The Best Otto Klemperer Recordings

[@antonioantonio-no2uc]

Fantastic. Thanks, Gil

[@MG-fh4ed]

My fave conductor

[@Tysknaden]

Klemperer and Brahms were born for each other! Especially Sinfonie 1 and the Requiem. 👂👂👂

[@leestamm3187]

Good choices. His Brahms and Bruckner symphony recordings also are splendid.

[@twwc960]

Yep. I'm surprised Bruckner 6 didn't make the list. Brahms 1 is another standard choice, but honestly, I like his recordings of all 4 of the Brahms symphonies, right up there with Walter's.

[@erickent4248]

Otto's style is tough but fair, deliberate but stately, ordered and detailed. He brings out the best in voices and in woodwinds. His Das Lied von der Erde, Missa Solemnis and The Flying Dutchman are essentials! His Beethoven's ninth and Mahler's 2nd have so much clarity and drive.

[@c05.63]

His Brahms was so special too, and even his for example Mahler 9th, austere but trutful, the Mahler 7th, so weird, slow, but detailed and authentic still, such a singular recording.

[@benjamingreenfield9569]

The other thing worth mentioning about the B minor recording is that even with the slower tempi, there isn’t much vibrato so there’s still the transparency that you find on the HIP performances AND because of the slower tempi, you hear the fugues develop more and get a better sense of the writing. Same with the St Matthew. Surprised that the Das lied von der Erde and Mahler 9 weren’t mentioned, but to each their own.

[@denisafanasev5260]

It’s a pity his “Wagner’s Preludes and Overtures” on EMI wasn’t mentioned. Most of the overtures were never played better than on this disc

[@petervanleeuwen8227]

And the Brahms violinconcerto with Oistrakh, isn't that famous too?

[@GilZilkha]

See my video on the Brahms violin concerto

[@dvforever]

Klemperer got a great sound out of an orchestra. He can often be very dull and against the propulsive drive of the piece. The strange part is when he played adagios at a quick pace. Still, he made so many classics, he'll never be overlooked.