Rank Beethoven's Symphonies

p-bo · 11-13-2013, 07:06 PM

This is always an interesting topic and can stir up some heated debate. Here's mine..

1. 9th (2nd Movement is my favorite piece of music ever composed)
2. 6th (Light and beautiful. Start to finish)
3. 7th (Hard to choose between this one and the 6th)
4. 5th (Powerful and beautiful)
5. 3rd
6. 8th
7. 1st
8. 2nd
9. 4th

Mr. Charlie · 11-14-2013, 01:31 PM

I had to refresh my memory with youtube to familiarise myself with his first 3 symphonies, but I say:

9th (subtle and powerful)
7th (lovely flow to it)
5th (very dramatic)
8th (reminds me of spring)
6th (delicate and very pretty)
4th (has lots of variation)
2nd
1st
3rd

But more than any of those, I like Beethoven's Violin Concerto.

Paul Smeenus · 11-14-2013, 02:18 PM

9th, I can't imagine anyone picking any other symphony as his best. Unbelievable power melding into unbounded joy

7th, beautiful, especially the second movement

5th, four most famous notes in music history

3rd, gave birth to the entire Romantic era

6th, the beautiful Pastoral

8th and 4th, pretty but overwhelmed by what came before and after

1st and 2nd, the Classical Beethoven still very influenced by Mozart and Hayden, hasn't quite found his own legs yet

p-bo · 11-14-2013, 05:21 PM

There's something about his 2nd movements. The 2nd of the 6th, 7th, and 9th are other worldly. When I listen to the 6th I just get this huge smile on my face.

Plus, I never hide my love for Schubert. Listen to the finale of "The Trout". There's a great youtube video with Susanna Yoko Henkel on Violin. It's magical.

~~Hagrid~~ · 04-13-2014, 07:51 PM

The 2nd movement of his fourth symphony helps relax me to a great extent. The violins get me every time on that one, E-flat major was the perfect key in my opinion. I feel kind of bad, because I'm hardly a sophisticated guy. I basically just sit there listening to it while eating biscuits and looking at pictures of Ashlynn Brooke, I'm so tempted to pull it out.

~~buntter~~ · 06-22-2014, 07:40 AM

5
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9

TheDuc · 11-07-2018, 10:41 AM

1. 9th
2. 5th
3. 6th
4. 7th
5. 3rd
6. 8th
7. 4th
8. 2nd
9. 1st

dedindi · 07-21-2019, 12:44 AM

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

OccultHawk · 07-21-2019, 12:56 AM

95 3 6 7 8 4 12

9,5 tie for first 1,2 tie for last

MasterRaro · 02-22-2022, 03:47 PM

I think 9/7 are his most extraordinary late symphonies and 5/3 are his most extraordinary earlier ones. That being said, every single one of the nine should be regarded as among the best symphonies ever written. That probably won't ever change unless humanity gets its act together and prioritizes art music again.

11-13-2013, 07:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
p-bo Groupie Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 22	Rank Beethoven's Symphonies This is always an interesting topic and can stir up some heated debate. Here's mine.. 1. 9th (2nd Movement is my favorite piece of music ever composed) 2. 6th (Light and beautiful. Start to finish) 3. 7th (Hard to choose between this one and the 6th) 4. 5th (Powerful and beautiful) 5. 3rd 6. 8th 7. 1st 8. 2nd 9. 4th __________________ “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action”

11-14-2013, 05:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
p-bo Groupie Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 22	There's something about his 2nd movements. The 2nd of the 6th, 7th, and 9th are other worldly. When I listen to the 6th I just get this huge smile on my face. Plus, I never hide my love for Schubert. Listen to the finale of "The Trout". There's a great youtube video with Susanna Yoko Henkel on Violin. It's magical. __________________ “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action”

04-13-2014, 07:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
~~Hagrid~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 19	The 2nd movement of his fourth symphony helps relax me to a great extent. The violins get me every time on that one, E-flat major was the perfect key in my opinion. I feel kind of bad, because I'm hardly a sophisticated guy. I basically just sit there listening to it while eating biscuits and looking at pictures of Ashlynn Brooke, I'm so tempted to pull it out. Last edited by Hagrid; 04-13-2014 at 07:56 PM.

11-07-2018, 10:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
TheDuc Groupie Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 1	Beethoven's symphonies 1. 9th 2. 5th 3. 6th 4. 7th 5. 3rd 6. 8th 7. 4th 8. 2nd 9. 1st

07-21-2019, 12:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	95 3 6 7 8 4 12 9,5 tie for first 1,2 tie for last __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

11-14-2013, 01:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mr. Charlie Shoo Thoughts Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: These Mountains Posts: 2,308	I had to refresh my memory with youtube to familiarise myself with his first 3 symphonies, but I say: 9th (subtle and powerful) 7th (lovely flow to it) 5th (very dramatic) 8th (reminds me of spring) 6th (delicate and very pretty) 4th (has lots of variation) 2nd 1st 3rd But more than any of those, I like Beethoven's Violin Concerto.

06-22-2014, 07:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
~~buntter~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 18	5 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9

07-21-2019, 12:44 AM	#8 (permalink)
dedindi Groupie Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 16	3, 7, 9, 8, 5, 6, 4, 2, 1

02-22-2022, 03:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
MasterRaro Groupie Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 11	I think 9/7 are his most extraordinary late symphonies and 5/3 are his most extraordinary earlier ones. That being said, every single one of the nine should be regarded as among the best symphonies ever written. That probably won't ever change unless humanity gets its act together and prioritizes art music again.