Let's come right out and say it.
No other composer in the history of classical music changed the symphony more radically than Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beethoven's First Symphony (1801) clearly pays its respects to his forerunners, and to the great 18th-century classical tradition embodied by Haydn and Mozart. However, each of the eight successive Beethoven symphonies - from the mercurial Second, via the supremely dramatic Fifth and on through the maniacal, dance-inflected Seventh - follows a unique trajectory all of its own.
These astonishing works also usher in a new era: one in which composers were no longer subservient to their court patrons and could assert their right to individual expression. Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and so many others would gratefully take up the baton passed to them by Beethoven.
So it’s little wonder that Beethoven’s colossal symphonic legacy both inspired and intimidated later 19th-century composers. From the moment these works entered the repertory, conductors viewed the performance of a Beethoven cycle as a litmus test of their achievements.
Battle lines as to the ‘ideal’ interpretation of the symphonies were established at an early stage between Mendelssohn, whose performances were mercurial and precise, and Wagner’s more fluid and nuanced approaches. This dichotomy is mirrored in current approaches, with opposed views of the music emanating from Riccardo Chailly on one hand and Christian Thielemann on the other.
The best recordings of each of the Beethoven symphonies
Beethoven Symphony No. 1 best recording
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly Decca 478 3493
Following in the footsteps of Toscanini, Riccardo Chailly delivers a characteristically high-voltage account of Beethoven's First Symphony, perfectly capturing its moments of brusque humour with superbly incisive sforzando accents from his Leipzig players, yet allowing sufficient space for the graceful aspects of the second movement to come to the fore.
Beethoven Symphony No. 2 best recording
Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra/Stanislaw Skrowaczewski OEHMS OC522
Skrowaczewski and his Saarbrucken players bring a rare fire and fury to the first movement of Beethoven's Second Symphony. And few can match their bonhomie in the following two movements – as the music bounces from orchestral section to section, masterfully paced by the conductor, one gets the impression of players thoroughly enjoying each others’, and Beethoven’s, company.
Beethoven symphonies best recordings: the middle-period symphonies
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 best recording
Münchner Philharmoniker/Rudolf Kempe EMI 636 5552
When Rudolf Kempe made his Beethoven symphony cycle with the unfashionable Munich Philharmonic in the early 1970s, it was overshadowed by other, more glamorous interpretations, Herbert von Karajan’s in particular. But Kempe’s is a glorious Eroica, powerful and majestic, yet buoyed with lyricism and elegance. It remains a definitive point of reference.
Beethoven Symphony No. 4 best recording
Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Joshua Bell Sony Classical 88765448812
An exhilaratingly alert performance responding to every nuance of the music, and with a spellbinding account of the long pianissimo passage heralding the first movement’s recapitulation. Violinist and conductor Joshua Bell and his co-players also convey all the warmth of the slow movement and the wit of the finale, reminding us why the Fourth is one of the most graceful and immediately lovable among the Beethoven symphonies.
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 best recording
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Carlos Kleiber Deutsche Grammophon 447 4002
Voted in at No. 3 in BBC Music Magazine’s list of The 50 Greatest Recordings of All Time, this performance has a compelling intensity and energy that is utterly suited to the emotional world of Beethoven's Fifth. Kleiber didn’t often go into the recording studio, but when he did the results were entirely unforgettable, with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which we named one of the world's best orchestras, on blistering form here.
Here's a glimpse of the peerless Kleiber in action:
Beethoven Symphony No. 6 best recording
London Classical Players/Roger Norrington
Still as fresh as ever – a combination of original instruments and conductor Roger Norrington’s energy – this 1980s recording of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony gets to the heart of Beethoven’s titanic creativity. Every note, every phrase penetratingly re-thought, it’s like hearing the music for the first time: the bird-calls sound startling, the ‘beginner’ bassoon in the Scherzo wonderfully wittily, the storm elemental.
Beethoven symphonies best recordings: the late symphonies
Beethoven Symphony No. 7 best recording
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/Riccardo Chailly Decca 478 3496
Riccardo Chailly achieves the near-impossible with this recording of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, combining the classicising insights of period-style performers with the tonal richness and expressive gravity of old-school master interpreters such as Otto Klemperer or Carlos Kleiber. The rhythms are crisp and vital, the colours gorgeous, the expression intense and broad-ranging, and all is captured in superb recorded sound.
Beethoven Symphony No. 8 best recording
Vienna Philharmonic/Claudio Abbado Australian Eloquence ELQ4805952
Distinguished recordings of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony are not rare, but to seize it in all its aspects turns out to be reserved for peculiar temperaments. An Eloquence recording from 1970 under Claudio Abbado, paired with a noble account of Bruckner’s First Symphony, is a highly recommended modern-ish recording; but if you can tolerate decent mono sound, then Sir Thomas Beecham (Sony Classical) and Hans Knappertsbusch (Orfeo) are truly Jove-like.
Beethoven symphonies best recordings: the mighty Ninth
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 best recording
SWR Symphony Orchestra/Michael Gielen
Hänssler HAEN93285
Michael Gielen’s 1997 Ninth is a sleeper hit: intellectual, bracing, and with a fierce commitment to Beethoven’s text. Gielen brings analytical clarity without sacrificing drama, making it a cult favorite among listeners who enjoy a rigorous, unfussy approach. It’s often cited as one of the most honest and illuminating modern performances, though rarely in the mainstream spotlight.
Listen to our playlist here:
