I have a CD of Bernstein conducting Beethoven's Ninth after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The chorus sings, not, "Freude, schöner Götterfunken," but "Freiheit...", as I understand was Schiller's original intention, which he could not carry out because of the censors.
Best recording I know of the Ninth, though, especially of the final movement, is Furtwängler's Wartime Ninth, done in '44 or so. The tempos are frenetic. Perhaps it went with the Götterdämmerung atmosphere in Germany at the time.
Never heard that recording of the Ninth. Have a Karl Bohm and an Academy of Ancient Music, plus some oldy moldies on 33. (Plus the soundtrack from "Clockwork Orange" ;-0 )
Beethoven is a little late for me, I'm edging into the Romantics from the Baroque end.