What's a really good dynamic version of the 1812 Overture? Preferably the choral version. I'm in the mood to listen to that later tonight, when I can give the towers a workout.
There are two recordings that contain real canon firings, one is on the Telarc label with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra under the direction of Erich Kunzel. The other one is available on the Decca label, an old recording made in 1959 originally by Mercury featuring the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the University of Minnesota Brass Band under Antal Dorati.
The Telarc disc has the choral version featuring the Kiev Symphony Chorus and the Children's Choir of Greater Cincinnati.
However, don't doubt about the quality of the 1959 recording. You would be amazed by the quality of the sound, the best recording engineers of the time made sure that the recording was a faithful reproduction of the music and the impact of the canons. Personally, I prefer this older recording which used a bronze canon fron Douay France (1775) and bells of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon at the Riverside Church.
One final note: Be easy on your system because of the wild dynamics on either disc. Depending on your equipment, you could damage your speakers if you play at high SPLs.
