Karajan recorded the Complete Symphonies of Beethoven no fewer than four times for Deutsche Grammophon, but this first 1963 recording was financially the most daring, artistically the most radical, and commercially the most successful. By 1973 nearly one million sets had been sold. 50 years on from its original launch, the set remains the best-selling Beethoven cycle of all time. The 1963 Berlin set dazzled like no other, aided in no small measure by the clean, clear, daringly 'lit' recordings made in Berlin's Jesus-Christus-Kirche by the young Günter Hermanns whose debuted on these recordings as Karajan's principal recording engineer. Critics and the record-buying public were enthused above all by the urgency and beauty of the music-making and by the fierce sense of joy which reached its apogee in a thrillingly played and eloquently sung account of the finale of the epic 'Ninth Symphony'.

CD 1:

Symphony No. 1 In C Major, Op. 21 - (25:06)

1. Adagio Molto – Allegro Con Brio - 9:34

2. Andante Cantabile Con Moto - 5:53

3. Menuetto: Allegro Molto E Vivace - 3:58

4. Finale: Adagio – Allegro Molto E Vivace - 5:41

Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 36 - (31:40)

5. Adagio Molto – Allegro Con Brio - 10:19

6. Larghetto - 10:35

7. Scherzo: Allegro - 3:54

8. Allegro Molto - 6:26

CD 2:

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55, "Eroica" - (50:00)

1. Allegro Con Brio - 14:50

2. Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai - 17:06

3. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - 5:46

4. Finale: Allegro Molto - 12:18

Symphony No. 4 In B-flat Major, Op. 60 - (31:09)

5. Adagio – Allegro Vivace - 9:55

6. Adagio - 9:58

7. Allegro Vivace - 5:45

8. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - 5:31

CD 3:

Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67 - (31:09)

1. Allegro Con Brio - 7:18

2. Andante Con Moto - 10:04

3. Scherzo: Allegro - 4:54

4. Allegro - 8:53

Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral" - (35:53)

5. Erwachen Heiterer Empfindungen Bei Der Ankunft Auf Dem Lande (Allegro Ma Non Troppo) - 9:01

6. Szene Am Bach (Andante Molto Mosso) - 11:34

7. Lustiges Zusamensein Der Landleute (Allegro - Attaca) - 3:01

8. Gewitter - Sturm (Allegro - Attaca) - 3:25

9. Hirtengesang. Frohe Und Dankbare Gefühle Nach Dem Sturm (Allegretto) - 8:52

CD 4:

Symphony No. 7 In A Major, Op. 92 - (33:52)

1. Poco Sostenuto – Vivace - 11:27

2. Allegretto - 8:02

3. Presto – Assai Meno Presto - 7:48

4. Allegro Con Brio - 6:35

Symphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93 - (26:37)

5. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio - 9:22

6. Allegretto Scherzando - 3:54

7. Tempo Di Menuetto - 5:59

8. Allegro Vivace - 7:18

Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125, "Choral" - (1:07:03)

1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - 15:30

2. Molto Vivace - 11:01

3. Adagio Molto E Cantabile - 16:26

4. Presto - 6:24

5. Presto – "O Freunde, Nicht Diese Töne!" – Allegro Assai - 17:43

Blu-ray Disk:

No. 1 In C Major Op. 21 - (25:06)

1. Adagio Molto – Allegro Con Brio - 9:34

2. Andante Cantabile Con Moto - 5:53

3. Menuetto (Allegro Molto E Vivace) - 3:58

4. Finale: Adagio (Allegro Molto E Vivace) - 5:41

No. 2 In D Major Op. 36 - (31:14)

5. Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio - 10:19

6. Larghetto - 10:35

7. Scherzo (Allegro) - 3:54

8. Allegro Molto - 6:26

No. 3 In E Flat Major Op. 55 "Eroica" - (50:00)

9. Allegro Con Brio - 14:50

10. Marcia Funebre (Adagio Assai) - 17:06

11. Scherzo (Allegro Vivace) - 5:46

12. Finale (Allegro Molto) - 12:18

No. 4 In B Flat Major Op. 60 - (31:09)

13. Adagio - Allegro Vivace - 9:55

14. Adagio - 9:58

15. Allegro Vivace - 5:45

16. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - 5:31

No. 5 In C Minor Op .67 - (31:09)

17. Allegro Con Brio - 7:18

18. Andante Con Moto - 10:04

19. Allegro - 4:54

20. Allegro - 8:53

No. 6 In F, Major Op. 68, "Pastoral" - (35:53)

21. Erwachen Heiterer Empfindungen Bei Der Ankunft Auf Dem Lande (Allegro Ma Non Troppo) - 9:01

22. Szene Am Bach (Andante Molto Mosso) - 11:34

23. Lustiges Zusamensein Der Landleute (Allegro - Attaca) - 3:01

24. Gewitter - Sturm (Allegro - Attaca) - 3:25

25. Hirtengesang. Frohe Und Dankbare Gefühle Nach Dem Sturm (Allegretto) - 8:52

No. 7 In A Major Op. 92 - (33:52)

26. Poco Sostenuto - Vivace - 11:27

27. Allegretto - 8:02

28. Presto - Assai Meno Presto - 7:48

29. Allegro Con Brio - 6:35

No. 8 In F Major Op. 93 - (26:37)

30. Allegro Vivace E Con Brio - 9:22

31. Allegretto Scherzando - 3:58

32. Tempo Di Menuetto - 5:59

33. Allegro Vivace - 7:18

No. 9 In D Minor Op. 125 "Choral" - (1:07:03)

34. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - 15:30

35. Molto Vivace - 11:01

36. Adagio Molto E Cantabile - 16:26

37. Presto - 6:24

38. Presto - "O Freunde, Nicht Diese Töne!" - 17:43

Symphony No. 9: Rehearsal - (29:17)

39. 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - 8:23

40. 3. Addagio Molto E Cantabile - 9:29

41. 4. Presto - 11:24