Favorite Beethoven Symphony(ies)

[USMC1960s]

Please list your favorite Beethoven symphonies. Every time I come on this forum I learn something new. Thanks to all in advance, as always.

[mc ukrneal]

Let's face it, within about a day or two, you will have gotten a rec for all nine! There really is no bad one. The sixth is my personal favorite. I like it, because it matches how I often listen to music, which is with the idea of visual elements and stories in mind. Each movement has a clear origin in terms of what nature event/element is being referenced. Beyond that, it is just wonderful music...

[PaulR]

#3, #7, #4, #6, #5, #9, #1, #8, #2.

Although the order (Except for the last one) can change every day. 

[Daverz]

Please list your favorite Beethoven symphonies. Every time I come on this forum I learn something new. Thanks to all in advance, as always.

7 is my favorite of the bunch.  I sometime think the critics were right about 9.  But ya know, apart from that one, they aren't that long, and there are many excellent complete sets.

[USMC1960s]

The set I have now I've had for a couple of years. Bernard Haitink, London Symphony Orchestra, Box Set, 2006. LSO Live (label).

[71 dB]

6 & 7.

[kishnevi]

4 and 7.

[Jo498]

9,3,7,5,8,4,2,6,1

[starrynight]

For some strange reason I read this as 'funny Beethoven symphonies'.     Would've been a new idea for a thread anyway.

[Orpheus]

4,8,7,2,6,3,5,9,1

(Order changes every hour)....

[Jo498]

For some strange reason I read this as 'funny Beethoven symphonies'.     Would've been a new idea for a thread anyway.

The funniest for me is clearly the 8th, probably followed by the 6th with the birds at the end of the 2nd mvmt and the rustic musicians missing their cue in the 3rd mvmt., and the 1st (the beginning of the finale is basically a joke)

[Maestro267]

No. 7 is my firm favourite, and has been for pretty much all the time I've known the complete symphonies. My current order:

7, 5, 9, 6, 3, 2, 1, 4, 8

But it must be said that I still like the lower-ranked symphonies in that list. Just not as much as the others.

[TheGSMoeller]

Past few years I've been listening mostly to 3, 6 and 8.

[aligreto]

No. 6 & No. 7 in that order.

[Brahmsian]

For the last few years, # 3 stands as my favourite - and by quite a margin.

After this, it varies quite a bit, but this is kind of the order:

6, 7, 5, 9, 4, 8, 1, 2

Love them all, regardless of order. 

[Christo]

3, 7, 6, 5, 9, 2, 1, 8, 4. Or something of that kind. 

[Brian]

Mostest favoritest: 3, 5, 7, 8
Treasured favorites: 4, 6
In the right mood, it's a favorite: 9
Pretty great: 2
Not my favorite, but I still like it: 1

[starrynight]

The funniest for me is clearly the 8th, probably followed by the 6th with the birds at the end of the 2nd mvmt and the rustic musicians missing their cue in the 3rd mvmt., and the 1st (the beginning of the finale is basically a joke)

I can see why you mention 8, but but what about the 2nd (last two movements)?    The outer movements of the 4th may have some humour too.  Maybe the earlier ones are more down to earth jokey, the 8th though relatively small is quite epic still and elegant.

[Jo498]

For me, the 4th has more humorous bits (like several subsidiary themes in the first movement or the bassoon solo at the end of the finale) than the 2nd. I think the 2nd was meant to be fairly dramatic at its time.
But the two funniest movements for me are 2nd - the metronome joke - and 3rd - mock serious menuet with confusing entries etc. - of the 8th

[Gurn Blanston]

Hard choices, but in the long run;

9
3
4
8
5
1
7
2
6