[Publius]

The problem with the slow movement is that conductors take the adagio molto e cantabile too literally. Beethoven's metronome marking is quarter note = 60. The second section of the theme is marked quarter note = 63. The adagio refers to the rhythmic half note pulse.

Try Roger Norrington's recording from 1987 which won a Grammy. He was the first outside of Leibowitz and Toscanini to take the metronome markings seriously. His conducting of the third movement is a revelation.

[Nothingburger]

Thanks for that illuminating observation, FRiend Publius.

I recently added both the Norrington and Toscanini symphony cycles to my collection but haven’t listened to the Ninth in either. Usually, when evaluating a Beethoven cycle, I start with the Eroica, then the 7th, then the hugely underrated 8th.

It’s interesting you mentioned the Rene Leibowitz cycle, which I have read good things about but haven’t started collecting.