Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2009 8:39:40 GMT 1
(added comments)
"Even the VPO gave bad concerts" (p. 33).
Some may feel the same about the speaker himself, as the book shows occasionally. In fact, some of Karajan's most treasurable recordings (e.g. Mazeppa, Ritterballet, etc.) are never mentioned. Notwithstanding, "A Life in Music" is overall a superb account of Karajan's superlative achievements. The number of chapters equals his final age, roughly 9 pages per year.
There are some curious remarks. For instance, "the only ballet Karajan conducted in Vienna was Holst's Planets" (p. 468) and "No one in the post-Legge era knew Karajan better professionally than Michel Glotz" p. 753 (Not the orchestra players?). Perhaps the most curious is the statement regarding the year of death of the author's friend, Christopher Headington - Mr. Osborne is the only one I can find who claims the year was 1997.
The appendix of Karajan's essay on rehearsal is interesting, too, not the least since he said to Placido Domingo: "Among musicians, rehearsal is not necessary" (p. 99). A highlight in the essay is his remark regarding the transition in Sibelius 5, a passage so natural under HvK's direction, but somehow almost never achieved by others. (Schubert 9 is another piece which Karajan's feeling of challenge is apt (p. 218) - it is indeed an ambiguous work).
Why Stockhausen is mentioned on p. 337 is perplexing (never conducted but amusing - "...could command a full house whether he was down to conduct Punkte or Pop goes the Weasel." This was 1952. A similar comment appears on p. 553, though 15 years later: "By 1967 he and the BPO could have played more or less anything and still sold out the hall at 3 guineas a seat." The K467 concerto is a work that Karajan did conduct (and played - video is available), but unfortunately, not discussed. Here the maestro is in an ironically tense mood, much like described in the "Hypnotist" chapter.
For Appendix B, on the political issue, the objectivity is notable as the author does not expound on the typical visi d'arte alibi, but rather basically provides a fine reportage of facts.
Further clarity can be welcomed in certain places: e.g. the irony of existing criticisms on the sound being "too perfect", the stagione system, and the reconciliation of Karajan's shyness and egocentricity. The maestro's strive for perfection involves other contradictions - if sloppiness was an anathema to him (p. 758), how then "The noise of audience chatter will disguise a bad note" (p. 391), or, "Since it is only a change of a [Koechel] number in the programme (which could always be said to be a printing error) I suggest we alter both the performance and the recording" (p. 321)? The author several times uses the phrase to the effect of "as we will see later," but it's difficult to pinpoint where the "laters" are. On the other hand, we do indeed see later as far as the superscripts are concerned. In fact, this is probably the biggest flaw of the book - the reader must flip to the back (sometimes almost after every other sentence) to keep up with the footnotes (Do we really need a footnote "a [nameless] conductor told me about power and money" ?)
Other wishful items not in the book include a list of BPO players, analyses on Karajan's da capo philosophy, and more information on the concerts listed in Tables A and B (Along the same line, more information on other singular composer/compositions and musicians on HvK's concerts - Delius, Dittersdorf, Lupu, Starker, Tortelier, etc.) However, interesting facts already abound; I learned that one of my college alumni was a witness to the maestro's death. Thus a few proofreading errors - e.g. "pp. 567-511" (p. 798) - cause no harm to the enjoyment.
If even the VPO gave bad concerts, it's difficult to agree with Karajan, especially after reading "A Life," when he said to them: "listen for a moment, and then you don't need me at all." (p. 417)
"Even the VPO gave bad concerts" (p. 33).
Some may feel the same about the speaker himself, as the book shows occasionally. In fact, some of Karajan's most treasurable recordings (e.g. Mazeppa, Ritterballet, etc.) are never mentioned. Notwithstanding, "A Life in Music" is overall a superb account of Karajan's superlative achievements. The number of chapters equals his final age, roughly 9 pages per year.
There are some curious remarks. For instance, "the only ballet Karajan conducted in Vienna was Holst's Planets" (p. 468) and "No one in the post-Legge era knew Karajan better professionally than Michel Glotz" p. 753 (Not the orchestra players?). Perhaps the most curious is the statement regarding the year of death of the author's friend, Christopher Headington - Mr. Osborne is the only one I can find who claims the year was 1997.
The appendix of Karajan's essay on rehearsal is interesting, too, not the least since he said to Placido Domingo: "Among musicians, rehearsal is not necessary" (p. 99). A highlight in the essay is his remark regarding the transition in Sibelius 5, a passage so natural under HvK's direction, but somehow almost never achieved by others. (Schubert 9 is another piece which Karajan's feeling of challenge is apt (p. 218) - it is indeed an ambiguous work).
Why Stockhausen is mentioned on p. 337 is perplexing (never conducted but amusing - "...could command a full house whether he was down to conduct Punkte or Pop goes the Weasel." This was 1952. A similar comment appears on p. 553, though 15 years later: "By 1967 he and the BPO could have played more or less anything and still sold out the hall at 3 guineas a seat." The K467 concerto is a work that Karajan did conduct (and played - video is available), but unfortunately, not discussed. Here the maestro is in an ironically tense mood, much like described in the "Hypnotist" chapter.
For Appendix B, on the political issue, the objectivity is notable as the author does not expound on the typical visi d'arte alibi, but rather basically provides a fine reportage of facts.
Further clarity can be welcomed in certain places: e.g. the irony of existing criticisms on the sound being "too perfect", the stagione system, and the reconciliation of Karajan's shyness and egocentricity. The maestro's strive for perfection involves other contradictions - if sloppiness was an anathema to him (p. 758), how then "The noise of audience chatter will disguise a bad note" (p. 391), or, "Since it is only a change of a [Koechel] number in the programme (which could always be said to be a printing error) I suggest we alter both the performance and the recording" (p. 321)? The author several times uses the phrase to the effect of "as we will see later," but it's difficult to pinpoint where the "laters" are. On the other hand, we do indeed see later as far as the superscripts are concerned. In fact, this is probably the biggest flaw of the book - the reader must flip to the back (sometimes almost after every other sentence) to keep up with the footnotes (Do we really need a footnote "a [nameless] conductor told me about power and money" ?)
Other wishful items not in the book include a list of BPO players, analyses on Karajan's da capo philosophy, and more information on the concerts listed in Tables A and B (Along the same line, more information on other singular composer/compositions and musicians on HvK's concerts - Delius, Dittersdorf, Lupu, Starker, Tortelier, etc.) However, interesting facts already abound; I learned that one of my college alumni was a witness to the maestro's death. Thus a few proofreading errors - e.g. "pp. 567-511" (p. 798) - cause no harm to the enjoyment.
If even the VPO gave bad concerts, it's difficult to agree with Karajan, especially after reading "A Life," when he said to them: "listen for a moment, and then you don't need me at all." (p. 417)
