about Beethoven (not here) that he doesn't always use glue (as you call it) unlike Mozart. The end of the Eroica may contain some bluster, but it's up to the performer to make it convincing. The third movement could be accused of being the least substantial but only because it's the shortest, I like the contrast to the slow movement and it seems to succeed pretty much in what it does. The third movement of the seventh though is probably the weakest part of that symphony for me, the material maybe isn't as interesting as in the rest of the piece.

I think to say anything 'pastoral' is nearly always boring is far too sweeping a statement. Nature itself after all is part of what we are. And the very lyricism of that piece makes it personal. I like Toscanini and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, though the sound is old.
 
#130 ·
Haha, I didn't literally mean that composers who decide to compose a "pastoral" work think "this is supposed to be boring music", that would make absolutely no sense, I meant that if a musical piece is described as "pastoral" it probably means that it is boring to me.
 
#131 ·
I think you missed my joke, but that's okay, because you're wrong anyway.

People who describe something as "boring" means that they can't appreciate what it takes to enjoy a piece that's more intricate and thought-provoking. Something doesn't have to go 900 mph to be good.
 
#132 ·
7th is not trivial

hello,
Just couldn't ignore some comment that the 7th was "trivial". I think it is one of the emotionally monumental symphonies, it just needs a bit of deeper listening.
And please why can't anyone take the 3rd out of context of Bonaparte......he is not part of it. Can't we just appreciate the music for its own merits?
 
#134 ·
hello,
Just couldn't ignore some comment that the 7th was "trivial". I think it is one of the emotionally monumental symphonies, it just needs a bit of deeper listening.
And please why can't anyone take the 3rd out of context of Bonaparte......he is not part of it. Can't we just appreciate the music for its own merits?
"Trivial" (though it was COMPARED to 3,5,9) was a bad choice of word, "lighthearted" would be better. I do think it kinda lacks the depth and epic feeling of symphonies 3,5,9; it seems to be mostly based on catchy melodies. The lightheartedness has the advantage that it is easy to like on the first listening but the disadvantage is that on relistens I at least don't really find anything new from the symphony, something I'd have missed on the first time.
 
#136 ·
I think I'm not much into "relaxing" music in general and that's a word people might use to describe the sixth symphony. The slow movements for me usually have to be emotinally intense or scary/mysterious or something like that.

The program describes the symphony actually pretty well; unfortunately I find the program extremely uninspiring. Nothing exciting about the countryside...
 
#137 ·
It's a shame you dismiss Beethoven's "Pastoral Symphony." I think it's a beautiful piece of work. No it's not in-your-face or furious, but it is a very melodic piece.

I suppose I can see why you wouldn't like it that much, but I think it displays another side of Beethoven's music. A side, for that short time, that was at peace with something, which in this case it was nature.
 
#142 ·
I'm not trying to emphasize the program really, my point was that given the uninspiring program it isn't surprising that the music is too uninteresting. It's not that I decided to dislike the work just because it is supposed to be a "pastoral" symphony. But think about it; calling the ninth or fifth symphony "pastoral" wouldn't make any sense would it? Wouldn't fit at all, while the name does fit the sixth symphony. So I do think the name tells something about the work. It is true that music cannot express any setting, landscape, event or story directly; it instead expresses the mood and emotions people usually associate with them. 6th can evoke countryside or something else that we associate with similar emotions, but it cannot have just anything as its program.
 
#143 ·
It can mean different things to different people, different performances might reflect this. So it doesn't have to be about birds, village dancing or shepherds. It could be seen - for example - as a kind of spiritual journey. The finale isn't obviously as lively as most symphonies of the period, but I like that it is different. It reflects the formal symphonic invention of some composers like Haydn perhaps. I wouldn't compare this symphony to any other one Beethoven did, it's completely different.
 
#144 ·
My Order at the moment: 7, 5, 9, 4, 6, 3, 8, 2, 1

I love the seventh, the second movement especially. The harmonies are breathtaking.
The fifth symphony, however, I find more satisfying than the seventh from the point of view that it seems so perfect and compact, as though nothing is wasted (This even despite the famous often repeated four-note motif, and I think you all know of what I speak).

It seems a shame to relegate the ninth to third. The electrifying first movement is my favourite, and I love the joyfulness of the finale. And then there is that frightful chord that makes me jump out of my skin every time. An awful sound it is but so right!

And all the other ones are great too, even the first and second, which most people wouldn't rate as highly. And the fact that one and the same composer could write the lovely pastoral symphony as well as the defiantly victorious fifth symphony and the intense ninth says a lot for that composer's genius.

By the way, I like Beethoven's stuff.
 
#149 ·
As historically important as the ninth is, I think it's a bit overrated as to how profound it is musically. After the introduction, the first movement's themes are just boring.. Same with the third movement; Beethoven did much better with ornamental variation pieces, just look at the second movement of the Appassionata. And the second movement has fun themes, but it drags on way too long. Of course, the last movement pulls it all together, but was it all worth it? Anyways..

1. No. 3 in Eb, "Eroica"
2. No. 5 in Cm
3. No. 7 in A
4. No. 6 in F "Pastorale"
5. No. 9 in Dm "Choral"
6. No. 8 in F
7. No. 4 in Bb
8. No. 1 in C
9. No. 2 in D
 
#150 ·
I have counted up the results of 48 lists in this thread. Asigning the highest ranked symphony a score of nine & the lowest ranked a score of one. Only lists with all nine symphonies were counted. Here is what I got...

1st Symphony: 119
2nd Symphony: 103
3rd Symphony: 338
4th Symphony: 185
5th Symphony: 306
6th Symphony: 268
7th Symphony: 301
8th Symphony: 181
9th Symphony: 345

The 2nd & 8th Symphonies got no first place rankings. The 6th recieved only two first place rankings while the 4th recieved three. The 3rd symphony got 11 first place nods while the 9th symphony was ranked first on a total of 16 lists.

The 1st symphony was ranked last 17 times, the 2nd symphony ranked last on 19 occasions. The 9th symphony got two last place ratings, the 3rd & 6th symphonies were never ranked last.
 
#154 ·
Strangely given the 9ths huge popularity it was the one that i needed a while to appreciate most - but now i feel it is too much of a leviathan to put underneath the rest as it is seems overwhelmingly to be a master work even after a great deal of suspicion and scrutiny on my part previously-

in order my preferences are -

9
7
8
5
6
4

rest im indifferent to.
 
#157 · (Edited)
Hi

I'm new to classical music but already a great admirer of Beethoven. My list:

7.
Especially the 1. and 2. movement. Some of the best music i've ever heard :)

5.
Especially the 1. movement (no surprise here ;) ).

3.
Falls far behind the other two, but i still enjoy it very much :)

9.
My opinion: The work of a complete madman. Monstrous and insane. :D

6.
I'm not a great fan of programm music, but since this ist half a symphonie and only half a programm piece, it works for me ;)

4.
Nothing special - for Beethoven ;)

8.
Stand's in the Shadow of the 7. and 9.

2.
Solid, but nothing special.

1.
Not heard so far

All my recordings, except the 9., are played by the New York Philharmonic under Bernstein (the 60's recordings from the "Bernstein Century" on Sony Classical). The 9. is played by the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan (DGG, from the early 60's).
 
#158 ·
I bought a Box set of Daniel Barenboim conducting the symphonies so now I have changed my list a little

9. Weller (John Tomlinson in the O freunde of the 4th movement was in my opinion the best. I would kill to hear Samuel Ramey do this)
7. Barenboim
6. Weller
5. Barenboim
3. Solti
8. Barenboim
4. Weller
2. Barenboim
1. Barenboim

The uncompleted 10th symphony goes out to Walter Weller because it is the only box set I own that has the 10th.
 
#159 ·
Bobotox, give me a break!!!
you dislike the 9th because it is overrated?
Hey anyone thinks that a masterpiece should be dropped out of taste because so other people already like it?
Doesn't seem logic. However there are 2 other great symphonies that are, in my opinion, "underrated" namely the 4th and particularly the 7th
 
#161 ·
I'm new to this forum and to the pleasure of classical music in general and so I do not feel that I am ready to rate Beethoven's symphonies.

In order for Beethoven himself to have some input I would like to mention that at one point in the summer of 1817 Beethoven was in a conversation with the poet, Christian Kuffner who asked him what his favourite symphony was and Beethoven replied that it was the "Eroica". By 1817 Beethoven had composed all the symphonies but the ninth.

I'm very much enjoying my time here and am learning alot from reading the posts.
 
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