I agree 100 percent that all 9 of Beethoven’s symphonies are excellent and the 3rd, 5th, and 9th are cornerstones of Western music.
However, I find myself spending far more time listening to his string quartets, piano trios, and piano sonatas.
Anyone else prefer Beethoven in the chamber and solo music genres? I spent the entire morning listening to a few of his string quartets and I’m still in awe.
I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say ‘prefer’ - I spend a lot more time listening to and playing the solo/chamber works because there are many more of them, and I don’t want to get sick of the symphonies.
But oh, yeah - they are masterworks, no question at all. I had the privilege of singing ‘An die ferne Geliebte’ last December, and it made up for a lot of much lesser music I had performed in the fall.
You didn’t specifically mention the Violin and the Cello sonatas - highly recommended as well!
Was this inspired by the current Where do I go from Beethoven’s symphonies? thread?
Like Le Ministre, I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say “prefer”; but yeah, anybody who knows Beethoven only from his orchestral works is really missing out. I think chamber music—by Beethoven, and in general—is underrated and often doesn’t get the attention it often deserves. His “Archduke” trio is both one of my favorite works by Beethoven and one of my favorite chamber works by anybody, and it’s what got me interesting in seeking out and listening to other piano trios, so that now it’s one of my favorite genres. And IMHO there is hardly any solo piano music better than Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Beethoven composed everything at the piano or violin, so it’s all solo music in the end, and his symphonies have been performed on the piano. His seventh symphony is perhaps the pinnacle of classical music, though with Beethoven, it’s all good, and people too often limit theirselves to the symphonies.
. . . and especially the 7th.
I get the impression that a lot of 19th century composers tended to be more “experimental” in their solo works than in their orchestral works. Like, Liszt’s orchestral stuff is floridly romantic, but some of his sonatas sound quite modernist. Would you say that’s also true for Beethoven?
I don’t think I can choose myself. It is like comparing some of the best dinners you ever ate.
When I started to listen to the symphonies a few years ago as part of my effort to cure my musical ignorance, there were chunks I was familiar with just from the culture. But the late string quartets were totally new to me and thus totally amazing in a different way.
“Moonlight” was brilliant and “Pathetique” depresses me every time. He was writing amazing stuff for STUDENTS! Stuff that they could play, as long as they steered clear of the later things.
My, Beethoven sure was an odd duck, wasn’t he?
(slapping Musicat) See, it’s like the Star Trek movies, only backwards: even, yes. Odd? No.
Did Beethoven write any music that sucked? (Serious question)
Probably not. The boy was righteous.
I didn’t really say that, did I? 
Beethoven is one of a small handful of composers against whom all others are judged. They all probably wrote music that sucked, but were smart enough to destroy it before anyone found out about it.
Of course subjectively, it depends on the genre. If you’re not into chamber music, you’d probably say that his chamber music sucks.
Violin Concerto in D is one of my favorites. I got to conduct a small orchestra doing the Adagio section.
I’ve never heard it myself, but Wellington’s Victory is supposedly a schlocky potboiler.
Another person chiming in to say that while I don’t “prefer” his chamber music I still love it. The string quartets and solo piano music are sublime, and I’m a fan of the cello/piano sonatas as well.
Yes, Wellington’s Retreat.
Everyone has an off day.