Beethoven's Ninth is my all-time favorite symphony. Here are the different recordings I have of Beethoven's greatest work:
- My first recording was from Karajan's famous 1963 Beethoven cycle
This one remains my absolute favorite recording of the 9th. I've already dedicated an entire blog article to it here. This performance is tied for 1st with Karajan's 1977 Beethoven 9th on DVD (EuroArts)
- The entire Karajan 1963 Beethoven Cycle
- Symphony No. 9 released as a standalone CD (comes with "Coriolan Overture")
This one remains my absolute favorite recording of the 9th. I've already dedicated an entire blog article to it here. This performance is tied for 1st with Karajan's 1977 Beethoven 9th on DVD (EuroArts)
- The entire Karajan 1963 Beethoven Cycle
- Symphony No. 9 released as a standalone CD (comes with "Coriolan Overture")
- Herbert Von Karajan - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra 1977 (EuroArts)
DVD
- This Beethoven 9th (only on DVD) is tied with Karajan's 1963 Beethoven 9th on Deutsche Grammophon, for my favorite performance.
DVD
- This Beethoven 9th (only on DVD) is tied with Karajan's 1963 Beethoven 9th on Deutsche Grammophon, for my favorite performance.
- Ferenc Fricsay - Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra (1958, DG)
- My second choice for Beethoven's 9th. Fricsay has the best 3rd Movement "Adagio Molto E Cantabile" and 4B Movement "O Freunde" that I've ever heard.
- My second choice for Beethoven's 9th. Fricsay has the best 3rd Movement "Adagio Molto E Cantabile" and 4B Movement "O Freunde" that I've ever heard.
- Arturo Toscanini - NBC Symphony Orchestra, 1952 (Pristine Classical)
Purchase Here from Pristine Classical.
This is tied with Fricsay's 9th for my second choice. Toscanini somehow creates the mysterious tone and weight that is needed for the 1st movement even though his tempi are exceptionally fast. Toscanini's 1st movement comes in at 13:41 which is close to being two minutes faster than Karajan's. Toscanini's tempos are pretty close to the tempi of the modern HIP performances (Gardiner, Chailly, Norrington, etc.) The 2nd Movement Scherzo has both repeats.
*Please note that the album art seen to the left is my own creation, it is different on PristineClassical.
Purchase Here from Pristine Classical.
This is tied with Fricsay's 9th for my second choice. Toscanini somehow creates the mysterious tone and weight that is needed for the 1st movement even though his tempi are exceptionally fast. Toscanini's 1st movement comes in at 13:41 which is close to being two minutes faster than Karajan's. Toscanini's tempos are pretty close to the tempi of the modern HIP performances (Gardiner, Chailly, Norrington, etc.) The 2nd Movement Scherzo has both repeats.
*Please note that the album art seen to the left is my own creation, it is different on PristineClassical.
- Wilhelm Furtwangler - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Pristine Classical)
- The (in)famous "Wartime" 1942 Berlin recording of Beethoven's 9th by Furtwangler, it's thought of by many as the best performance of this symphony ever. Of course, it's highly subjective, but there can be no denying the sheer intensity of this performance. It's downright terrifying sometimes. Of course, that may have something to do with who was in the audience, for instance, Goebbels and Himmler to name a couple. This is an absolute top-tier Beethoven 9th, you just have to put up with the sub-par sound that you would expect from a 1942 radio-broadcast recording. Avoid purchasing this on Amazon, the sound quality is beyond terrible, I bought this one from PristineClassical, it is an amazing remastering. Yes, it's still not great sound quality, but it is as good as this performance is ever going to sound.
- The (in)famous "Wartime" 1942 Berlin recording of Beethoven's 9th by Furtwangler, it's thought of by many as the best performance of this symphony ever. Of course, it's highly subjective, but there can be no denying the sheer intensity of this performance. It's downright terrifying sometimes. Of course, that may have something to do with who was in the audience, for instance, Goebbels and Himmler to name a couple. This is an absolute top-tier Beethoven 9th, you just have to put up with the sub-par sound that you would expect from a 1942 radio-broadcast recording. Avoid purchasing this on Amazon, the sound quality is beyond terrible, I bought this one from PristineClassical, it is an amazing remastering. Yes, it's still not great sound quality, but it is as good as this performance is ever going to sound.
- Wilhelm Furtwangler - Philharmonia Orchestra (Pristine Classical)
- Beethoven Symphony No. 9 - Recorded live at Lucerne Festival, Switzerland, 22nd August, 1954. This was Furtwangler's last ever performance of this symphony, some say it was his greatest. I prefer the 1942 "Wartime" recording. However, the sound on that one isn't nearly as good as this one, which isn't surprising given that it was recorded twelve years later.
- Beethoven Symphony No. 9 - Recorded live at Lucerne Festival, Switzerland, 22nd August, 1954. This was Furtwangler's last ever performance of this symphony, some say it was his greatest. I prefer the 1942 "Wartime" recording. However, the sound on that one isn't nearly as good as this one, which isn't surprising given that it was recorded twelve years later.
- Herbert Von Karajan - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1977, DG)
- George Szell - Cleveland Orchestra (Sony)
- Claudio Abbado - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1996, Sony)
- Claudio Abbado - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (2000, DG)
- Riccardo Muti - Philadelphia Orchestra (Seraphim Classics)
- John Eliot Gardiner - Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Christian Thielemann - Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (C Major)
Blu-ray
Blu-ray
- David Zinman - Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich