Greatest performance of each symphony

[Stargazer]

Post here your 'absolute' favorite (the one and only one you would bring to the proverbial desert island, no middle ground allowed here) version of each symphony from each conductor, from 1 to 9.

[Javax]

I feel bad because no one posted yet! I have no right to an opinion on this subject, as my ear is untrained, and I haven't heard too many different orchestras...but the Detroit Symphony never disappoints me (on CD). When I've heard the 9th played locally, they seem to play it too fast for my taste.

[Lobkowitz]

Carlos Kleiber's 5th and 7th would be my first choice.

[Poseidan73]

Originally posted by Javax:
I feel bad because no one posted yet!

I agree, but i too haven't heard that many recordings to be able to tell. I only have heard some of Colin Davies, some of Norrington, some of Karajan and some of Masur. I haven't heard any of Bohm or Toscanini. Sorry...

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Poseidan73:
I agree, but i too haven't heard that many recordings to be able to tell. I only have heard some of Colin Davies, some of Norrington, some of Karajan and some of Masur. I haven't heard any of Bohm or Toscanini. Sorry...

What is your opinion of Davis? I haven't heard him do any Beethoven, yet he is renowned for his Mozart.

My principle choices of conductors begin with Toscanini then with some of Norrington, Karajan, and Masur. (I've heard so many different ones I can't begin to remember even half of them--but these stand out in my mind.)

[OboeKing]

There are a set with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by a man named Kurt Sanderling. I do not know too much about him but he really does bring out some interesting flavours and textures between the balance of the orchestral instruments. At times I do not agree with his tempi, but apart from this I think they're a fantastic set!

(Just listen to the slow movement of the ninth conducted by Sanderling and with the Philharmonia. It's absolutely gorgeous!)

Michael.

[Poseidan73]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
What is your opinion of Davis?

I only have his 1969 recording of the Emperor with the LSO and Stephen Bishop Kovacevich. The sound is quite appalling (it's actually my aunt's CD, i took it when she passed away). It's quite good, although Kovacevich shows off a little too much for my liking. I believe this particular recording is on Penguin's recommended list. I personally think it's hard to go wrong with the Emperor. I've heard Shoko Sugitani's recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker, and it's also quite good.

Did Menuhin have any recordings of Beethoven's stuff (conducted, not played)?

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Poseidan73:
and it's also quite good.

Did Menuhin have any recordings of Beethoven's stuff (conducted, not played)?

Not sure if Menuhin did conduct any of Beethoven's works. I've not followed him at all.

[Poseidan73]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
Not sure if Menuhin did conduct any of Beethoven's works. I've not followed him at all.

Hmmm.. i can't seem to find any Menuhin-conducted Beethoven works. I like his recordings of Schubert's symphonies and Bach's Orchestral Suites.

[John Rasmussen]

I've never heard a really good recording of some of his symphonies, #1 or #2 for instance. But of the ones I've heard, I really wouldn't be without the 1936 Toscanini/NY Phil recording of #7; it's better than his later NBC Symphony recording.

[John Rasmussen]

Originally posted by Poseidan73:
I only have his 1969 recording of the Emperor with the LSO and Stephen Bishop Kovacevich. The sound is quite appalling (it's actually my aunt's CD, i took it when she passed away

That's interesting. Is it a Philips recording? All of the Colin Davis recordings I've heard have been on Philips and have had magnificent sound. But I'm not fond of Maestro Davis' B7 with the London Symphony--a perfunctory performance, especially compared with Davis' Berlioz and Sibelius cycles.