Favorite of these 6 Beethoven Symphony Cycles

[Harvey]

My choice has been and always will be Herbert von Karajan.

That gives you 3 or 4 choices as he did several cycles.

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Myslivecek: Sinfonia in F (1778)
Mozart: Symphony in D, K 95

[Zevy]

Personally -
Lenny B with NYP or VP. Either one. I have others, but again they don't fit into the categories offered.

[Hollywood]

That gives you 3 or 4 choices as he did several cycles.

The 1970 Beethoven bicentennial cycle is my choice.

[AeolianHarp]

I never did get the Immerseel set. They sent the wrong disc. Then I ordered it again a couple weeks ago from a different seller and got the same wrong disc. So instead I ordered the Bernstein New York Philharmonic set that includes the violin concerto. Also ordered a Monteux set of symphonies 1,3,6,& 8.

That's weird Harvey- maybe it was boxed wrongly at source? I hope you will find it at some point!

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Myslivecek: Sinfonia in F (1778)
Mozart: Symphony in D, K 95

Oops, wrong thread, sorry!

[Harvey]

That's weird Harvey- maybe it was boxed wrongly at source? I hope you will find it at some point!

Well, I could get it if I want to pay enough. The offers I tried were both around $12 shipped (one was free shipping). No matter. I have the Hanover Band set so I am covered for HIP original instruments.

Ah, but the Monteux set with 1,3,6 & 8 arrived and it is blowing me away. I don't think I have heard Beethoven symphonies so wonderful as the Monteux set. I also have a Monteux set with 5 and 9 and a 25 minute rehearsal session from the Ninth. So I am missing 2, 4, and 7 for a full cycle on CDs. There is a set of 2,4,5, & 7 but it is $27.50 used! For now I wlll listen to the You Tubes of the missing symphonies, hoping to see this other set at a better price.

Also Walter is gone from my original list above. I gave it to member Rocco (my son), and have the Bernstein NYPO set coming in the mail. I do have partial sets of Fricsay and Furtwangler WWII recordings (each having 6 symphonies).

At this point, I probably should not buy any more Beethoven Symphony cycles as I am running out of personal spending money, and they are all occupying most all of the memory on my Sansa Clip (4 GB) and all my other music is on a SD card that is in the Clip.

[AeolianHarp]

Monteaux? Who/what is that?

[Harvey]

Monteaux? Who/what is that?

Whoops, misspelled it. Should be Monteux, not ...eaux.


Wikipedia page says:

Pierre Benjamin Monteux (pronounced: [pjɛʁ mɔ̃.tø]; 4 April 1875 – 1 July 1964) was a French (later American) conductor.

And from another site (scroll down to the text):

“I’ve been educated with Beet-HOVEN,” Monteux told an interviewer when he was 80. He was still a teenager when, the violist of a touring string quartet, he participated in performances of all the Beethoven quartets every season. Beethoven became at that time and remained for seven decades treasured company on Monteux’ musical journey and luckily for us he left much sonic evidence thereof.

[Harvey]

My favorite set is Toscanini with the NBC Orchestra.

Hey, you got a great favorite. I just got the Toscanini NBC Orchestra cycle 1949-1953 and it is FANTASTIC. That was shortly after getting the Zinman cycle, which also is FANTASTIC.

Of my Beethoven symphony cycles, my favorites now are Zinman and Toscanini, along with Monteux. I also have these:

Leibowitz (part of a 99 cent Amazon download)
Hanover
Ferencsik
Szell
Wand
Bernstein

Leibowitz is fast tempo but I prefer Zinman and Toscanini to it.

Ferencsik is ok. Hanover is ok, but a bit different being period instrument and the way it was recorded a bit low in volume.

Szell, Wand, and Bernstein are fine, but I like Monteux better.

Now if only Benjamin Zander would complete a cycle!

[Michael]

A selection of my favourite Beethoven cycles:

[Sorrano]

Sorry, Michael, it's not complete. We need 9, not 7. :-)

[Michael]

Sorry, Michael, it's not complete. We need 9, not 7. :-)

Two are being repaired. Faulty pedal points.

[Harvey]

I didn't know Beethoven rode a bicycle. Thought they were not invented yet.