Beethoven Ninth Symphony

I'm more partial to some of the older ones myself, but if you want an excellent performance on CD of an original instrument group, you cannot do better than John Eliot Gardiner's set.

I agree with Fafafion. The Karajan DG SACD reading is outstanding.

I am partial to the Solti/Chicago reading of the 9th on the London label. Big, bold sound with a lot of energy.

I like both the Vanska SACD with the Minnesota Orchestra and the 1963 von Karajan version (I don't have that SACD, but do have the vinyl, it seems to have been recorded before DG started going crazy with the multimiking so it's a decent sounding recording as well as one of the great interpretations of the piece).

And I agree with Eweedhome, other than the second movement, which is arguably the best dance movement ever written, I'm not as big a fan of this symphony as others. It is better to me when listened to live rather than on recordings, maybe the grandeur comes through better in performance than on record, but I just find the last movement to be overdone. I have been overruled on this by many others, of course.

Barenboim recorded all 9 symphonies. Usually his interpretation of Beethoven is very good.