If you only had one to choose from.
Mine would be the Carlos Kleiber Beethoven Fifth and Seventh on DG. The precision of the VPO is staggering in this recording. No other recording gets to that level.
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I have to go along with that – Kleiber really is fabulous.
Though I’m very fond of Haitink’s recent 9th, and Hogwood’s HIP Eroica .
The Herbert von Karajan DG recordings on vinyl are pretty stunning.
Whats the one that goes….duh nah nah nah nan na na na na na nahhh…duh nah nah nah nan na na na na na nahhh thats my favorite i think its called “fur elise”
Wilhelm Furtwängler was a great conductor of Beethoven. Of course those early recordings really sucked, but still . . . underneath all that scratchy lack of acoustics, ahhhh. I like the Pastorale (6th). Then again, the 9th is awesome. Fifth ain’t bad either. Ohhh, I dunno. The 6th and I’m sticking to it. Of course, that was probably the one he didn’t record. LOL.
I know which one you’re talking about, and that’s my personal favourite, too. I love Kleiber’s Seventh – in my opinion, the best Seventh ever made.
The first movement is slightly slow but still maintains a forward momentum, while doing a great job of retaining the ‘Amsterdam’ rhythm, definitely no easy feat.
The second movement is graceful without being sluggish like some recordings, and cleanly balanced.
The third movement’s best feature is its dynamics, and I like the way the movement mostly scampers along like a mouse, pausing to give the listener the occasional scare. Typical Beethoven fare really.
The fourth movement is again slightly slow, but here we have the movement expertly brought together by the orchestra, who gains much grace and flair by sacrificing tempo and intensity. To me, this movement all too often degenerates into an orgy of sound, a situation all the worse if you have a gung-ho timpanist like the one in Abbado’s recording. This may be a different interpretation, but to me Kleiber’s interpretation is much better.
I can’t argue with your choice,yep that recording is simply irrepressible.
If you’ve heard his other recordings of Symphonies 4 & 7 on the Orfeo label they are similarly mesmerizing.
Just for the sake of being different though I’ll choose Wilhelm Furtwanglers live 1942 Berlin recording of the Ninth.
It’s the most terrifyingly intense version I’ve ever heard.
Sound quality isn’t perfect but if you see it on the Japanese “Opus Kura” label it sounds pretty great.
I have all Beethoven’s synphonies: Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Bruno Walter with the New York Philharmonic (the Pastoral is performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra). I also have the 5th and 7th directed by Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Every edition is great. I like all their interpretation at the same level.
I’d be right there with you bud… if I had to pick the greatest classical recording of all time, Kleiber’s 5 and 7 would be it. It is one recording that every one should have in their collection. Electrifying.
Sir Simon Rattle’s brilliant recording of Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral” with the Vienna Philharmonic and the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus.
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I was actually just listening to the Kleiber 5th with the VPO last night! Coincidence.
Anyway, I would very strongly recommend the Ferenc Fricsay recording of Beethoven 9 with the BPO on DG. It is an absolutely wonderful performance. Great balance, musicality, and a fabulous quartet for the fourth movement. The tempos are even and controlled, neither too fast nor too slow. The third movement is to die for – so lush and gorgeous.
This is not just my favorite recording of a Beethoven Symphony, but my favorite RECORDING.