This recording takes us halfway back to the premiere of the work. Toscanini was as close to Beethoven as we are now to Toscanini. Amazing, when you think of it.

'' ..the most perfect performance of ANY beethoven symphony ever put on disc ..: ( records and recording, november 1969) about beethoven symphony no 7 with toscanini and new york philarmonic....i have this recording on rca victrolia lp......i love this records....!

awesome! I still love listening to Toscanini's Beethoven 7th nypo and my Dad had a complete set of the Beethoven symphonies. That's how I discovered classical music. I have been grateful ever since.

William Steinberg's recording of Beethoven's Eighth SHOULD have been the reference recording, in my opinion. But instead of using it as a point of comparison, critics always ignored that performance, probably because it was released on a minor label. Back in the day, whenever I recommended Steinberg, people reacted as though I had suggested that they try apple pie with tabasco sauce.

The RCA Camden version of this was my first 12 inch LP - a birthday gift when I was eight. It was the record that ignited my love of Beethoven. Still have it - and it sounds great.

Considering the recording is almost 90 years old, the sound is wonderful!!

Bravo!! And along with the reference recordings for Brahms! you are a marvellous critic. Hari

When I find MY reference recording of the 7th, it's going to be the one that actually does an fff in the coda of the finale instead of just an ff. Trumpets often do that, but for some reason the timpani never does.

This is like the reference recording of reference recordings for me…Toscanini’s version still explodes like none others.

Nailed it Dave!!!! Now, waiting with baited breath, panting expectations,,, for ,,,,, the NINTH !

I believe this is the same recording that I own on a 3 disc set of Toscanini performances issued by Pearl.

Yes, after all these many years, I can understand why Toscanini's is "The Reference." Even so, I half expected Szell's to have been the one.

I have owned this recording in its RCA Victrola LP incarnation since I was a teenager in the 1970s. While I have heard many fine performances (some of which you mention David) I still go WOW when I hear it.

Thank you for the reference, I believe found it on streaming paired with the 5th, 1933, Naxos...and thank god it does not have the repeat at the first movement. Great performance, I'm sure soon with AI applied to remastering process, the sound of these historical performances may be improved.

Idea for a series - 10 best recordings by different orchestras?

I agree that this is the reference for this symphony. I believe it was Walter Legge who called it the greatest recording ever made of anything. Like the Semiramide Overture made around the same time, it's vastly better than his 1951 recordings despite arguably inferior sonics. (Arguably because the 1936 recording gives you more hall perspective than the closely miked later ones.) I would also choose Toscanini as reference for the NINTH--if it weren't for his 1st mvt. I always feel the music wants to be several minutes more expansive and weightier as well. Say, around the 15-minute mark, not Toscanini's 13 or less.

This reference recordings series is terrific, thank you Dave! I'm hearing recordings of pieces I have heard many times and loved but missed these performances. What a gift in my '70s!! So strange though that this issue is unavailable, and Idagio only has the Naxos, whose sound is inferior to the version on KZfaq. That may be the elusive Opus Kura. It's a perversity of the day considering Lang Lang's recording of Saint-Saëns's newly discovered Second Piano Concerto 😂is easy to get. (That review is priceless.) All to say that KZfaq Dave for the reviews and Premium KZfaq for the music, and maybe a streamer like Idagio, are a wonder of the age. Over the top? Not when I think of access to recorded music from the 1950s to the early 2000's.

Thank you. I remember talking to Ludwig when I was a kid and said that will be the one!

Completely agree! There is something incisive and poetic about AT's version that withstands the test of time.

I would have voted for this, but hardly expected you to choose it. It is not my favourite, but it remains the benchmark for me, and seemingly for you also. Best wishes from George in Herefordshire, UK.

The music history teacher at college once was walking down the hall, and he stopped me and said, "You need to listen to the fugue section of the second movement of Beethoven's 7th." I was like, huh? OK. He must have just been listening to it in his office and was really into it, and just had to tell someone about it.

Since the Japanese recording is not seemingly available there is one in "doctored sound" done by Andrew Rose. I own this and it sounds great. It's available for download or purchase at Pristine Classical.

I finally figured out why I own four copies of Beethoven's 7th. Each movement required a different conductor. Update: I own the Toscanini box set, "the complete RCA recordings" and it has this reference recording.😊

Of course we are all waiting for the "Ninth!"

Can’t find that version

For me Toscanini was just the perfect conductor; probably even moreso than the likes of Karajan, Bernstein, and others. His version of Beethoven's Misse Solemnis and Verdi's Requiem remain tops for me.

Is there also a stereo reference for which you would make a case?

I’m enjoying this series, Dave, but I’m wondering why the reference recordings in the videos don’t necessarily match reference recordings listed at the bottom of your reviews on Classics Today. For example, your reviews of the 7th name reference recordings by Wand (and sometimes others) but not necessarily Toscanini.

Love and understand your reasoning for choosing this performance as a reference recording...but still surprised you didn't go Cleveland and Szell! :) Is that because you already did that for the Eroica -- you are not going to repeat conductors and ensembles in this series?

Is that performance available on another CD?

Nah. Can't agree here at all. Don't get me wrong, this 7th is great, and Toscanini always did it really well (my favourite is his 7th with the BBCSO FWIW) but it has been superseded I'd say by a newer, better recorded version by that man Kleiber again. Critics on this side of the pond usually point you to Kleiber and the VPO, and certainly wouldn't consider a mono 1936 recording as their go-to these days.

I really appreciate Dave's channel and many many helpful videos, but I think the concept of "reference recording" is going to be very controversial. The reason is that it's not Dave's reference recording, but you wished to give it a sense of objectivity so it's everybody's reference recording. To do that, you have to provide evidence that the majority of music critics and professionals all agree on that piece of performance. However, consensus is very hard to achieve, especially across generations. Maybe there is some consensus among the professionals who matured in the 70s, but it's hard to believe the critics and professionals matured in the 21st century agree with them on everything. So, is a reference recording for the people who matured in the 70s a reference recording for all generations?

I have never really liked Toscanini's recording output....it might be the recording inconsistencies but I always thought his Beethoven especially was harsh and hard on the ears....slam bam so to speak...