Description
Maestro Herbert von Karajan leads the Berlin Philharmonic in a live performance from 1973 of all 4 Brahms Symphonies…. More >>
Description
Maestro Herbert von Karajan leads the Berlin Philharmonic in a live performance from 1973 of all 4 Brahms Symphonies…. More >>
#1 by Ronald L. Bedry on April 23, 2010 - 1:18 am
Brahms’ Symphonies are often stretched out too long. To my ears, the true originality of Brahms is in his rhythmic complexities, and Herbert von Karajan succeeds in lending these the emphasis they might otherwise lack with other interpretations. And this legendary dynamic maestro is fun to watch.
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by J. Alcover on April 23, 2010 - 3:36 am
Very nice to have the pleassure to see again Karajan conducting Brahms, I had in lasserdisc the 1st and 2nd but not 3rd and 4th.
Nice to see him condcting the 3rd which was not to often in his public concerts. Likelly I saw hom once conducting the 1st. Great.
For that I say nice to go back
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Nelson Nisenbaum on April 23, 2010 - 6:32 am
This box contains everything you need to know about BRAHMS’S Symphonies and about excellence on interpretation. Besides the fact that Karajan’s conducting technique is not a full example of ellegance on this matter, the result is astonishing, at least, and give us clearly the idea of the “german” way to play Brahms. Berlin Phil. does the rest, giving us a full experience of a perfect orchestra.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Joe on April 23, 2010 - 8:23 am
What can one say? Von Karjan was one of the two or three greatest conductors of the twentieth century – only Toscanini and Bernstein come to mind as one who could challenge him. Like every other von Karajan recording (and I have most of them), he shows control and mastery of the music. I enjoyed the Brahms as I have enjoyed every other von Karajan recording – which is immensly. You may disagree with some nuance in his performance, but he cannot be ignored. You don’t have to watch him to enjoy his performances, but the DVD brings you into the hall with him.
I can recall in 1959 or 1960 reading a letter to an editor of a music magazine complaining that von Karajan had run through more fast sports cars, more fast boats, and more (I won’t say fast here) women than all other world-class conductors put together. The writer left out planes – von Karjan owned and piloted his own jet. He had a love of technology – he almost went into engineering. Perhaps all of that aided his mastery of the complications of scores of Bruckner and Brahms (to mention two composers ofter put up against each other by their enthusiasts) to Mozart, Tchaikovsky (I wish he had recorded the First Symphony) to more modern composers.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Mr. Peter M. Donnelly on April 23, 2010 - 10:24 am
Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic in Brahms was always special. Even his final years produced an excellent recording of the Violin Concerto with his protege Ann Sophie Mutter. These performances from the 1970s provide that unique dark and deep Berlin string sound and brilliant golden brass so suited to bringing out the best in this composer’s unique sound world. The performances are classically direct with plenty of passion. Karajan always excelled in Nos 1 and 2. He, like many conductors including Toscanini, had difficulty in getting No 3 just right. This performance is certainly his best attempt. No 4 is also excellent.
Rating: 4 / 5