Best symphony recordings

I think you will find that one of the best performances of the Beethoven 5th ever is the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Carlos Kleiber on Deutsche Grammophon. It is sonically about average with most CDs, but the performance is overwhelming and a must own. It comes with a very fine Beethoven No. 7 as a bonus.

My favorite Dvorak No. 9 is George Solti, conducting the Chicago Symphony on the London/Decca label. A very commanding reading, and a good engineering job as well.

I agree with Sugarbrie's suggestions, particularly as to the Beethoven. On the Dvorak, two other suggestions--the old Kertesz recording on London/Decca, my favorite interpretation and a good recording (should be available on CD, and definitely has been reissued on vinyl), and the recent Macaal/New Jersey Symphony recording on Delos, coupled with an excellent Dvorak Requiem and terrific sonics (captures the sound of the NJSO in the New Jersey Performing Arts Center very well).

There are two Kertesz recordings of the Dvorak; one is around 1961, the other about 1967. RcPrince: Confirm that the 1967 recording is the one to check out, which is my understanding.

I'll have to check my records when I get home tonight, but the 67's the one I was thinking of. The vinyl reissue may be the '61 recording.

I second both nominations.

In general, if you are shooting in the dark you can't go too far wrong with Solti/Chicago provided that you like the distinctive sound that he produced there--forward brasses, lots of emphasis on low sonorities, brisk tempos, and a steadfast resistance to schmaltz. Once in a while he fired for effect (exaggerated dynamics, mostly) but generally the CSO played quite competently under his baton and his musical taste was impeccable, if tending to the dramatic. He was quite a tyrant for precision playing; you won't hear wrong notes in the third horns or the annoying "shimmer" of imprecise bowing. Highly recommended, especially if you're into German Romanticism.

Oops, didn't mean to turn this into a tribute to the man.

Will