Post by darkehmen on Jan 26, 2008 5:12:16 GMT 1
I've seen numerous critics list their 10 favourite Karajan recordings, so I'd love to hear what the forum members' favourites might be. I'm listing 25, because I just couldn't whittle it down to 10. There are many ways of selecting such a list, and my own criterion is "25 discs I'd choose if I could only have 25 on a desert island," rather than, say, "25 recordings that constitute Karajan's greatest recording achievements" (because how could one compare, say, a disc of Rossini overtures to a Mahler symphony?).
I'd like to suggest confining this to a top 10 (or top 25) orchestral list, rather than opera (again, how to compare a Parsifal box to an waltz collection?). Perhaps we can have a Top 10 opera list separately. Also, I'd recommend listing audio recordings rather than films (another separate list that I'd be interested in exploring).
Here are my selections, in no particular order:
I wouldn't want to be without this marvellous Baroque compilation, featuring the Adagio and the Canon -- orchestral mainstays to be sure, but essential.
Karajan was never one to speak at length about his own recordings, but he repeatedly maintained that he considered this recording of the Barcarole from The Tales of Hoffmann one of the finest things he'd ever done. I would agree -- and I wouldn't want to be without the Orpheus in the Underworld overture.
Best William Tell overture ever recorded, and dramatically superior to Karajan's earlier Tell recordings.
Absolutely thrilling Romeo and Juliet, and a scintillating Nutcracker suite.
It's tough to choose between Karajan's many Zarathustra recordings, but I would opt for this one (and would put it ahead of the 1987 film, even for audio alone).
I would definitely want a Strauss disc, and although I imagine most listeners going for the 1987 New Year's recording, I actually prefer the digital 3-album set from 1981. This CD features an especially fine selection from that set. I've never heard a Blue Danube before or since that I admire as much as I do this one. In particular (and this is difficult for me as a non-musician to explain), if you think of the famous Blue Danube theme (roughly illustrated here):
every other recording has a certain deliberate "hesitation" or lingering on notes 6 and 8 (here shown as E-G and C-E), every time this famous phrase is played...except this recording, which plays "through" it. That lingering may be considered part of the traditional manner of performing this waltz, but I much prefer the approach in this recording.
Far preferable to Karajan's Berlin recordings (earlier and later), in my opinion, and not just because of Mutter's performance (although that definitely helps).
Speaking of Mutter, this is actually my favourite of the many concerto recordings that she created with Karajan. The Bruch is an under-appreciated concerto that deserves greater recognition.
As a Byron aficionado, I'm fascinated by the influence of Manfred on this great work. I think Karajan came to see the Alpensinfonie as Strauss's orchestral masterpiece (rivalled only by Ein Heldenleben). The video recording may constitute an even superior performance, but sticking to CDs alone, this one is a must.
My own choice among the many powerful Heldenleben performances that Karajan recorded, although I've not heard the EMI disc from the 1970s.
Given the option, I might still choose this Pines of Rome over the recent film release, if only because I find audience coughs quite distracting. It's a powerful reading of an epic tone poem.
Karajan's Liszt recordings are available in various couplings, and I would choose this one. Above all, I would not want to be without his unique and atypical take on the Hungarian Rhapsody Nr. 4. One critic enthused that for this recording, Karajan "turns the Berlin Philharmonic into the largest gypsy band in the world," and that's as fine a way of putting it as any.
The recording that initially made me a Karajan "convert," this Nachtmusik is a shimmering example of precision playing, of sparkling clarity and perfect articulation. Previous Karajan Nachtmusik recordings don't even come close.
originally released as -> 
The Fourth rivals the Eighth as my favourite Bruckner symphony, and I wish Karajan had filmed it instead of the Ninth. I much prefer this 1975 recording to Karajan's earlier interpretations. Note in particular how steadily the famous opening builds from quiet to full volume in this recording. In the earlier EMI version, Karajan keeps the orchestra somewhat hushed right until the colossal chords erupt, but the crescendo in this recording, which builds more evenly and steadily, makes a more dramatic impact.
No surprises here. I readily agree with the critics who hail this as a career masterpiece for the conductor. The slow movement is an achievement of the most transcendent beauty.
I would not want to be without the great Mozart symphonies, and the urgency of the opening of the G-minor symphony in this set is thrilling.
Perhaps it's a cheat to list a massive boxed set such as this. If I had to single out a lone album from the set, it would be the 94/101 coupling that was released in the Gold edition. But I think both this, and the contemporary edition of the Paris symphonies, constitute some of the purest, cleanest recordings Karajan ever made. No thick string sounds here -- crystalline clarity and, at times, the almost ethereal violin playing that I find in many of the early digital recordings.
Another "cheat" in including a whole box, but who could live without a Beethoven set? My preference for this edition is based on the ferocity of the finale in the 7th, the lyricism of the 6th (a tad slower in the first movement than previous Karajan recordings -- and better for that reason), the longer-held fermatae (sp?) in the 1st movement of the 5th, the quasi-hushed rather than strident entry of the choir at "Deine zauber binden wieder" in the 9th...I could go on. Oh, and the overtures included are grander than recordings from the earlier DG complete overtures set -- all but the Fidelio, in which case I favour the 1962 recording, with the splendid work of the clarinetist.
It's very close for me in this case between the digital Vienna recordings and the final Berlin issues from the '70s for the two essential Tschaikowsky symphonies. The Berlin readings are more powerful in the climaxes, but the Vienna recordings have more diverse colours. E.g., my favourite movement in the 6th is the third, and I find a far more interesting variety of sound in the opening of that movement in this recording.
Although in some cases Karajan's interpretations changed little over the years, I find this recording substantially different -- and infinitely superior -- to the earlier DG issue, altogether more grandiose and majestic. The quality of the recording helps too, and one can definitely perceive two decades' worth of improvements in recording technology.
A spectacular set, and Karajan's finest take on each of these works, except for the Hollaender overture, in which case I prefer the recording that accompanies the complete opera set.
Karajan never recorded En Saga or the Karelia Suite for DG, and their inclusion makes this, for me, a finer Sibelius disc than any other. Also, this Finlandia is markedly superior to the DG digital version -- one of the rare instances of this, because I almost always find Karajan's digital recordings superior to his earlier readings, both in terms of performance and sound.
Thrilling symphony, brilliantly performed -- although in this case, I haven't heard the earlier versions to compare.
originally released as -> 
The "morning" theme in this Peer Gynt suite is very sweetly played, and the frenzy of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" is incredibly exciting; you cannot help but feel the tension coil up inside you as the double basses build up to the inexorable climax.
Well, those are my preferences for a must-have Karajan list. I imagine that other visitors will have very different selections. I'd love to know your choices.
I'd like to suggest confining this to a top 10 (or top 25) orchestral list, rather than opera (again, how to compare a Parsifal box to an waltz collection?). Perhaps we can have a Top 10 opera list separately. Also, I'd recommend listing audio recordings rather than films (another separate list that I'd be interested in exploring).
Here are my selections, in no particular order:
I wouldn't want to be without this marvellous Baroque compilation, featuring the Adagio and the Canon -- orchestral mainstays to be sure, but essential.
Karajan was never one to speak at length about his own recordings, but he repeatedly maintained that he considered this recording of the Barcarole from The Tales of Hoffmann one of the finest things he'd ever done. I would agree -- and I wouldn't want to be without the Orpheus in the Underworld overture.
Best William Tell overture ever recorded, and dramatically superior to Karajan's earlier Tell recordings.
Absolutely thrilling Romeo and Juliet, and a scintillating Nutcracker suite.
It's tough to choose between Karajan's many Zarathustra recordings, but I would opt for this one (and would put it ahead of the 1987 film, even for audio alone).
I would definitely want a Strauss disc, and although I imagine most listeners going for the 1987 New Year's recording, I actually prefer the digital 3-album set from 1981. This CD features an especially fine selection from that set. I've never heard a Blue Danube before or since that I admire as much as I do this one. In particular (and this is difficult for me as a non-musician to explain), if you think of the famous Blue Danube theme (roughly illustrated here):
every other recording has a certain deliberate "hesitation" or lingering on notes 6 and 8 (here shown as E-G and C-E), every time this famous phrase is played...except this recording, which plays "through" it. That lingering may be considered part of the traditional manner of performing this waltz, but I much prefer the approach in this recording.
Far preferable to Karajan's Berlin recordings (earlier and later), in my opinion, and not just because of Mutter's performance (although that definitely helps).
Speaking of Mutter, this is actually my favourite of the many concerto recordings that she created with Karajan. The Bruch is an under-appreciated concerto that deserves greater recognition.
As a Byron aficionado, I'm fascinated by the influence of Manfred on this great work. I think Karajan came to see the Alpensinfonie as Strauss's orchestral masterpiece (rivalled only by Ein Heldenleben). The video recording may constitute an even superior performance, but sticking to CDs alone, this one is a must.
My own choice among the many powerful Heldenleben performances that Karajan recorded, although I've not heard the EMI disc from the 1970s.
Given the option, I might still choose this Pines of Rome over the recent film release, if only because I find audience coughs quite distracting. It's a powerful reading of an epic tone poem.
Karajan's Liszt recordings are available in various couplings, and I would choose this one. Above all, I would not want to be without his unique and atypical take on the Hungarian Rhapsody Nr. 4. One critic enthused that for this recording, Karajan "turns the Berlin Philharmonic into the largest gypsy band in the world," and that's as fine a way of putting it as any.
The recording that initially made me a Karajan "convert," this Nachtmusik is a shimmering example of precision playing, of sparkling clarity and perfect articulation. Previous Karajan Nachtmusik recordings don't even come close.
originally released as -> The Fourth rivals the Eighth as my favourite Bruckner symphony, and I wish Karajan had filmed it instead of the Ninth. I much prefer this 1975 recording to Karajan's earlier interpretations. Note in particular how steadily the famous opening builds from quiet to full volume in this recording. In the earlier EMI version, Karajan keeps the orchestra somewhat hushed right until the colossal chords erupt, but the crescendo in this recording, which builds more evenly and steadily, makes a more dramatic impact.
No surprises here. I readily agree with the critics who hail this as a career masterpiece for the conductor. The slow movement is an achievement of the most transcendent beauty.
I would not want to be without the great Mozart symphonies, and the urgency of the opening of the G-minor symphony in this set is thrilling.
Perhaps it's a cheat to list a massive boxed set such as this. If I had to single out a lone album from the set, it would be the 94/101 coupling that was released in the Gold edition. But I think both this, and the contemporary edition of the Paris symphonies, constitute some of the purest, cleanest recordings Karajan ever made. No thick string sounds here -- crystalline clarity and, at times, the almost ethereal violin playing that I find in many of the early digital recordings.
Another "cheat" in including a whole box, but who could live without a Beethoven set? My preference for this edition is based on the ferocity of the finale in the 7th, the lyricism of the 6th (a tad slower in the first movement than previous Karajan recordings -- and better for that reason), the longer-held fermatae (sp?) in the 1st movement of the 5th, the quasi-hushed rather than strident entry of the choir at "Deine zauber binden wieder" in the 9th...I could go on. Oh, and the overtures included are grander than recordings from the earlier DG complete overtures set -- all but the Fidelio, in which case I favour the 1962 recording, with the splendid work of the clarinetist.
It's very close for me in this case between the digital Vienna recordings and the final Berlin issues from the '70s for the two essential Tschaikowsky symphonies. The Berlin readings are more powerful in the climaxes, but the Vienna recordings have more diverse colours. E.g., my favourite movement in the 6th is the third, and I find a far more interesting variety of sound in the opening of that movement in this recording.
Although in some cases Karajan's interpretations changed little over the years, I find this recording substantially different -- and infinitely superior -- to the earlier DG issue, altogether more grandiose and majestic. The quality of the recording helps too, and one can definitely perceive two decades' worth of improvements in recording technology.
A spectacular set, and Karajan's finest take on each of these works, except for the Hollaender overture, in which case I prefer the recording that accompanies the complete opera set.
Karajan never recorded En Saga or the Karelia Suite for DG, and their inclusion makes this, for me, a finer Sibelius disc than any other. Also, this Finlandia is markedly superior to the DG digital version -- one of the rare instances of this, because I almost always find Karajan's digital recordings superior to his earlier readings, both in terms of performance and sound.
Thrilling symphony, brilliantly performed -- although in this case, I haven't heard the earlier versions to compare.
originally released as -> The "morning" theme in this Peer Gynt suite is very sweetly played, and the frenzy of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" is incredibly exciting; you cannot help but feel the tension coil up inside you as the double basses build up to the inexorable climax.
Well, those are my preferences for a must-have Karajan list. I imagine that other visitors will have very different selections. I'd love to know your choices.
