Karajan vs Bernstein - Poll

[Lisztianwagner]

It seems that there has been a great explosion of polls about composers during these hours, and it would be quite interesting to have one about conductors as well.

Two of the greatest conductors of 20th century: Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein.

I voted for Karajan.

[Mirror Image]

I chose Bernstein for his versatility and just the raw power he brings to the orchestra.

[DavidW]

I chose Bernstein for his versatility and just the raw power he brings to the orchestra.

Yup!  

[eyeresist]

Easily Karajan, because he shows respect for the music. Bernstein OTOH was the Argerich of the orchestra!

[trung224]

   Karajan, he is more consistent and have the wide-range repertoire than Bernstein. In opera and choral music, Karajan easily surpasses Bernstein, except West Side Story .
    In ochestral work, Karajan is better in Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Richard Strauss, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Ravel, Vienna 2nd and  Johann Strauss.  Bernstein is better in Mahler, Berlioz, Haydn,Stravinsky, Nielsen. Both excel in Sibelius, Schumann,Schubert, Shostakovich.
 

[Marc]

I voted for Bernstein, he's a better communicator.
Which means that, even if I don't even prefer or like his interpretation, he's still able to convince me.

Above that: Karajan's digital period, with a growing interest in 'Wohlklang and nothing but Wohlklang' leaves me cold. In the same period, Bernstein released many interesting live or semi-live recordings.

[marvinbrown]

  Easy choice for me, I voted for Karajan all the way.  Let's see: the Beethoven Symphony Cycle with the BPO 1963, Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, Richard Wagner's Die Meistersingers, Puiccini's Tosca, Richard Wagner's Parsifal, Verdi's Il Trovatore and the list goes on and on and on....

  I have only one Bernstein recording in my collection, Mozart's "big bone" late symphonies with the VPO!

  marvin

[Sergeant Rock]

Once again, the Chiquita option for me. I will not choose between two of my favorite conductors.

Sarge

[Beetzart]

Karl Bohm 

[Bogey]

Once again, the Chiquita option for me. I will not choose between two of my favorite conductors.

Sarge

Luckily, they did not throw Szell at you, Sarge....then things could have gotten real ugly.

[ibanezmonster]

Karajan, though not an easy choice.

[Sergeant Rock]

Luckily, they did not throw Szell at you, Sarge....then things could have gotten real ugly.

There is a current Szell/Ormandy poll. An easy choice for me 

Sarge

[Bogey]

Lenny by a nose.

[Karl Henning]

Lenny. And not only because he's the local boy. . . .

[springrite]

Lenny, not because he is one of my favorite, which he isn't, but because other than some early LIVE recordings, I can't stand Karajan, and we are not even getting into the other non-musical stuff.

[madaboutmahler]

Lenny 

[starrynight]

Lenny, not because he is one of my favorite, which he isn't, but because other than some early LIVE recordings, I can't stand Karajan, and we are not even getting into the other non-musical stuff.

And not getting into non-musical stuff with Bernstein either then?

[Lisztianwagner]

Lenny 

Hope you will change idea after listening to Wagner's Ring Cycle

[madaboutmahler]

Hope you will change idea after listening to Wagner's Ring Cycle

Perhaps... but, it's going to be hard to beat Lenny's Mahler!

[jwinter]

Karl Bohm 

Quoted for truth!

While I've probably got more Karajan on my shelves, my vote goes for Lenny.  Particularly his late recordings for DG -- while they're seldom what you'd want for a reference version, he always has something interesting to say, and in more than a few cases (his late Sibelius or Brahms 3, say), his deeply romantic approach has led me to look at a work in a totally different way, and given insight that pays dividends even when listening to other interpretations.  His earlier 60s NYPO recordings are a mixed bag IMO -- at times excellent, particularly for American composers or Mahler, but nothing special in Beethoven, Schubert, etc...