# Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony (No. 6) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966 "2003-01-26T03:18:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/1 "2003-01-26T03:18:38Z")
For various reasons, I’m looking into getting a CD that has Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony, but there are multiple versions of it out there. I’m sure that there are plenty of classical music fans out there. Can any of you recommend a CD that is currently in production that you believe is the best performance of this symphony? ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/2 "2003-01-26T04:19:46Z")
My copy is by the Northern Sinfonia of England conducted by Richard Hickox on the Quicksilva label. Sounds great to my (unfussy) ears. This site recommends several recordings… > **[Classical Net - Recommended Recordings - Late Orchestral Music](http://www.classical.net/~music/recs/latorch.php)** > > The Classical Net web site offers a comprehensive collection of information and news on classical music subjects including articles and CD reviews, composers and their music, the basic repertoire, recommended recordings and a CD buying guide. The... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/3 "2003-01-26T04:47:26Z")
My all-time favorite recrding of Beethoven’s symphonies is Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonik, on Deutsche Grammophon. I’ve got recrdings of all nine symphonies, as well as the Overtures by them. I know there are those who say Toscanini is better, but I’ll take von Karajan over him any day. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/4 "2003-01-26T05:34:01Z")
Ditto on the Karajan. If you don’t want to buy all the symphonies, No. 6 is joined with No. 5 on a single CD. Wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/5 "2003-01-26T05:36:17Z")
I’m not an expert, but of the conductors I have, I like Bernstein’s the best. I have the first, third, and ninth conducted by him, as well as some string quartets. My father-in-law, who is a composer and a retired music teacher, likes these versions quite a bit also. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/6 "2003-01-26T15:04:01Z")
I grew up with the von Karajan, and they always sound “right” to me. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beethovens-pastoral-symphony-no-6/150966/7 "2003-01-26T18:11:51Z")
The von Karajan is wonderful, but so is the Toscanini (NBC Symphony Orchestra, 1952) if you can find it…