Beethoven's 7th Symphony

[samuel]

Just gonna voice my agreement with anyone who has already recommended the Monteux/LSO Beethoven 7th, it's one my all-time favorite Beethoven recordings.

[Renfield]

Regarding Kleiber Jr, I'm pretty sure I have a live 7th of his on Orfeo around, as well (as the DG). Very fine account.

[DarkAngel]

Regarding Kleiber Jr, I'm pretty sure I have a live 7th of his on Orfeo around, as well (as the DG). Very fine account.

Indeed, sold as a SACD hybrid (expensive) the Orfeo 7th and the DVD Concertgebouw 7th both beat out the otherwise great DG Originals WP 7th for me.....

[DarkAngel]

But this is the 7th to have

I do also have it........but I have a small problem with the Monteux/LSO 7th. 

The 3rd movement presto is taken at slower pace than I like at 9:08, then Monteux tears into a an exciting 4th movement to end the work, by contrast Kleiber DVD takes 3rd movement in 7:50 and sounds more like a presto to me, a more natural set-up for 4th movement

[RJR]

Love the Beethoven Album Cover just passing through. I think it would make a great stamp.

[chung]

What do you have that I might want to add to mine:

What I have on the shelf:

Furtwängler/BPO (Nov. 1943): Talk about breakneck speed in parts....hard driving as his '42 9th at times.

HvK/BPO (1963*): Looks like, sounds like, walks like HvK....strings are chalked full of "flavor" and has unexpected zip for HvK at times.  Not recommended for those living near a fault line.

Ashkenazy/Philharmonia (1983): The "winds" truly stand out in this recording.  Full bodied, crystal clear, speedy in parts, and just a lot of fun.  Probably my favorite.

HvK/BPO (1983) Holds up so-so with the '63 recording, though the sound is a bit muffled and at moments it gets one's attention for all the wrong reasons.

Hogwood/AAM (1989) My only HIP...lighter weight, butless than I thought before a decent listen.  However, the brass can be a  bit "brazen" at times for my taste.

Bernstein/BSO (1992): Struggles compared to the HvK/BPO '63 and Ashkenazy/Philharmonia recordings, but it was Lenny's final concert and that keeps it on my radar of enjoyment.

Konwitschny/LGO (1959): A superb and energetic take with repeats, despite Konwitschny's reputation as old-school (vaguely like Klemperer and Furtwängler). His work with the No. 7's finale takes as long as Kleiber's recording with the VPO (8:34 for Konwitschny, 8:36 for Kleiber) but somehow sounds just a bit more frenetic without falling off the rails. Konwitschny's recording is available as far as I know only in various box-sets from Berlin Classics.

[Verena]

Konwitschny/LGO (1959): A superb and energetic take with repeats, despite Konwitschny's reputation as old-school (vaguely like Klemperer and Furtwängler). His work with the No. 7's finale takes as long as Kleiber's recording with the VPO (8:34 for Konwitschny, 8:36 for Kleiber) but somehow sounds just a bit more frenetic without falling off the rails. Konwitschny's recording is available as far as I know only in various box-sets from Berlin Classics.

There is also a live recording by Konwitschny on Weitblick which some find even better. I have ordered that one from Japan today, coincidentally..