‘This Beethoven Five was a seamlessly integrated interpretation and performance which refreshed the best known of all symphonies. That's why it was special. This performance was suffused with the shock of the new’ (The Herald)

‘Hyperion's set is that early evening Beethoven cycle caught in recordings of remarkable intimacy and focus … it is a set I would happily put into the hands of any aspiring young music lover … Beethoven conducting and playing doesn't come much better than this’ (Gramophone)

‘In Mackerras's experienced hands, the music palpably speaks of the dawn of Romanticism—as much in the flare of brass and grain of strings as in the supple 'spring' and energy he summons from it … the Ninth reveals what a superior musician Mackerras is, as he creates a joyous sense of ferment’ (Financial Times)

‘If there has been a more thrilling and elemental Beethoven cycle than this new Charles Mackerras set made in the last two decades, I certainly haven't heard it. This is a great cycle, and one that leapfrogs straight into the pantheon of indispensable recordings of these works … this is a Beethoven red in tooth and claw, a questing revolutionary who took the symphony by the scruff of its neck and produced a series of nine astonishing masterpieces as a consequence … the revelations of the Hyperion set make it even more desirable … what survives the transfer from concert-hall to disc is the towering authority and searing urgency of these performances … in the first two symphonies, Mackerras catches the urgency and rhythmic life of Beethoven's music with inspiring vigour … the SCO plays with total conviction, and attention to detail means that inner parts do much to energize the music, to light it in from within … an immediacy and sheer musicality that is enthralling … if you already have one Beethoven cycle—or a dozen of them—I would still urge you to investigate the marvellous new set on Hyperion: it is one of the most compelling and imaginative to have appeared for many years, and it is certianly one of the front-runners among those currently available. I can't think of another I'd rather hear … there's not a weak link in the cycle, the playing is both red-hot and immensely stylish, and Mackerras's conducting has a fire, life, expressive intensity and volcanic energy that let us rediscover these great works anew. It's simply magnificent’ (International Record Review)

‘Mackerras's rapport with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra is exceptional, leading not only to stylish performances but also to conveying an infectious sense of enjoyment … a set that takes some beating for all-round satisfaction’ (The Sunday Telegraph)

‘The latest thoughts of this always stimulating and searching Beethovenian are welcome indeed … his tempi are wonderfully fleet, without sounding driven … Mackerras allows the music to unfold so naturally that you are hardly aware of the conductor's presence—although the wealth of details that seems to rise organically out of the perfomances, rather than being artificially highlighted, reveals the wisdom of a master interpreter … this is a Beethoven cycle to live with’ (The Sunday Times)

'An excellent Fifth … such instinctive, unostentatious musicianship is as rare now as it ever was' (Gramophone)

'Haitink's unfailing musicality and sense of proportion make this Beethoven 5 a modern-day reference much like the Klemperer 10in LP fifty years ago' (Hi-Fi News)

'Without being quirky Haitink presents it in a way that feels utterly fresh … the results are exhilarating' (BBC Music Magazine)

‘ 'A fantastic performance—pure music-making by a great conductor and an orchestra that responds magnificently to his every request' (Classic FM)

'The fruitful influence of the historically-minded period instrument movement on mainstream interpretation is vividly exemplified on this spanking disc by the LSO under a rejuvenated Bernard Haitink. The Second Symphony springs out at us with a freshness and intense physicality ... but also with a most sensitive attention to detail ... the Pastoral is a delight, recapturing the composer's excitement as he arrives in his beloved countryside' (The Sunday Times)

'Outstandingly well played … there is a oneness of conception here which is superb—quite remarkable and ultimately wholly convincing. I'll let you into a secret: I have many recordings of the Beethoven symphonies in my collection but if anyone were to ask me which version of the Pastoral I would recommend, I would first of all direct them to this one' (International Record Review)