Top 5 Karajan Recordings

[Iago]

Beethoven Sym #5- BPO.DGG/1963
Beethoven Sym #9- BPO/DGG/1963
Bruckner- Sym #8 - VPO/DGG/1988
Verdi - Requiem - DVD ONLY/DGG/Scala Orch/ Price Cossoto, Pavarotti. Ghiarouv
Sibelius- Sym #2 - EMI/ Philharmonia Orch / Sometime in the 50s

[BorisG]

Symphonies with BPO, except Bruckner 7 with VPO.

Brahms 1 - 4 (1963)
Bruckner 4 (1970)
Bruckner 7 (1989)
Bruckner 9 (1966)
Mahler 9 (1979/80)

[Bonehelm]

BRUCKNER 8 with VPO on DGG
BEETHOVEN 1-9 with BPO on DGG (63, 77, whatever)
MAHLER 9 with BPO on DGG
STRAUSS tone poems (like also sparch, don juan, etc) with BPO on DGG


y'know, basically the KARJAN GOLD stuff.

[val]

Among other favorites, I chose:

Beethoven: 5th Symphony with the BPO (1977)

Sibelius: 4th Symphony (BPO)

Richard Strauss: Don Quixotte, with Rostropovitch and the BPO

Verdi: Falstaff (with Gobbi and Schwarzkopf)

Wagner: Das Rheingold  (with Fischer-Dieskau)

[MISHUGINA]

In no order:

1. Schoenberg/Berg/Webern - Orchestral Works
2. Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (DGG)
3. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no.2 with Alexis Weissenberg (video by Unitel)
4. Grieg: Piano Concerto with Krystian Zimerman
5. Bruckner: Symphony no 4 (EMI)

[Renfield]

Since I'm here for a moment, I think posting here is nigh-mandatory for me.


In no strict order:


Mahler: Symphony No. 9 (Live recording, BPO)

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (Live recording, VPO)

Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem (1947, VPO)

R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie (BPO, Karajan Gold)

Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites, Holberg Suite / Sibelius: Valse Triste, The Swan of Tuonela, Finlandia (BPO, Karajan Gold)


Of course, I didn't count any box sets, or it would be cheating.

[Steve]

Bruckner's 5th, 7th (both on EMI)
Beethoven's 6th, (DG, 1963)
Dvorak's Cello Concerto
Brahms, Ein Deutches Requiem

[M forever]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (Live recording, VPO)

Which recording is that? Where is it available?

R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie (BPO, Karajan Gold)

That is one of the worst Karajan recordings. The way they recorded that does not reflect what it sounded like live with him *at all*, not even remotely, not even as a "miniature". It just sounds completely nasty, at times blary and glary, at times muddy and foggy. A completely failed attempt to make this recording, the very first DG did for release on CD, really "spectacular". With disastrous results. The "Gold" remastering sounds *a little* better, but it is only superficial remastering and sweetening and doesn't address any of the many fundamental problems with this recording. They should have completely remixed that, if that would have saved anything. Fortunately, there is a video of a live performance which is much better and also available on DVD. Forget the DG disc.

[Brian]

That is one of the worst Karajan recordings. The way they recorded that does not reflect what it sounded like live with him *at all*, not even remotely, not even as a "miniature". It just sounds completely nasty, at times blary and glary, at times muddy and foggy. A completely failed attempt to make this recording, the very first DG did for release on CD, really "spectacular". With disastrous results. The "Gold" remastering sounds *a little* better, but it is only superficial remastering and sweetening and doesn't address any of the many fundamental problems with this recording. They should have completely remixed that, if that would have saved anything. Fortunately, there is a video of a live performance which is much better and also available on DVD. Forget the DG disc.

Wasn't that the first music CD ever released?

[Renfield]

Which recording is that? Where is it available?

It's the Karajan Gold I'm sure you know: if I'm not mistaken, it's a live recording of Karajan's last conducting appearance; that, or I am simply mixing up his last live appearance with his last recording, which could also be the case. I'll check.

That is one of the worst Karajan recordings. The way they recorded that does not reflect what it sounded like live with him *at all*, not even remotely, not even as a "miniature". It just sounds completely nasty, at times blary and glary, at times muddy and foggy. A completely failed attempt to make this recording, the very first DG did for release on CD, really "spectacular". With disastrous results. The "Gold" remastering sounds *a little* better, but it is only superficial remastering and sweetening and doesn't address any of the many fundamental problems with this recording. They should have completely remixed that, if that would have saved anything. Fortunately, there is a video of a live performance which is much better and also available on DVD. Forget the DG disc.

I know the recording isn't that good sound-wise, and I have heard (and own both the old and new versions of) the DVD. However, it's still the only Karajan Alpensinfonie on CD, and it is to my ears an awe-inspiring testament nonetheless.

If I was to go for performance and recording, I'd probably switch this with either of the late couple of "Zarathustras", or more likley the Tod und Verklärung / Metamorphosen coupling. Certainly, though, I would have a Strauss recording in the above list.

In fact, if sound is to be considered an issue, suppose the Deutsches Requiem doesn't fit the bill, either; but that's staying, absolutely.


Brian: I think that was a Zauberflöte, but not Karajan's.

[Steve]

It's the Karajan Gold I'm sure you know: if I'm not mistaken, it's a live recording of Karajan's last conducting appearance; that, or I am simply mixing up his last live appearance with his last recording, which could also be the case. I'll check.

I know the recording isn't that good sound-wise, and I have heard (and own both the old and new versions of) the DVD. However, it's still the only Karajan Alpensinfonie on CD, and it is to my ears an awe-inspiring testament nonetheless.

I would second that, Renfield. The quality of the audio reproduction is hardly first-rate, but it remains the only Karajan recording of this piece on disc, and I would hardly want to be without it.

[Brian]

Brian: I think that was a Zauberflöte, but not Karajan's.

A quick Google search indicates mixed signals; some folks say Karajan's Alpine Symphony was the first CD to be produced, but some say it was an ABBA album. 

[Renfield]

A quick Google search indicates mixed signals; some folks say Karajan's Alpine Symphony was the first CD to be produced, but some say it was an ABBA album. 

Oh yes! CD!

My apologies, I was thinking of "digital recording". My bad; and I think that yes, you might be right.

[Sergeant Rock]

Puccini: La Boheme.
This Decca set (I have it on original vinyl) is simply astounding as a performance and a recording. Having a youngish Pavarotti in fine voice doesn't hurt, either. I'm NOT an opera fan at all, but this performance just sucked me in--and I have to give credit to Karajan for a beautifully pointed and powerful presentation.

Agree completely. The only reason Puccini didn't make my list is because I could not decide which to pick: Karajan's Butterfly, Turandot or Bohème (love his Tosca too but Callas/Gobbi/De Sabata rule here).

Sarge

[head-case]

Oh yes! CD!

My apologies, I was thinking of "digital recording". My bad; and I think that yes, you might be right.

Alpine symphony the first digital recording???  The Karajan Alpine was first released on LP record back in the days when record companies about making digital masters for their LPs.  It's catalog number was 2532 015, implying it was the 15th digital recording in the catalog.  (I still remember how the catalog numbers were incremented from 2531 to 2532 when they started producing digital recordings.)  In any case, Decca had been making digital recordings for about two years by then, and Denon had been making commercial digital recordings from the mid 1970's.  I believe the first digital recording project for DGG was Karajan's Zauberflote.

Whether the Alpine was the first release by Polygram classics I do not know.  I still have a copy of the original edition of the Alpine (the one in which the entire thing was one long track).  I'll check to see what the catalog number (the first release would be 400 001).

[Renfield]

Alpine symphony the first digital recording???  The Karajan Alpine was first released on LP record back in the days when record companies about making digital masters for their LPs.  It's catalog number was 2532 015, implying it was the 15th digital recording in the catalog.  (I still remember how the catalog numbers were incremented from 2531 to 2532 when they started producing digital recordings.)  In any case, Decca had been making digital recordings for about two years by then, and Denon had been making commercial digital recordings from the mid 1970's.  I believe the first digital recording project for DGG was Karajan's Zauberflote.

Whether the Alpine was the first release by Polygram classics I do not know.  I still have a copy of the original edition of the Alpine (the one in which the entire thing was one long track).  I'll check to see what the catalog number (the first release would be 400 001).

Re-read my above posts, I was referring to the Zauberflöte; and I'm almost certain it wasn't Karajan's, the first one - although Karajan's own first digital recording was almost certainly a Zauberflöte.

[M forever]

Karajan's Alpensinfonie was not the first digital recording in general. Digital recordings had been made for a number of years (since the early 70s, but I don't recall the details right now about who made the first and when - I think NHK were the first, but I am not sure right now) before the technology got more widely used by bigger labels. It wasn't the first "classical" digital recording either (the first one I can think of was some EMI recording with Previn of French repertoire, Ravel or Debussy). It may not even have been DG's first digital recording. But it was definitely their first CD release. I still remember very well how they plastered the big record stores in Berlin wall-to-wall with those CDs.
Anyway, take it from me as someone who has heard the Alpensinfonie twice live with HvK, this recording is *not* a testament of how good Karajan's Strauss was - unfortunately, but that's the way it is. Very sad actually because the concerts were indescribable experiences - sure, live concerts are always better than listening to a recording even on the best sound system, but they can still reproduce a musical performance reasonably convincingly in miniature. But this one doesn't, not even close. A much better testament of Karajan's late Strauss is the Don Quixote they recorded in 1985 or 86 or so. I also heard those concerts live, and the CD represents what that was like much better than that of the Alpensinfonie.

It's the Karajan Gold I'm sure you know: if I'm not mistaken, it's a live recording of Karajan's last conducting appearance; that, or I am simply mixing up his last live appearance with his last recording, which could also be the case. I'll check.

It was his last recording, but it was not his last appearance in concert nor was it live. It was filmed to make it look like a live concert, but it wasn't. Some of the DVDs with films from the 80s are actual live concerts (e.g. the Alpensinfonie I mentioned, and some others, like Also sprach Zarathustra), but most of them were studio productions with extras as "audience". I was an extra in the filming of the Beethoven 9 which was great because we got paid to sit there and watch them record the music, and we also got to witness the rehearsals for that production which was highly interesting. As a general rule, all of the films which also came out as recordings on DG were actually studio recordings (an exception is the Mahler 9 but that wasn't filmed anyway, unfortunately). You can always tell when it says "Soundtrack for a Telemondial Production" on the back of the CD. Then it was one of those film productions.

[Renfield]

Karajan's Alpensinfonie was not the first digital recording in general. Digital recordings had been made for a number of years (since the early 70s, but I don't recall the details right now about who made the first and when - I think NHK were the first, but I am not sure right now) before the technology got more widely used by bigger labels. It wasn't the first "classical" digital recording either (the first one I can think of was some EMI recording with Previn of French repertoire, Ravel or Debussy). It may not even have been DG's first digital recording. But it was definitely their first CD release. I still remember very well how they plastered the big record stores in Berlin wall-to-wall with those CDs.
Anyway, take it from me as someone who has heard the Alpensinfonie twice live with HvK, this recording is *not* a testament of how good Karajan's Strauss was - unfortunately, but that's the way it is. Very sad actually because the concerts were indescribable experiences - sure, live concerts are always better than listening to a recording even on the best sound system, but they can still reproduce a musical performance reasonably convincingly in miniature. But this one doesn't, not even close. A much better testament of Karajan's late Strauss is the Don Quixote they recorded in 1985 or 86 or so. I also heard those concerts live, and the CD represents what that was like much better than that of the Alpensinfonie.

Fair enough, concerning whether that CD represents Karajan's reading to any satisfactory degree; but I still like it.

As for the first digital recording, or rather DG's first digital recording, now that I think on it, I am still rather certain it was a Mozart Zauberflöte, perhaps by Levine. And Karajan's own first digital recording was also a Zauberflöte if memory serves, as I said above. But the Alpensinfonie was, as you pointed out, the first Karajan CD.

My apologies if I added to the mix-up.

It was his last recording, but it was not his last appearance in concert nor was it live. It was filmed to make it look like a live concert, but it wasn't. Some of the DVDs with films from the 80s are actual live concerts (e.g. the Alpensinfonie I mentioned, and some others, like Also sprach Zarathustra), but most of them were studio productions with extras as "audience". I was an extra in the filming of the Beethoven 9 which was great because we got paid to sit there and watch them record the music, and we also got to witness the rehearsals for that production which was highly interesting. As a general rule, all of the films which also came out as recordings on DG were actually studio recordings (an exception is the Mahler 9 but that wasn't filmed anyway, unfortunately). You can always tell when it says "Soundtrack for a Telemondial Production" on the back of the CD. Then it was one of those film productions.

Thank you for the clarification. The whole notion of "as live", "almost like live", "somewhat like live", etc. (obviously exaggerated for comedic effect) is not one that's easy for me to grasp, not having been much around in the early 80's, when I wasn't born yet.

[Gustav]

speaking of Strauss, how is this one? I am still deciding whether to buy it or not

[knight66]

This is a Karajan thread! Well, anyway; I have those recordings and enjoy them a great deal. The sound is not as open and forward as I like in Strauss; but the conducting is first rate. He combines architecture and thrust and brings out detail without dallying. Buying the box gave me some pieces I would probably never otherwise have got round to buying.

Now....Karajan, top five discs? Too many to narrow it down to that extent. But here are five I would never want to be without, I can supply groups of further choices for some time to come

Haydn Creation, (Studio recording)
Tristan Vickers/Dernsch
Verdi Requiem DVD Pavarotti/Price
Brahms Sym no 1 BPO

Bruckner 5th BPO

Mike