If you could only choose one?

[Chris]

For me it is 3,4,7,9,5,6,1,8,2, so I do rank the 7th above the 6th. Sometimes I actually rank the 4th above the 3rd.

[PDG]

SUZIE:-

I agree with you, but I said it to provoke reaction, and...PRESTO!

AMADEUS:-

I would call putting 1 above 2 "nutz".

CHRIS:-

Sometimes, you put 4, 1st! And 2, LAST!! Suzie`s right, this is complete madness.

[Chris]

Woo-hoo, I'm totally crazy!!!!!!!

[Luis]

9, 7, 3, 6, 5, 8, 4, 2, 1 (When I hear his 3rd I rate it on the 2nd place...that happens)

Karajan's 84 remastered on Karajan Gold collection is my own preference of the 9th. It’s one of my all favorite records in fact. I remember I received the recommendation from the other forum when we where there. Was that you Chris? Whoever was I’m eternally grateful. His first and 2nd movement are the most powerful I’ve ever heard. The finale is glorious too. I've heard Karajan’s 63 version (his most laureate version) as well as his 77 or 76 and I still prefer the last one. Still I don’t entirely like the other symphonies I’ve heard from Karajan besides his 9th and 5th. His 7th is awful (the intro is too fast), 3rd mmm. his 6th has the last movement (again) way too fast. Unfortunately, the best versions of the 3rd and 7th I have (and they are awesome) I have on mp3 and I still don’t know which versions are.

I don't know why but I suspect the bethovenian-type guy likes more the 3rd than the 9th…(Rod?) (I’m not making fun of you, if that is what you can see from here. You know, my English...)

God! It’s Saturday night and I’m here. I finally gave my last exam today (by mail with 2 days of delay...) and I’ve been almost two days without any sleep. God I’m so beat.

[Luis]

Originally posted by Peter:

Other classical composers selection would be :
Mozart - Don Giovanni
Bach - B minor Mass
Handel - Messiah
Haydn - The Creation
Schubert - Piano Sonata in Bb
Schumann - Piano Concerto
Brahms - Piano Concerto no.2
Tchaikovsky - Symphony no.5
Dvorak - 'Cello Concerto
Wagner - Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Mahler - Symphony no.6 (Slow movement)
Elgar - 'Cello concerto
Rachmaninov - Piano concerto no.3

(What am I still doing up!?)

Mahler's 6th?
some glimmers...the rest is chaos (not the 3rd mvt though)
Aren't you referring to the 5th slow movement?

Dvorak - Cello Concerto (great stuff, as well as Brahms's 2nd pc)
Rachmaninov's 3rd?... I like his 2nd more.
Hey, nobody mentioned Dvorak's 9th!

[Peter]

Originally posted by Luis:
(What am I still doing up!?)

Mahler's 6th?
some glimmers...the rest is chaos (not the 3rd mvt though)
Aren't you referring to the 5th slow movement?

Hey, nobody mentioned Dvorak's 9th!

No I mean the Andante Moderato from the 6th - I think it is breathtakingly beautiful - I also love the Adagietto from no.5
I prefer Dvorak 8 to 9.

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'Man know thyself'

[Peter]

Originally posted by amadeus:

And am I the only other one who likes the seventh more then the sixth? I really get mad when people tell me that Beethovens best symphonies are the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 9th. Always leaving off the seventh.

Much as I love the 6th, I think I prefer the 7th - One thing I've noticed in everyone's choices is how far down the list the 8th comes which I find puzzling - It's one of my favourites - particularly that amazing finale!



------------------
'Man know thyself'

[Serge]

My Beethoven hit parade goes like this:

9th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 2nd, and 1st.

Like MCS, I prefer the 9th as seen by Abbado and the Berliner (on Sony, right? 1996?). Like MCS, I'm Canadian, and appreciate our own homegrown contribution. A lot of what appeals to me of Abbado's version is that he reexamined the score himself and made many small changes that reflect what he believed was deficient in the original editions. He's not conducting another's edition; he's working off his own. As a true believer in the art of interpretation, I take Abbado's work as a shining example. I can't wait to hear how he did his new cycle with the B.P. for DG.

[Michael]

My favourite symphonies in order would be: 6,7,3,9,5,8,2,4,1
The sixth symphony was the first time I ever consciously heard Beethoven so I will always love it above the others. The one I wish I wrote myself is the "Eroica".
But if I had to pick a single Beethoven work it would have to be the first of the middle quartets, Opus 59 No. 1. I could go waffling on for pages about this piece, but I think I'll go and listen to it instead.
If I were on that desert island and had to choose other composers I (having failed to drown myself) would pick:

Bach's Brandenburgs, Suites and Magnicat
Haydn's Symphony No 104 and about thirty string quartets
Mozart's Clarinet Quintet (NOT THE CONCERTO! I don't like it and I don't know why!)
Schuberts Fifth Symphony and A minor quartet
Scumann's First and Fourth Symphonies
Brahms' Four Symphonies
Bruckner's Fourth
Mahler's First and Fourth
Sibelius' Second
Tchaikovsky's Fifth and Sixth
Elgar's Enigma Variations
Anything by Gilbert and Sullivan

Better to have two desert islands, not too far apart with all of B on one and the rest on the other. Oh.. and a small boat. On second thoughts, forget the boat and the second island.........

Michael

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
An impossible task indeed and a very sad one when you consider what you would have to leave behind -

If a gun was to my head I suppose I'd have to choose Beethoven's 9th as the greatest piece of music ever!

Other classical composers selection would be :
Mozart - Don Giovanni
Bach - B minor Mass
Handel - Messiah
Haydn - The Creation
Schubert - Piano Sonata in Bb
Schumann - Piano Concerto
Brahms - Piano Concerto no.2
Tchaikovsky - Symphony no.5
Dvorak - 'Cello Concerto
Wagner - Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Mahler - Symphony no.6 (Slow movement)
Elgar - 'Cello concerto
Rachmaninov - Piano concerto no.3

Looks like all you need would be Classic FM's Greatest Hits.

Rod

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Rod]

Originally posted by Suzie:
PDG,

We've been down this road before and it ended in tragedy. I find a different symphony valuable for different moods and circumstances and I hear them differently each time. Trying to rank them would make me crazy. STOP THE MADNESS!

Suz

Ever the voice of reason Suz!

Rod

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Suzie]

Originally posted by Rod:
Looks like all you need would be Classic FM's Greatest Hits.

Rod

Ever the 'wise guy' Rod!

[Suzie]

SUZIE:-

I agree with you, but I said it to provoke reaction, and...PRESTO!

AMADEUS:-

I would call putting 1 above 2 "nutz".

CHRIS:-

Sometimes, you put 4, 1st! And 2, LAST!! Suzie`s right, this is complete madness. [/QUOTE]

PDG,

I fell for your provocation 'hook, line, and sinker'!

Last night I went to a Beethoven birthday party and the orchestra played the 1st Symphony. It was so lovely, I thought to myself 'I can listen to this everyday for the rest of my life'. Have another listen! This ranking business is utter madness, I tell you!

Suz

ps. It's only got a wee speck of Mozart and it's not Haydn's 80th Symphony. It is truly B. They also played Schubert's 6th. Why? Is it because he stole huge chunks from B?

[Kevin]

Originally posted by Rod:
Looks like all you need would be Classic FM's Greatest Hits.

Rod

[Kevin]

Rod, force yourself and play the game. What would be your picks? It will make Amadeus happy.

Originally posted by Rod:
Looks like all you need would be Classic FM's Greatest Hits.

Rod