Top 5 Karajan Recordings

[Mirror Image]

This is an easy choice for me:

Wagner: Ring cycle (if we can count this as one ), Berliners
Strauss: Alpine Symphony, Berliners
Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht, Pelleas und Melisande, Berliners
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10, Berliners
Honegger: Symphonies 2 & 3

[Robert]

There is a vitriolic article about von Karajan  by Ivan Hewett in today's 'Daily Telegraph'(UK)-


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/03/13/bmivan113.xml

In the article Hewett states that "no one ever nominates Karajan's recording of a work as their favourite...".

Surely this is arrant nonsense and appallingly presumptuous arrogance?

Can I suggest the Karajan versions of Bruckner's 8th with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sibelius's 4th and any of his interpretations of the Strauss tone poems?

My particular guide to recorded music-"The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music"-certainly gives a number of Karajan performances as favourites. The editors of the Penguin Guide include Edward Greenfield and Robert Layton whose records as music critics over the years are a great deal more impressive than that of Mr. Hewett.

I agree with those recordings but I also like the Sibelius 6 b/w 4

[Robert]

The guy whom wrote that was an obvious idiot. I'd throw in the Mahler 6th and 9th, as well as 1962 Beethoven Symphonies 1-5 and 7-9 as well.

great call.....I like his ninth more than his sixth.  Both are great.... That Beethoven set is my favorite Beethoven set.....

[Renfield]

For reference, the chimeric 'Karajan Legacy' thread, actually 2 or 3 threads of different names compiled into one, is here.

[zamyrabyrd]

The high polish and streamlined performances of Karajan had much to do with his keen listening and attention to detail. I found this series of rehearsals in 1965 of the Schumann 4th Symphony not only to be a revelation in terms of how he himself worked, but understanding better the composition itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shc-4AZVaNk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/user/z0tx#p/u/5/gahF3FEWjM0

ZB

[The new erato]

This is an easy choice for me:

Wagner: Ring cycle (if we can count this as one ), Berliners
Strauss: Alpine Symphony, Berliners
Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht, Pelleas und Melisande, Berliners
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10, Berliners
Honegger: Symphonies 2 & 3

I have your odd numbered choices and regard them highly, but I've always heard that his Shostakovich was highly unidiomatic?

[Daverz]

Somebody has been doing some thread spelunking.

Bruckner 5
Bruckner 7 (EMI)
Sibelius 5 (EMI, either stereo recording with Berlin or the earlier Philharmonia)
Sibelius 6 & 7 (EMI mono)
Wagner chunks on EMI

[akiralx]

I have your odd numbered choices and regard them highly, but I've always heard that his Shostakovich was highly unidiomatic?

Well, he only performed the 10th and recorded it twice - I suspect the recommendation is for the mid-1960s (earlier) one, which I agree is excellent.  I can't recall hearing the work done better, by Mravinsky, Ancerl, Jansons or others.  He performed it in Moscow with the composer present, who was thrilled with his reading.

Other top HvK choices for me:

Sibelius 5 (DG)
Also Sprach Zarathustra (DG, 1960s)
Bruckner Sym 7 (VPO DG, 1987)
La Boheme (Decca)
Beethoven Sym 3 (DG, 1977)

[Mirror Image]

I have your odd numbered choices and regard them highly, but I've always heard that his Shostakovich was highly unidiomatic?

It was unusual for Karajan to conduct Shostakovich or Stravinsky or even Bartok for that matter, but, I think his early reading of Shostakovich's 10th is excellent. Like I said, it's not the usual repertoire for him, but he surprised me with how well he understood the music.

I should have also mentioned that I like Karajan's Sibelius recordings a lot as well.

[Renfield]

Well, he only performed the 10th and recorded it twice - I suspect the recommendation is for the mid-1960s (earlier) one, which I agree is excellent.  I can't recall hearing the work done better, by Mravinsky, Ancerl, Jansons or others.  He performed it in Moscow with the composer present, who was thrilled with his reading.

It was unusual for Karajan to conduct Shostakovich or Stravinsky or even Bartok for that matter, but, I think his early reading of Shostakovich's 10th is excellent. Like I said, it's not the usual repertoire for him, but he surprised me with how well he understood the music.

I should have also mentioned that I like Karajan's Sibelius recordings a lot as well.

With regard to Karajan's Shostakovich credentials, it is actually recorded (my source being, as often, the Osborne biography) that Shostakovich was Karajan's favourite composer. In fact, Karajan had asked EMI if he could record the 8th, after he did the 10th with DG, only to have his request vettoed on account of the Previn version already being in their catalogue. I've no idea why he didn't do it with DG rather than (or in addition to) re-recording the 10th. However, he clearly did adore the 10th symphony.

Speaking of which, the aforementioned singularly intense Moscow performance (which I've advertised before ) is obtainable:

[asin]B001HWW9XG[/asin]

[Renfield]

Double posting as a reminder that we do have a Karajan Legacy frankenthread, pieced together from various other threads, here:

The Karajan Legacy


(And I'm not just saying that because I started one of them. It's useful to keep all discussion of a given conductor in one place!)

Edit: We also have, per my arrangement with Que, a separate thread for your personal issues with Karajan.