Beethoven: 9 Symphonies (Recordings from 1961-62)

The Austrian maestro’s remastered symphonic cycle is something to behold. Considered by many to be one of the finest projects in recorded music, Herbert von Karajan’s 1963 set of Beethoven symphonies—the second of his four endeavors recording them—is aggressive in rhythm and tempo, relying on the exceptional Berlin Philharmonic for its tremendously rich sound. His interpretation of the Ninth, particularly its immortal Scherzo, leans on athletic, dexterous woodwinds to achieve its threatening pace. The bucolic Sixth sounds simultaneously leisurely and determined here, boasting some of the Philharmonic strings’ most meditative playing.