How many of the Beethoven symphonies do you actually LIKE?

[alycidon]

Having listened to the Beethoven symphonies for over sixty years, I have always considered the Eroica to be a disappointment in that it is what I would call ‘top-heavy.’ I find a number of works fall into that personal classification - including the Schubert 9th and the Tchaikovsky B flat minor piano concerto, to name just two.

I have always thought of the 8th as lacking balance, although in the last few years I have been more accepting of it. I now classify them as follows: Best - 2, 5 and 9: Middling - 4, 6 and 7: Worst - 1, 3 and 8.

That said, I feel that Beethoven composed nine symphonies which are so different from one another that I have no trouble in distinguishing one from another in short order - something that I find difficult with most other composers.

[Dave2002]

Having listened to the Beethoven symphonies for over sixty years, I have always considered the Eroica to be a disappointment in that it is what I would call ‘top-heavy.’ I find a number of works fall into that personal classification - including the Schubert 9th and the Tchaikovsky B flat minor piano concerto, to name just two.

I have always thought of the 8th as lacking balance, although in the last few years I have been more accepting of it. I now classify them as follows: Best - 2, 5 and 9: Middling - 4, 6 and 7: Worst - 1, 3 and 8.

That said, I feel that Beethoven composed nine symphonies which are so different from one another that I have no trouble in distinguishing one from another in short order - something that I find difficult with most other composers.

That's a very interesting, and IMO somewhat unusual statement - but there's no law which says you have to like Beethoven, or have a well defined preference for the order of his symphonies.

I am just curious as to what classical music, or classical music composers you really like.

For myself I like them all - when I get to listen to them, but I wouldn't normally start to listen to the 6th or 7th. I really do rather like the 3rd, though I'll probably ruin it for everyone here if I put the words to the last movement, so I'd better not.

[cloughie]

That's a very interesting, and IMO somewhat unusual statement - but there's no law which says you have to like Beethoven, or have a well defined preference for the order of his symphonies.

I am just curious as to what classical music, or classical music composers you really like.

For myself I like them all - when I get to listen to them, but I wouldn't normally start to listen to the 6th or 7th. I really do rather like the 3rd, though I'll probably ruin it for everyone here if I put the words to the last movement, so I'd better not.

I'd sooner you removed them from No9!

[jayne lee wilson]

That's a very interesting, and IMO somewhat unusual statement - but there's no law which says you have to like Beethoven, or have a well defined preference for the order of his symphonies.

I am just curious as to what classical music, or classical music composers you really like.

For myself I like them all - when I get to listen to them, but I wouldn't normally start to listen to the 6th or 7th. I really do rather like the 3rd, though I'll probably ruin it for everyone here if I put the words to the last movement, so I'd better not.

Don't worry - someone did that already....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Napoleon-Symphony-Novel-Four-Movements/dp/0393350150/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523666165&sr=1-1&keywords=burgess+napoleon+symphony

[verismissimo]

Based on my long experience of their 7th on LP, I've been thinking about ordering up the Cluytens Beethoven symphony cycle for years. Now here it is, one of - the? - earliest cycle in stereo sound, recorded 1957-60 with the BPO in the Gruenewaldkirche in Berlin.

Half way through listening to it, it's already clear that it's first rate - the playing full of life and clarity (much preferred by me to the later Karajan/BPO cycles), the recordings so well balanced and natural.

How did they achieve all that so early in the life of stereo?

[Joseph K]

... Just finished listening to the ninth, which completes my recent listening of Beethoven's symphonies.

No one else does vigorous, almost zany excitement which is contained in the symphonies... of course there are slow movements, but most movements aren't slow, so the overriding impression is one of joyous, giddy excitement. There is something primal about much of them - both in the energy and aggression and by the fact that they seem almost to be a musical ground zero - as stated earlier in this thread 'pure as pure as music can be' - a kind of ur-music. I hear it as quite abstract, besotted with the stuff, the nuts and bolts, of music.

They're all great.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

They're all great.

[Alison]

Had a hour and a half drive yesterday.

Listened to the First, Second and Eighth in that order.

Enjoyed every bar; no need to rank.

[Dave2002]

Based on my long experience of their 7th on LP, I've been thinking about ordering up the Cluytens Beethoven symphony cycle for years. Now here it is, one of - the? - earliest cycle in stereo sound, recorded 1957-60 with the BPO in the Gruenewaldkirche in Berlin.

Many years ago I wanted to buy the Cluytens LP of No 6. It wasn’t in stock, so I was persuaded to buy the Karajan version which was in the shop at the time. I didn’t like it too much then, so took it back and got a refund, and bought the Cluytens later on. I probably wouldn’t dislike K so much now, but Cluytens in 6 is very good, as is also Bruno Walter. OTOH several of K’s versions of 9 beat the heck out of most other conductor’s recordings.

[Turangalîla]

It's not particularly controversial to talk about the nine symphonies as the pinnacle of the symphonic art or to discuss at length the innovations of orchestration, form, the thematic idiosyncrasy and harmonic complexity that so elevated the status of the symphony throughout the romantic period.

For me they were something listened to intensely and repeatedly when I first started listening to classical music thirty years ago, but are now rationed with a parsimonious economy – things to be savoured.

When they do come out the feeling is anticipation and excitement. I forget sometimes just the overwhelming unalloyed joy that this music can create. I love them all but I love the Eroica the most.

It is interesting that such a provocative statement, ‘the eighth is a shallow work’, gives rise to such an interesting discussion.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I suppose I have issues with some Beethoven symphonies, and they are all superb (including the B flat major 4th Symphony ).

My (very few) reservations are:-

The overblown coda of the 5th symphony's finale. I know some writers maintain that the endless succession of C major chords at the end are a matter of symphonic balance, but I remain unconvinced. Malcolm Arnold made fun of this kind of thing in his Grand, Grand Overture.

The 2nd movement of the 8th symphony appearing to modulate to the dominant key at the very end (though this isn't really the case). I suppose this is the exact opposite of my first "issue" above.

[alycidon]

That's a very interesting, and IMO somewhat unusual statement - but there's no law which says you have to like Beethoven, or have a well defined preference for the order of his symphonies.

I am just curious as to what classical music, or classical music composers you really like.

For myself I like them all - when I get to listen to them, but I wouldn't normally start to listen to the 6th or 7th. I really do rather like the 3rd, though I'll probably ruin it for everyone here if I put the words to the last movement, so I'd better not.

Oh dear! Mea culpa! I have obviously given the completely wrong impression in my earlier post. For many years in my youth Beethoven was my musical hero to the exclusion of all others. When I was 14 the music master used to play the classics as we marched in to morning assembly and I very quickly got hooked on the Beethoven ones - Overture Egmont and the final movement of the Pastoral.

With the passage of sixty years I have extended my love of the classics which now span pretty much everything from Monteverdi to Vaughan Williams, although I would say that Bach is my favourite of all. Of course I play Beethoven and enjoy most of his works although I do have trouble with the quartets. That said, Opus 131 is my favourite with all it's complexities.

I am sorry to have confused you - it will teach me to be more careful in future. The fact that I have analysed the symphonies into 3 batches of 3 is to indicate my perception of how I like each one. When I said worst, I couldn't think of a better word but I enjoy them all. Of course I do.

[Richard Barrett]

No one else does vigorous, almost zany excitement which is contained in the symphonies... of course there are slow movements, but most movements aren't slow, so the overriding impression is one of joyous, giddy excitement. There is something primal about much of them - both in the energy and aggression and by the fact that they seem almost to be a musical ground zero - as stated earlier in this thread 'pure as pure as music can be' - a kind of ur-music. I hear it as quite abstract, besotted with the stuff, the nuts and bolts, of music.

Thanks JK, this is the kind of thing that's going to get me listening from new angles.