The problem with getting *any* integrated set of these works is that
it's just about impossible for any conductor to be the "best", even to an
individual listener's taste, in all the symphonies.  The Norrington #2 and
#8 IIRC was highly regarded and was also one of the first in the series to
be issued.  I personally love his rendition of #8, but there are others in
the series I'd quibble with on an interpretive level.  And yes, I do have
all of the Norringtons in my collection.

Now I can't help but want to reply to Mark Landson, who wrote:

>In Richard Taruskin's book "Text and Act" there are a couple of
>wonderful essays on Norrington and contrasting his Beethoven with that
>of Furtwangler.
>
>Amazing stuff for anyone interested in the "historical accuracy" movement.

Taruskin's writings have done their share of generating more heat than
light in this general area:-).

>As for me, I believe Norrington is anti-musical, and anti-insightful.
>I have no problem with performing on period instruments, but am highly
>against the notion that Beethoven would have prefered instruments of his
>own time over the instruments of today.

I'll take your word for it, since I haven't figured out the technique of
"channelling" directly to Beethoven to know his feelings on the matter....

>The power of Beethoven lies not in the exact timbres of the instruments
>he was writing for, but in the depth of his personal inspiration, which
>transcends those timbres and instruments.

...am awaiting with baited breath the rumored issuance of a highly regarded
Beethoven symphony cycle played on Original Accordions.

Bill H. (who nonetheless finds the Liszt transcriptions fascinating).