Most Sublime Beethoven Symphony

Have not heard the CDs, but Berlin Phil released a complete Beethoven cycle with Abado recently. I saw them perform 6 and 5 at carnegie last October, and it was the best concert I have ever seen. It had a magical impact on my emotions. I would buy BPO's set with Abbado if I didin't already have hundreds of other performances in my library.

As for Karajan, I have never been a fan. He seems cold and businesslike to me. He conducted with his eyes closed, and the lack of connection to (or interest in) the players has an audible result, in my opinion. There are exceptions, but I know of few.

I'm no guru, but I'll chip in.
Not the whole symphony, but the second movement of the 5th symphony is my favourite (of those I have heard). I could listen to it forever. Don't much care for the "pompous" first movement though.
On the Beethoven subject but straying to piano concertos I recently purchased the "emperor" (I forget the number). Again the slow movement is sublime.
Also in Piano sonatas the Appasionata I think is my favourite so far, but I still haven't heard them all.
As for performers .. well I like Ashkenazy on Decca ... I gather he's a bit of a love him or hate him as far as Beethoven goes, but I think he plays with great feeling.

There are so many to choose from. I enjoy Harnoncourt's recording of the third and Furtwangler's Berlin recording of the ninth. I also enjoy all of Klemperer's recordings.

My recommendations are:

For a new perspective listen to John Elliot Gardiner. Great sound, new scores prepared from from Beethoven's manuscripts, wonderful playing and conducting, and a true "classical" sound, authentic to the period.

For simplay magical playing listen to any and all of the Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphone recordings. The playing is astonishing in its tightness and rhythmic drive. Some of the symphonies are available as XRCD discs and sound as good as I've heard.

For historical perspective the recordings by Klemperor and Furtwangler are wonderful. I always loved hearing Karajan live but the recordings do not sound good to me.

as for the Emperor Concerto, you will be blown away by Horowitz and Reiner on RCA (yes Horowitz); simply a joy. And every piano player loves it and wishes they could play is so effortlessly. It is Horowitz in his prime, circa 1955.

For performances that are both vigorous and rigorous, you can always count on Solti/Chicago. The miking/mixing isn't always the greatest, though. Sometimes you have to listen around the bonehead engineers.

will