The Karajan Legacy (recordings)

[Harry]

Oke, I admit, I bought this one last year, and I love it, there satisfied!

[uffeviking]

Harry, there also are no pictures of Anita von Karajan, née Gütermann, his second wife. Etienne makes up for the lack of spousal pictures! 

[Harry]

Von Karajan was a master, and I love his various interpretations of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Bruckner, Verdi and Shostakovich (quite a range there!).  Not to say that he is my favorite (that goes to Klemperer) but I usually find Karajan's recordings to be as satisfying and as good as the ones made by the other great conductors.  In the case of Shostakovich's 10th Symphony, I would definitely say that the '82 version is the best one that I've heard of that piece--and for me that is a great achievment because when I think of 20th century Soviet Music, the name of Von Karajan doesn't come to my mind, ususally.  He gives the piece all of the necessary emotion and feeling that is needed (and his brass section raaawks!).  

Thank you Danny!

[Harry]

Harry, there also are no pictures of Anita von Karajan, née Gütermann, his second wife. Etienne makes up for the lack of spousal pictures! 

Yes I was wondering about her too.
But it bugs me so much, that I will ask a friend of mine in Germany, lives in Dortmund, and is a Karajan nut, maybe he can get something out of his sleeve.

[Danny]

Thank you Danny!

My pleasure, my friend!

We give credit where credit is due!  

[uffeviking]

Now my turn to get to music and post my favourite von Karajan composer: Richard Strauss! His conducting of the so called 'Tone Poems' is a special treat. Of course there always has to be an exception and that is Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, which is conducted a mere tad better by Sergiu Celibidache. For some reason Celi catches more of the merriment and 'smirches' than von Karajan does.

I do not have his Symphonia Domestica. Harry, does von Karajan find the kermumpfing of Frau Strauss by Herr Strauss and point it out to us?

Of course in the field of opera there is Carlos Kleiber's Der Rosenkavalier which I prefer, but I assume it is because of the cast. Brigitte Fassbaender's Octavian dominates this opera; yet I think the work offers so many possibilities of interpretation that I can put the Kleiber and van Karajan side by side, not one ahead of the other.

[Harry]

I do not have his Symphonia Domestica. Harry, does von Karajan find the kermumpfing of Frau Strauss by Herr Strauss and point it out to us?

It is a long time since I played this record, so I will report on this question later.

[bhodges]

Now my turn to get to music and post my favourite von Karajan composer: Richard Strauss! His conducting of the so called 'Tone Poems' is a special treat.

Agreed.  Von Karajan's Strauss recordings are among my alltime favorites, especially his Zarathustra and the Four Last Songs with Gundula Janowitz.  The former is a great example of "the power of a huge orchestra unleashed" and the latter perfectly captures Strauss' autumnal glow.

--Bruce

[Harry]

Agreed.  Von Karajan's Strauss recordings are among my alltime favorites, especially his Zarathustra and the Four Last Songs with Gundula Janowitz.  The former is a great example of "the power of a huge orchestra unleashed" and the latter perfectly captures Strauss' autumnal glow.

--Bruce

Absolutely, Gundula Janowitz gives a beautiful interpretation, of the four last songs. Its the only one I have, and there is no need of another.

[uffeviking]

What happiness to see the three of us - so far 3! - in agreement. There is a rapport between the conductor and singer not always achieved, but those two are together, completely.

I shudder at the memory of Solti teaching, or attempting to teach, Kiri Te Kanawa to sing the work and he, the Hungarian, is instructing the New Zealander on how to pronounce Strauss's German words! Disaster! 

[Rabin_Fan]

The only musician to have a pet llama?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Although I respect your explanation, I still do not understand what you are really saying, for in my ears this applies to Bernstein, and not to Karajan. I have lived with his interpretations for such a long time, and still find things never heard before.
He is simply not your kind of conductor, this I understand, but Karajan is not missing in detail or depth.

Well, I hope there are no hard feelings, Harry.

The OP did ask...

[Dancing Divertimentian]

That's exactly my point. I mean exactly. I find his Beethoven symphonies rough, lacking depth as you said, and is just pure speed/power. I prefer Bernstein over him when it comes to Beethoven, at least for now. I need to study more about him. Thanks for your input though.

You're welcome!

So, any other combustible topics you'd like covered by us experts?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

The only musician to have a pet llama?

I think you nailed it, Lee!

[Bonehelm]

You're welcome!

So, any other combustible topics you'd like covered by us experts?

Oh don't worry, I have about 23984293048 other things about classical music that I do not understand. I'll slowly learn from you guys. I'm also taking lessons outside (Piano, Trombone, Theory, Counterpoint, Harmony and History)

[Don]

I don't go out of my way to get Karajan discs, but I do very much enjoy the few of his that I do own.  Just wish he hadn't slept with my mom who isn't even a cutie.

[Bunny]

I don't go out of my way to get Karajan discs, but I do very much enjoy the few of his that I do own.  Just wish he hadn't slept with my mom who isn't even a cutie.

His silvery hair was rumored to be irresistible. 

[Harry]

Well, I hope there are no hard feelings, Harry.

The OP did ask...

Hard feelings....nah, you are such a friendly guy, and with this discussion we mean no harm, its to clarify, well, if we can!

[Harry]

His silvery hair was rumored to be irresistible. 

Well he had a hefty personality!

[Grazioso]

I wonder if ever there was another conductor as controversial as Karajan. It's either people love him or hate him, the latter ones being the most vocal.

Not necessarily. I neither love nor hate him. I think he's average overall: what I've heard from him has never been bad, sometimes quite good, but generally just ok--and therefore certainly not as good as his partisans might have you believe.