Karajan vs Bernstein - Poll

[bigshot]

Bernstein has the edge because of his teaching. The Young People's Concert series is sone of the best educational television ever. It doesn't talk down to the kids at all. His Harvard lectures and Odyssey appearances are golden too.

[Mirror Image]

Bernstein has the edge because of his teaching. The Young People's Concert series is sone of the best educational television ever. It doesn't talk down to the kids at all. His Harvard lectures and Odyssey appearances are golden too.

This is another aspect of Bernstein I admire. His knowledge was so immense and you could tell he loved every minute of it.

[madaboutmahler]

Bernstein has the edge because of his teaching. The Young People's Concert series is sone of the best educational television ever. It doesn't talk down to the kids at all. His Harvard lectures and Odyssey appearances are golden too.

This is another aspect of Bernstein I admire. His knowledge was so immense and you could tell he loved every minute of it.

Me too. I find Bernstein to be the far more inspirational musician than Karajan.

[starrynight]

But wasn't Karajan innovative with some things as well, like videos of music or something, and he must have helped popularise classical music too an extent, he was the most famous conductor of his time. 

[trung224]

        Bernstein's teaching ability is great, but I don't think knowledge about music is related to the great of interpretation. I love the lecture "How a Great Symphony was Written", but I feel very disappoineted when I heard his two recordings Beethoven Symphony No.3 "Eroica". The first is youthful, with tempo is close to Toscanini but lack the discipline and spark excitement, the second is ponderous and lagged. In this symphony, Bernstein could not compare with the spark excitement of Toscanini, the control of Szell, the excitement combine with the beauty of Karajan and the incredible depth of feeling in Klemperer or Furtwangler, but his knowledge is good. From this bad experience, I think Bernstein told more than what he can do  .
     

[Sergeant Rock]

The first is youthful, with tempo is close to Toscanini but lack the discipline and spark excitement...

Couldn't disagree more. Bernstein's NY Phil Eroica is stunning. Pure adrenalin rush. Easily my favorite version.

Sarge

[DavidW]

Your avatar looks familiar. Is this David Cronenberg approved?

Good call!   Love that movie.

[Lisztianwagner]

End of this short poll........the winner is Herbert von Karajan!

As much as I love Bernstein, Karajan is my favourite conductor, I'm very pleased he won

The poll is over, but it can continue to exist as a thread dedictated to these two great conductors.

[Mirror Image]

End of this short poll........the winner is Herbert von Karajan!

As much as I love Bernstein, Karajan is my favourite conductor, I'm very pleased he won

The poll is over, but it can continue to exist as a thread dedictated to these two great condutors.

Bernstein only lost by three, which, to me, is pretty darn good. It wasn't a landslide victory that's for sure.

[Lisztianwagner]

Bernstein only lost by three, which, to me, is pretty darn good. It wasn't a landslide victory that's for sure.

You voted for Bernstein John, didn't you?

[eyeresist]

Bernstein only lost by three, which, to me, is pretty darn good. It wasn't a landslide victory that's for sure.

Yes, very evenhanded. Everybody loses!

[Agomongo1235]

Can't compare. It's like comparing Brahms to Tchaikovsky you can't do it.

[DavidA]

It's very difficult to choose between two very very different conductors. The one thing they had in common is that they were show men in their very different ways. That is not a criticism because we need people who will bring classical music to the front in the the way they did. Of course the one area in which Bernstein excelled and HvK didn't was in the realm of composing.

[Mirror Image]

It's very difficult to choose between two very very different conductors. The one thing they had in common is that they were show men in their very different ways. That is not a criticism because we need people who will bring classical music to the front in the the way they did. Of course the one area in which Bernstein excelled and HvK didn't was in the realm of composing.

Also, unlike HvK, Bernstein made it a point to reach out to younger audiences and to give insightful commentary on the music as evident in his many educational videos: Young People's Concerts and The Unanswered Question: Six Talks At Harvard.

[Lisztianwagner]

In the documentary Karajan, or the Beauty As I See It, they make an interesting comparison between Karajan and Bernstein, interviewing several artists who worked with both the two great conductors.

From 5:05:

http://www.youtube.com/v/n7xqDHr9QnY