How many of the Beethoven symphonies do you actually LIKE?

[Conchis]

I'm currently listening to JEG's traversal of these cornerstones of western civilisation (see Charity Shop Trawl thread).

I find the first two symphonies unmemorable. The 1st has a famous final movement but the 2nd, to my ears, has nothing to recommend it. it's indistinguishable from a Hadyn symphony (who famously wrote multiple symphonies that only H.C. Robbins Landon has ever been able to tell apart).

As for the others, I like 3, 5,6,7 and 9.

4 is only slightly more memorable than 2 and 8 I've always felt to be a crude and shallow piece of work, with a truly horrible finale (Hanslick's comment on the final movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is more applicable to this movement, I feel).

When it came down to it, Beethoven was as fallible as any other great creative artist: if Shakespeare could write dud plays, Beethoven could write dud symphonies (though W.S. came out with more rubbish than L.v.B., imo).

[cloughie]

I'm currently listening to JEG's traversal of these cornerstones of western civilisation (see Charity Shop Trawl thread).

I find the first two symphonies unmemorable. The 1st has a famous final movement but the 2nd, to my ears, has nothing to recommend it. it's indistinguishable from a Hadyn symphony (who famously wrote multiple symphonies that only H.C. Robbins Landon has ever been able to tell apart).

As for the others, I like 3, 5,6,7 and 9.

4 is only slightly more memorable than 2 and 8 I've always felt to be a crude and shallow piece of work, with a truly horrible finale (Hanslick's comment on the final movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto are more applicable to this movement, I feel).

When it came down to it, Beethoven was as fallible as any other great creative artist: if Shakespeare could write dud plays, Beethoven could write dud symphonies (though W.S. came out with more rubbish than L.v.B., imo).

I like all of them except the finale of No9. The larghetto of No2 is wonderful, but for me should not be rushed and prefer the way it is played under eg Konwitschny or Jochum. The Eroica is the first big symphony written, No6 does what it says on the tin.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

1-3, 5-9. I like 10 too, but I suppose that's cheating.

No 4 is in B flat, which might be why I don't particularly like it.

[visualnickmos]

1-3, 5-9. I like 10 too, but I suppose that's cheating.

No 4 is in B flat, which might be why I don't particularly like it.

Being an ignoramus about the technical aspects of music (my only gauge is whether I enjoy what I'm hearing, or not) what is it about B flat that irks you so?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Being an ignoramus about the technical aspects of music (my only gauge is whether I enjoy what I'm hearing, or not) what is it about B flat that irks you so?

I really don't know. For some reason, I find it very dull, and most famous works in the key do nothing for me. Brahms PC2 is a rare exception.

[visualnickmos]

I'm currently listening to JEG's traversal of these cornerstones of western civilisation (see Charity Shop Trawl thread).

I find the first two symphonies unmemorable. The 1st has a famous final movement but the 2nd, to my ears, has nothing to recommend it. it's indistinguishable from a Hadyn symphony (who famously wrote multiple symphonies that only H.C. Robbins Landon has ever been able to tell apart).

As for the others, I like 3, 5,6,7 and 9.

4 is only slightly more memorable than 2 and 8 I've always felt to be a crude and shallow piece of work, with a truly horrible finale (Hanslick's comment on the final movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is more applicable to this movement, I feel).

When it came down to it, Beethoven was as fallible as any other great creative artist: if Shakespeare could write dud plays, Beethoven could write dud symphonies (though W.S. came out with more rubbish than L.v.B., imo).

Great piece! I really can see 'where you are coming from' but what was Hanslick's comment on the last movement of Tchaikovsky's violin concerto?
This is a great line "...a Haydn symphony (who famously wrote multiple symphonies that only H.C. Robbins Landon has ever been able to tell apart)" I know exactly what that means! Love it...

Returning the original question; I actually like all of Beethoven's symphonies, but within that parameter, there are some that stand out more than others - which in no way means I don't like the others.... There is nothing I've heard of Beethoven so far (and that is a huge amount) that I actively dislike - apart from his own transcription of the violin concerto for piano. That is truly awful - just sounds plain 'wrong'. But I suppose, work is work, and he had to pay bills, drink good coffee etc...

[visualnickmos]

I really don't know. For some reason, I find it very dull, and most famous works in the key do nothing for me. Brahms PC2 is a rare exception.

I wonder if it's that works in B flat can sound perhaps a little sombre - in a sort of oppressive sense - or even depressive? Just a thought. It's amazing what our sub-conscious picks up.

[richardfinegold]

I wonder if it's that works in B flat can sound perhaps a little sombre - in a sort of oppressive sense - or even depressive? Just a thought. It's amazing what our sub-conscious picks up.

All nine have been a cornerstone of my listening for over 40 years

[Lat-Literal]

I don't dislike any of them but I find them all too impressive.

The point about B flat is interesting.

I don't wholly disagree.

But, in my humble opinion, Glazunov's best symphony is in B flat.

[Conchis]

Great piece! I really can see 'where you are coming from' but what was Hanslick's comment on the last movement of Tchaikovsky's violin concerto?
This is a great line "...a Haydn symphony (who famously wrote multiple symphonies that only H.C. Robbins Landon has ever been able to tell apart)" I know exactly what that means! Love it...

Returning the original question; I actually like all of Beethoven's symphonies, but within that parameter, there are some that stand out more than others - which in no way means I don't like the others.... There is nothing I've heard of Beethoven so far (and that is a huge amount) that I actively dislike - apart from his own transcription of the violin concerto for piano. That is truly awful - just sounds plain 'wrong'. But I suppose, work is work, and he had to pay bills, drink good coffee etc...

He said something to the effect that it was 'music that stinks to the ear-drums.' (sic?)

[visualnickmos]

He said something to the effect that it was 'music that stinks to the ear-drums.' (sic?)

Just another so-called critic stating an opinion rather than a reasoned viewpoint, by the sound of it. But thank you for your reply - bah - critics!!!

[jayne lee wilson]

I cannot think of a single movement that I don’t love…. from the sense of excited awakening and discovery of No1’s con brio to the multiform shout-aloud triumphal symphony of symphonies that is the 9th’s finale.
Yes, one becomes jaded with some movements some of the time; early LP-ownership (and consequent over-listening) has to some extent blunted my response to the first two movements of No.9, the middle two of 7…..
…but there’s always another unknown cycle somewhere to bring them to life again. For me it was Toscanini’s live 1939 NBC Cycle which took over my listening life for weeks, just around a year ago: I fell in love with all of them, all over again.

I have my favourites of course: the 2nd Symphony’s larghetto seems to me the perfect, pastoral, musical paradise; a “home-world, Wordsworthian, platonic” to quote Saul Bellow in Humboldt’s Gift, that one longs to return to, or escape from the relentless stresses of The Real Life back into.
A deep and profound and withdrawn serenity is here, as in the adagio of No.4 or the 6th’s Scene by a Brook; perhaps only Bruckner, in the slow movements of his 2nd and 4th, finds his way to a similar spirit-of-place.
The radiant spiritual intensity of the climax of the 6th’s finale… then the rapt quiet of the strings’ withdrawal before the very end; the horn and cello duo in the trio of the 8th, as pure as pure music can be…. the great shout of the horns in the coda of the 7th’s vivace....they live, for always, in the very fabric of my musical being.

Even when I don’t feel like replaying them, I often think about them; the first four especially, as an ideal of musical and spiritual pleasure, contemplation, and contentment; imagining some happier future day, when the 4th’s opening allegro will bustle along joyfully once again, as the Spring sun slants in through the listening-room windows.

[Dave2002]

But, in my humble opinion, Glazunov's best symphony is in B flat.

That's number 5. 4 and 6-8 all have qualities which often I prefer.
I don't think many people would compare Beethoven with Glazunov.

[visualnickmos]

I don't dislike any of them but I find them all too impressive.

The point about B flat is interesting.

I don't wholly disagree.

But, in my humble opinion, Glazunov's best symphony is in B flat.

Now you're talking my language. Glazunov - I am enraptured by his symphonies, of which I was fortunate enough to 'bag' the entire set, on Olympic a couple of years ago at a bargain price. They are pure music-gold. Until then I only knew his violin concerto -(who doesn't) but I would love to explore more of his work - chamber works? solo piano? sonatas? I need help here!

[Richard Barrett]

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and recently also 8 which I realised has hidden depths I'd previously missed.