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Favorite Beethoven Symphony Recordings

OK, it’s one of Ludwigs anniversary years.  There must be over 200 complete Symphony Cycles, with seemingly dozens this year alone.  While most Classical listeners are bound to have several, we can’t possibly know them all.  Make a list of favorites of each work, try not to repeat a Conductor if possible.
1-Hogwood/AAM
2) Krips/LSO
3) Furtwangler/Vienna PO (1944)
4) Szell/Cleveland
5) Kleiber/VPO
6) Walter/Columbia SO
7) Solti/Chicago (1970s cycle)
8) Gardiner-Revolutionary Romantic etc. Orchestra 
9) Von Karajan/ Berlin PO (sixties)

mahler123
melm
1,082 posts
 
I second the nomination of Zinman for the full cycle.  Similar in approach to the Vanska/Minnesota SACD recordings, but better sound IMO (notwithstanding the SACD)

For individual symphonies, the new 3rd and 7th symphony recordings by Honeck and the Pittsburgh Orchestra are great performances and great recordings.
berner99
216 posts
 
Carlos Kleiber 5 & 7
Furtwangler 9th Beyruth  Festival  (?1943)

Karajan 1963 full cycle 
mahler123 OP
3,362 posts
 
I like the Zinman  cycle.  The Honeck  3 and 7 are fine recordings, if not particularly memorable, imo.
jdane
183 posts
 
When I want to hear one, I just grab what's most ready to hand, so it's hard to judge.  But I'd put in a plug for Bruggen and the 18th-c-Orchestra for the 7th.   (Although the recording isn't nearly as thrilling as the live performance I heard them do, which totally blew me away).
schubert
7,386 posts
 
True, I heard the Bruggen live and it was great .
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