If You Could Only Have One Beethoven Symphony Cycle

SixFootScowl · May 9, 2015

What one would it be?

This would be a no-brainer for me if Fricsay had a full cycle. But since he does not, i am kind of inclined towards Gunter Wand (but if I keep listening to the Hanover Band cycle, that may change). However, that is out of my current collection which includes full cycles of Hanover Band, Wand, Szell, Ferencsik, and Liebowitz (I had Walter but got rid of it as too stodgy, but am told I should have kept if for his 6th). I am interested in what others would pick for their sole Beethoven symphony cycle and why.

NOTE: I started this thread because I think the results will be very interesting, but also because we don't have enough Beethoven symphony cycle threads on this site. :lol:

hpowders · May 9, 2015

Gunter Wand. Not even close to being HIP. Takes time to smell the glorious roses. Just the way I like it in Beethoven. My favorite Beethoven symphony set among the seven that I own.

merlinus · May 9, 2015

I completely agree re: Fricsay. What a shame that upon his death we basically got von Karajan! Only Ronald Reagan comes close to his "emperor's new clothes" syndrome.

I have a few complete cycles (e.g. Barenboim, Bernstein/VPO), but they do not contain what I experience as close to the best recordings of any of the symphonies.

Itullian · May 9, 2015

Klemperer or Bohm or Bernstein DG or Walter or Konwitchny or Furtwangler

SixFootScowl · May 9, 2015

That Bernstein cycle keeps haunting me. Suspect I won't be satisfied until I have it.

By the way, there is an Immerseel cycle out there for $13 and free shipping, in good used condition, that tempted me yesterday, but I thought better of it since I already have a HIP in the Hanover Band.

clara s · May 9, 2015

Wand, because this interpretation touches the mind more than it touches the soul, and this I like

and Abbado with BPO, what a tempo and a very unusual sound, also brainy

ArtMusic · May 9, 2015

I would pick a HIP version as well. But I simply could not choose which ones. So many excellent ones that have recorded these symphonies that are the central heart of western Classical music.

ComposerOfAvantGarde · May 9, 2015

Probably Chailly. It has the best of both worlds: original tempi and big modern orchestra.

MoonlightSonata · May 9, 2015

If You Could Only Have One Beethoven Symphony Cycle... I'd be very sad.

Albert7 · May 10, 2015

Not happening honestly. I can't just stick to one.

Too bad Kleiber never delivered a complete cycle.

GGluek · May 10, 2015

I only ever heard Fricsay's 7th, but it was a favorite of mine for many years. I've heard very few complete cycles -- but on the basis of a 7th, 8th, 9th, and Leonore 3 I would love to hear Schmidt-Isserstedt's complete cycle.

SimonNZ · May 10, 2015

Karajan '77, though the Eroica lets the set down and so I'll need to keep Klemperer's

Or for HIP: Hogwood, though the Pastoral lets the set down...but that's my least played work of the nine anyway so it doesn't matter much.

hpowders · May 10, 2015

clara s said:
Wand, because this interpretation touches the mind more than it touches the soul, and this I like

and Abbado with BPO, what a tempo and a very unusual sound, also brainy

I have the Abbado and it is nice but sometimes I want him to "slow down" a bit.

shangoyal · May 10, 2015

I will take Karajan with the BPO 1963. I really like 3, 5 and 8 in that set. The only drawback is the sound quality. Some sets like Wand, Abbado, or Gardiner have better sound but the music is not better than the Karajan. He is the master when it comes to the heroic stuff, mainly 3 and 5.

Thank God we can all have more than one Beethoven set.

Albert7 · May 10, 2015

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:
Probably Chailly. It has the best of both worlds: original tempi and big modern orchestra.

I really want that recent Chailly and Thielemann cycles for sure.

Pugg · May 10, 2015

MoonlightSonata said:
If You Could Only Have One Beethoven Symphony Cycle... I'd be very sad.

Amen to this

ComposerOfAvantGarde · May 10, 2015

Albert7 said:
I really want that recent Chailly and Thielemann cycles for sure.

I don't know if Thielemann would be right for me. I've seem a performance of his Eroica on YouTube which sounded really bland and uninspired. Perhaps he was just having a bad day that day and his Beethoven usually is exciting and emotional....but I haven't heard much said about Thielemann in general, other than the fact that he used to look like Augustus Gloop (not the Tim Burton film) when he was younger.

Blancrocher · May 10, 2015

My favorite set is by Szell, even though he didn't conduct my favorite version of any particular symphony. I like the cool, precise, classical approach. It's the one I turn to if I just want to let LVB roll for a few hours.

Templeton · May 10, 2015

Really tough choice. My top three are Furtwängler, Szell and Paavo Järvi but due to the superb sound quality, I would probably go for Paavo Järvi. They're all superb though.

clara s · May 10, 2015

hpowders said:
I have the Abbado and it is nice but sometimes I want him to "slow down" a bit.

you got it hp

that's why it is unusual hahaha

matter of taste

If You Could Only Have One Beethoven Symphony Cycle

Top Contributors this Month