Warning: Herbert von Karajan

[uffeviking]

An avalanche is heading our way!

The Maestro der Millionen, as the German news periodical Der Spiegel calls him, was born in Salzburg on April 5, 1908, and his devoted following is already in full swing reminding the world of the event. Gala concerts, movies, special broadcasts, book fairs and CDs en masse are scheduled to celebrate the one hundredth birthday of the most famous twentieth century conductor.

Already months before the event the publicity machinery is humming. Last week the Berliner Philharmoniker gave a festival concert, featuring his two most successful protegés, the Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa and the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. A few hours prior to the concert, von Karajan's third and last wife, Eliette, presented her memoirs: "Mein Leben an seiner Seite" – "My life by his side" - . The book is the sentimentally worded love story of an eighteen year old former model meeting the prominent man. The author disarmingly called it the story of the prince taking his princess to his castle. – Other biographers referred to her as a 'Stage-Door-Groupie'. –

The music industry is going about it with less sentimentality. They are marketing their Karajan archives in third and fourth editions. Deutsche Grammophon already issued a ten CD box with the most known recordings, Sony BMG follows with CDs and DVDs and Decca follows with a boxed 9 CD set. But most gigantic, in truly old-style Karajan manner, is EMI. Karajan, who recorded with them more than one thousand hours of music between 1946 and 1984, is reissuing every one of those recordings on CDs.

Be prepared for the onslaught, it's already started, especially in Salzburg where the maestro is still celebrated as their most famous son with the enthusiastic support of his widow Eliette. Cash registers in record stores and book stores are ringing.

Who brought up the name of another famous Salzburger: Wolfgang Johannes Chrisostomus Amadeus Theophilus Sigismundus Mozart? Who's he? -

[MN Dave]

Thanks for the warning.

[karlhenning]

Who brought up the name of another famous Salzburger: Wolfgang Johannes Chrisostomus Amadeus Theophilus Sigismundus Mozart? Who's he? -

He wouldn't be anybody if it weren't for HvK 

[Keemun]

I think I'll listen to his recording of Bruckner's 7th with VPO this afternoon.  Thanks for the inspiration. 

[uffeviking]

He wouldn't be anybody if it weren't for HvK 

Ah! Because before his 1929 ascendency to the podium nobody ever heard of Mozart? 

[Harry]

And what pray are we warned for?

[uffeviking]

The avalanche of hype, the increase of selling this great conductor like Kentucky Fried Chicken or Starbuck's Coffee. EMI already has reissued the very same recordings twice. The recording industry is milking him, his art, for all it's worth, thereby belittling this artistic, musical genius's accomplishments.
That's what I am objecting to.

I probably have more LVDs of his performances than many of you - Sergeant Rock I think has more - and I am as great an admirer of his talent as all of you, but I don't like to see him cheapened as merchandise, filling the coffers of the music industry, PR agents and his heirs.

I have lived in Salzburg and gone through the commercialisation of the man, more than that of Mozarkugeln; it's sickening and I fear the circulation of a petition to the Pope to elevate him to sainthood! 

[Gurn Blanston]

....but I don't like to see him cheapened as merchandise, filling the coffers of the music industry, PR agents and his heirs....

But it is inevitable, I'm afraid. As long as opportunities to make money from someone else's name and efforts exist, there will be a great tide of silly bastards with little talent of their own waiting to take advantage.

And you know, Salzburg lives to rape the Mozart name a bit more each year, so why not HvK (even though he was no Mozart  )?



----------------
Now playing:
The Romantic Piano Concerto - Hamburg SO / Beissel  Hans Kann - Kalkbrenner Op 61 Concerto #1 in d for Piano 1st mvmt - Allegro maestoso

[uffeviking]

Good one! Thank you, Gurn, for cooling off my hot tempered outbursts! 

[Operahaven]

In my world there is no such thing as a surfeit of Karajan...

[uffeviking]

No surfeit of Karajan the artist, the musician, yes, but not of the piece of merchandise.

[jjfan]

I think this is a good time for the newbies to get to know Karajan. So far I only have 1 cd of his (Tchaikovsky Ballet Suites - DeccaLegends), and I like it. Now I'm thinking of what to try next. What's his bread and butter?.. Mozart, Beethoven, ...?
   

[paulb]

I've said this over at the Gramophone forum.

Seriously, DG should make a  formal announcement stating that all Karajan cds can be sent via free ship to DG headquarters for a  full $15 per cd refund.
I'm serious. How can DG after all these yrs mass produce,  hype, propagandaize karajan as they have done, and we were all unknowingly sucked into their money making sheme??
Shame on DG.
DG should take all Karajan masters and place them ina  dark dungeon, lock the vault and thwo away the key.
Justice will have been served to those composers who Herbie has mauled and hashed over his lethal legacy of attempting to make music.

[uffeviking]

What's his bread and butter?.. Mozart, Beethoven, ...?
   

Mozart, Richard and Johann Strauß for a starter. 

[Benny]

I've said this over at the Gramophone forum.

Seriously, DG should make a  formal announcement stating that all Karajan cds can be sent via free ship to DG headquarters for a  full $15 per cd refund.
I'm serious. How can DG after all these yrs mass produce,  hype, propagandaize karajan as they have done, and we were all unknowingly sucked into their money making sheme??
Shame on DG.
DG should take all Karajan masters and place them ina  dark dungeon, lock the vault and thwo away the key.
Justice will have been served to those composers who Herbie has mauled and hashed over his lethal legacy of attempting to make music.

I hope you know that you need to use tabasco when you eat crawfish.

[hornteacher]

What's his bread and butter?.. Mozart, Beethoven, ...?   

I've heard Karajan's Mozart described as "a suit of armor, polished but heavy."  Can't remember where the quote came from though.

[paulb]

I hope you know that you need to use tabasco when you eat crawfish.

maybe you'd think i have eaten too many crawdads and the "juice" has gone to my head
I use to eat the small ones,,,whole, head, guts, shell N all. Even cajuns couldn't/wouldn't do that
My crawdad head sucking days are over. I'm on a  better diet.

btw i should have mention as i wrote that diatribe on Karajan, i was listening to the finale of his recording Tristan/1952/Vinay/Modl/Hotter/Bayreuth.. What gorgeous music.
Beginners luck
Saved by the fantastic Bayreuth
Exceptions can be made

[paulb]

I've heard Karajan's Mozart described as "a suit of armor, polished but heavy."  Can't remember where the quote came from though.

I can only just imagine how Karajan takes Mozart, "a la beethoven".

btw i heard beethoven's 8th/part. posteda   comment on listening topic. Not bad, the 8th. But was the Vienna, so that may have something to do with it.

[Bonehelm]

A master of all styles. The true, very best conductor of the 20th century.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

A master of all styles. The true, very best conductor of the 20th century.

I wish I could believe that...