Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 (Carlos Kleiber, Wiener Philharmoniker)

Carlos Kleiber's legendary 1970s recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic remain the definitive introduction to symphonic power. From the famous four-note opening motif of the Fifth Symphony to the whirling rhythmic momentum of the Seventh, Kleiber drives the orchestra with incandescent urgency and structural precision that feels freshly minted on every listen.