Whose 5th Is It Anyway?

Beethoven’s 5th is arguably the most well-known work of classical music in the world. But it’s also probably the work most messed with by conductors. “Some prefer the electricity of [John Eliot] Gardiner, some the grandeur of [Fritz] Reiner and some the nobility of George Szell, still others the compelling manipulation of conductors who interpret the score as if they had composed it themselves, such as Carlos Kleiber.”