Just a quick post to enthusiastically recommend Simon Rattle’s Beethoven symphony cycle with the BPO on their own label.
I have been listening to Beethoven symphonies for over 50 years and in that time have acquired many cycles as well as numerous individual discs but in this BPO collection I am hearing inner voices I have not noticed before which do not jump out as mannerisms but blend seamlessly into the texture.
Part of this may be due to the sound quality which is exemplary but I think a large part is due to the insightful conducting.