The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood - Beethoven: The Symphonies (5CD) (1997)

Stylistically, Hogwood is on firm ground, and there is much to be said for his insights into the music. He prefers not to "conduct" the symphonies in the conventional manner, but to "coordinate" their performance as a musician of the period might have done. His Eroica and Pastorale are outstanding, and his Ninth most impressive. The symphonies were recorded in the order of their composition, and the sound is consistently good throughout. – Ted Libbey

Track List:

CD 1
Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
1. 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio 08:40
2. 2. Andante cantabile con moto 07:15
3. 3. Menuetto (Allegro molto e vivace) 04:11
4. 4. Finale (Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace) 05:34
Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.55 -"Eroica" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
5. 1. Allegro con brio 17:47
6. 2. Marcia funèbre (Adagio assai) 14:57
7. 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace) 06:07
8. 4. Finale (Allegro molto) 11:09

CD 2
Symphony No.2 in D, Op.36 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
1. 1. Adagio molto - Allegro con brio 12:45
2. 2. Larghetto 09:53
3. 3. Scherzo (Allegro) 04:24
4. 4. Allegro molto 06:33
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
5. 1. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande (Allegro ma non troppo) 10:27
6. 2. Szene am Bach (Andante molto mosso) 12:17
7. 3. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Allegro) 04:53
8. 4. Gewitter, Sturm (Allegro) 03:46
9. 5. Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Allegretto) 09:51

CD 3
Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op.60 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
1. 1. Adagio - Allegro vivace 12:14
2. 2. Adagio 09:57
3. 3. Allegro vivace 06:34
4. 4. Allegro ma non troppo 06:31
Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
5. 1. Allegro con brio 06:46
6. 2. Andante con moto 10:30
7. 3. Allegro 08:18
8. 4. Allegro 11:40

CD 4
Overture 'Coriolan', Op.62 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
1. Beethoven: Overture "Coriolan", Op. 62 06:51
Symphony No.7 in A, Op.92 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
2. 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace 14:19
3. 2. Allegretto 07:33
4. 3. Presto - Assai meno presto 08:03
5. 4. Allegro con brio 09:07
Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
6. 1. Allegro vivace e con brio 08:00
7. 2. Allegretto scherzando 03:49
8. 3. Tempo di menuetto 05:35
9. 4. Allegro vivace 06:40

CD 5
Musique pour le drame 'Egmont', op. 84 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
1. Beethoven: Overture "Egmont", Op. 84 07:45
Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 - "Choral" (Ludwig van Beethoven)
2. 1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 13:55
3. 2. Molto vivace 13:32
4. 3. Adagio molto e cantabile 10:43
5. 4. Presto - Allegro assai 24:57

Performers:
Arleen Augér
Catherine Robbin
Anthony Rolfe Johnson
Gregory Reinhart
The Academy of Ancient Music
Christopher Hogwood, conductor