Your Favorite Beethoven Symphonies

[Bogey]

Both the Fourth and the Eighth have been unfairly relegated to the second tier. They deserve better.

Sarge

Yes, but remember Sarge, Beethoven's second tier is most composers' box seats.

As of today....3,5, and 1.

[karlhenning]

Yes, but remember Sarge, Beethoven's second tier is most composers' box seats.

All Dittersdorf needs is a dollar and a dream . . . .

[Joe Barron]

My favorite Beethoven symphony?

Whichever one I heard last.

[George]

My favorite Beethoven symphony?

Whichever one I heard last.

Best answer yet. 

[Bunny]

My favorite Beethoven symphony?

Whichever one I heard last.

Mine is the one I'm putting on next.

[val]

The 7th above all.

Then perhaps the 4th.

And the 9th, because of its first 3 movements.

What a pity to leave outside the 3rd with the March.

[hornteacher]

The 7th above all.

Anybody know a version of the 7th in which the finale goes REALLY fast and the horns just rip through the orchestra (but the performance is still clean)?

[val]

hornteacher

Anybody know a version of the 7th in which the finale goes REALLY fast and the horns just rip through the orchestra (but the performance is still clean)?

Pierre Monteux with the LSO.

[Sergeant Rock]

The 7th above all.

Then perhaps the 4th.

And the 9th, because of its first 3 movements.

What a pity to leave outside the 3rd with the March.

We all had to make sacrifices, Val. Me, I wept as I discarded the Ninth...and the Seventh....and the Sixth....and the Fifth...and the Second...

Sarge

[George]

We all had to make sacrifices, Val. Me, I wept as I discarded the Ninth...and the Seventh....and the Sixth....and the Fifth...and the Second...

Sarge

You discarded all three of my picks. 

[Cato]

Sarge and Karl have mentioned #4 as being unfairly neglected.

It is interesting that Stravinsky is on record (in a book) that his favorite was #4.

[Sergeant Rock]

Sarge and Karl have mentioned #4 as being unfairly neglected.

It is interesting that Stravinsky is on record (in a book) that his favorite was #4.

And wasn't Beethoven himself especially fond of the Eighth?

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

You discarded all three of my picks. 

It wasn't done lightly, I assure you, George.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

And wasn't Beethoven himself especially fond of the Eighth?

With that delicious cello-&-horn opening to the trio of the Scherzo, who could blame him, Sarge?

[Gurn Blanston]

And wasn't Beethoven himself especially fond of the Eighth?

Sarge

He didn't attend the premiere concert of the 2 (in 1814, I believe). He asked one of the people who DID attend how they were received, and when told that the 7th received great applause while the 8th failed to please, he flew into a rage and ranted about how stupid the average listener was. So, I would suppose you are right.

[George]

It wasn't done lightly, I assure you, George.

Sarge

Its OK, I discarded all of your picks. 


...also not lightly. 

[from the new world]

He didn't attend the premiere concert of the 2 (in 1814, I believe). He asked one of the people who DID attend how they were received, and when told that the 7th received great applause while the 8th failed to please, he flew into a rage and ranted about how stupid the average listener was. So, I would suppose you are right.

If Beethoven saw the results of this poll, he might conclude we are just average listeners.

[Joe Barron]

He asked one of the people who DID attend how they were received, and when told that the 7th received great applause while the 8th failed to please, he flew into a rage and ranted about how stupid the average listener was.

Gee, and they say atonal composers are contemptuous of listeners ...

[BachQ]

10 is my favorite . . . . .

[Bruckner is God]

7, 6 and 4 in that order.