The Best Herbert von Karajan Recordings

[@newardthelman6871]

Karajan - Bruckner - 70's DG cycle. The deepest spirituality - greatest intensity. Yes! You've nailed it.

[@leestamm3187]

I'm glad you noted that "Tod und Verklärung." It's one of my favorite recordings of the piece.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

That's the first recording that really got me into the piece.

[@antonioantonio-no2uc]

Fantastic selection. Thanks, Gil

[@MartinSchneider-k3f]

His recording of strauss' Four last songs is a MUST!

[@stephenjcarr1]

I would also add the following Karajan recordings: Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 with the BPO (digital version), and Mahler Symphony No. 6, and in particular Mahler Symphony No. 9 - the live digital one.

[@Mark-jl2qe]

Never listened to the Shostakovich No. 10. Mahler symphonies 6 & 9 are resplendent interpretations.

[@jorgelopez-pr6dr]

Love his cycle of Mozart's great symphonies, "Linz", "Prague" and "Haffner" and his sixties version of the Requiem.

[@navarro7206]

The first German requiem mentioned is a wonderful recording, my favourite. Great video man!

[@johnmarchington3146]

I'm so pleased you mentioned the Honegger "Liturgique". A classic recording if ever there was one! His Prokofiev 5th is in much the same category, while perhaps the finest of all is the live recording of the Mahler 9th. Magnificent. I have a Japanese UHQCD of it and it sounds glorious.

[@kristianbennedbk922]

Karajan did some great Sibelius as well

[@Tortuosit]

Yes, the sixth symphony!

[@omegamale7880]

Other essential Karajan recordings are the mid-60's Sibelius symphonies, especially 4 and 6. Ethereal performances.

[@normanmeharry58]

And his Tapiola.

[@stereo8893]

I will pass along my tip. To read small print on the back of CD cases, keep a bright flashlight on your coffee table. It saves my eyes very often. 🧐

[@petterw5318]

I would add his Sibelius, the Bayreuth 1952 Tristan, and especially his set of Schönberg, Berg and Webern.

[@Richard-b5r9v]

I believe that the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was used in the movie 2001 A Space Oddessy opening sequence?

[@GilZilkha]

That was also Karajan, but his 1959 Vienna Phil version, available on Decca. The Berlin Phil version was made after the movie came out.

[@rolandonavarro3170]

Karajan Tchaikovsky cicle was very well welcome for the critics.

[@Kool-AidAbstainer]

DG put out a useful 8CD box which included the Strauss disc with Also sprach Zarathustra, the Honegger, Mahler 9, and the Sibelius 5 which was one of Glenn Gould's desert island recordings. Stock seems to be in short supply now though.

[@rickmilam413]

Totally with you on Also Sorach. I also like the 50's Reiner on RCA Living Stereo. Both excellent recordings and performances, although different. The one that surprised me, just in the last couple of years, is Solti's. I really like it. Never even gave it a thought and no one seems to talk about it. Ah, the Bruckner 7th. Much of my listening is done on LP and the Karajan, the one you showed, I have. (Notice how much of the Karajan stuff is pre-digital?). However I also love Jochum's. Actually, Jochum's first two movements are just amazing. And Karajan's last tow spectacular. I'm not going to stoop to ripping it as a 2+2 so I just match my mood. Thanks, thus far, for validating my personal choices.

[@francispanny5068]

Jochum's account with the Berlin PO is my favorite (from the 60s)

[@paulybarr]

Thanks for your talks. It's interesting to hear someone else's recommendations- many of which are also my own. If I may offer a tip about German pronunciation. You pronounced 'singverein' as ' singverain". This may just have been a slip, but in case it wasn't: The two letters 'ei' are always pronounced like the english 'eye'- wein, meine, kleine, weiss etc. And when the two letters are switched around to make 'ie', it is always pronounced 'ee'- so: wiener ( schnitzel), diese, ziemlich etc. The 'ay' vowel ( as in ''day') is written as 'eh' in German: 'gehen ( GAYen), Nehmen ( NAYmen) etc. Keep posting your informative videos!

[@leestamm3187]

@@paulybarr There are some regional variations, though they tend to be more in the consonants, rather than vowels, most notably High & Low German. Among the college professors I had many years ago, one was from Munich, the other from Hamburg. The dialectic differences were interesting.

[@morrigambist]

You forgot his stunning Prokofiev Fifth.

[@stevouk]

Just a slight correction to your comment about the Honegger - Symphony No. 2 actually pre-dates WW2, albeit only just. An argument could definitely be made for it reflecting the sense of foreboding around at the time.

[@kaiadomeit]

You forgot the one Karajan Recording: The best Alpine Symphony of all times!

[@GilZilkha]

See my video on the Strauss tone poems

[@kaiadomeit]

@@GilZilkha Just saw it - and I agreewith you

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

It's a thrilling performance but the engineering of the recording is not great.

[@andreaguarino8207]

I agree as concernes Haydn, but I prefer his 1964 recording of the German Requiem

[@eddihaskell]

I like Colonel Von Karajan's recording of Wagner's Parsifal with The Berlin Philharmonic. I also heard he did a knock-up version of the Horst Wessel Liede during the war period -- but sadly, it has not been released for public consumption.

[@charlescoleman5509]

It’s a little bizarre that Von Karajan recorded six operas TWICE! Verdi’s Otello & Falstaff, Puccini’s Tosca and Madama Butterfly, R.Strauss Der Rosenkavalier and Bizet’s Carmen.

[@Tortuosit]

I moved away from most Karajan preferences as there are better alternatives for me. BUT: Sibelius 6 is my pick of that symphony.

[@ShahFareed-y3k]

Karajan's Beethoven was unsurpassed - beautiful and moving. The Berlin Phil was superb as it usually is. How could you not mention it!

[@gmaniaux]

Would you agree that his recordings already sound old and that there are new interpretations by other directors with better sound quality? I only listen screaming and I have found better recordings, like some of Schubert conducted by Herbert Blomstedt, for instance

[@petervanleeuwen8227]

Yes, he made some fine Sibelius discs too. And the four last songs with janowitz are top off the bill, unfortunately het recording of the German requiem with janowitz and Erachter (1964) is really disappointing. Don't buy that!!!!

[@williamdirks5805]

Karajan was sometimes surprising when he moved outside of his usual or expected repertoire -- his Nielsen 4th is outstanding.