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Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 27 August 2016 CE
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Fitter Stoke
Fitter Stoke
2611 posts

Edited Aug 29, 2016, 11:12
Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 27 August 2016 CE
Aug 29, 2016, 09:59
That's a 70's reissue of Karajan's first Beethoven cycle with the Philharmonia from 1951-55. Despite being mono (except no.8) it's a fine sounding set with an exceptional Pastoral and thrilling versions of the odd numbered symphonies. The old (and very fussy) Record Guide rated the Eroica, Fifth and Seventh as the best of the time and they were right IMHO.

It's available on CD:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Symphonies-Overtures-1951-1955-Remastered/dp/B00HYFKJKK/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1472460175&sr=1-7&keywords=karajan+beethoven

He did them all again in 1962/63 with the Berlin Phil in stereo. If you can get past the slightly worrying cover pose (!) there are terrific versions of 3, 4, 5, 7 & 9 in here, and this set has the finest overall recorded sound of the four cycles:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-9-Symphonies-DG-Collectors/dp/B000056OBA/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1472460175&sr=1-1&keywords=karajan+beethoven

In 1976/77 he did them for the third time. This time the overdriven Eroica was the only real disappointment. The Ninth this time around was exceptional, and the Pastoral closer to the classic Philharmonia one in character:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Symphonies-Overtures-Berliner-Philharmoniker/dp/B001DCQI82/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1472460175&sr=1-3&keywords=karajan+beethoven

Finally, he felt the urge to lay them all down again digitally in 1982-85. Ironically, this is the least satisfactory set from the perspective of recorded sound, as the early digital recordings are a bit thin and glassy sounding. They were simultaneously recorded for video. Interpretively it was mostly excellent, with my favourite of his recordings of the first two symphonies. Iffy solo singing in No.9 though:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Herbert-von-Karajan/dp/B005IML464/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1472460175&sr=1-2&keywords=karajan+beethoven

There is also an earlier filmed cycle on DVD which falls between the 1962/63 and 1976/77 ones chronologically and interpretively. This is well worth checking out:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Symphonies-Karajan-DVD/dp/B000ANXLB2/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1472465312&sr=1-1&keywords=karajan+beethoven

All of these have been reissued many times with different cover designs: very confusing.
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