Whew! Thanks, Dave, for this heroic effort to say something about HvK's official recorded legacy. From my vantage, this EMI box provides the most interesting glimpse into this controversial conductor's career. For one thing it does show that there was some development, at least with some composers and choice of repertoire. What he chose to re-record for DG, and what he chose not to, just reinforces the fascination of this set, which I'm glad I purchased when it was a genuine "bargain box."

@TheAboriginal1

10 ай бұрын

Is Karajan really "controversial" as you say?

Great stuff Mr.Hurwitz The Karajan boxes are the best ❤

The Andre Trumpet Concertos recording was a hit! Andre said he bought a summer home with the royalties from his recording with "Monsieur Karajan"! Haha

Gosh, I still have some of those on Angel LPs...I may be old...LOL

Thank you for this interesting survey. You make a really important point about the Philharmonia recordings. I listened to the Philharmonia Pines of Rome again today and, as you say, it is a knockout, particularly the pacing of the build up to the brilliant climax in the Via Appia. Funny how it hasn’t received that much attention from reviewers other than yourself in recent times.

Very thoughtful overview. I used to have this box, but in a necessary fit of clearing out a few years ago, I sold it on. I don’t regret doing this, as I already have so much of the DG Karajan I think it’s quite enough of one person, particularly as so so much repertoire duplication went on… Dennis Brain, lovely, but if you want to listen to the Mozart horn concertos, goodness, you can do so much better nowadays. I’m not surprised Warner doesn’t really know what to do with all this now! And, Dave, many happy returns, hope you’ve been having a great day :)

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

I'll wager the original booklet that shipped with the complete EMI set starts falling apart by the end of the video. The glue used to hold the pages together was so, so, low quality. You would think that Karajan's glue would hold up for longer than that....

@bbailey7818

10 ай бұрын

EMI cd booklets were impossible early on. I have the Hoffmann cond. Cambreling, Oeser edition which throws in everything including the kitchen sink and is about as long as Meistersinger. The hugely thick booklet began falling apart almost immediately. EMI never bound them properly.

It's brilliant the way you can give us so much information. I recently bought the 4 disc EMI Classics compilation of Karajan's Schubert symphonies with the BPO from 1975-78 and I was pleasantly surprised how good they sounded. 8 and 9 were particularly satisfying. I've also been impressed by his earlier 'Unfinished' with the Philharmonia from 1957. It's very similar to Cantelli's excellent recording, also EMI with the same orchestra. On the other hand his 9th with the BPO from 1969 on DG is awful, rushed and superficial, as if he couldn't finish it quickly enough. I don't think it helped his reputation as a poor Schuberterian when he said he disliked his music but the performances are not all poor and some for me are very enjoyable.

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

That's very fair. As I said, I also like that EMI 9th, and the rest aren't awful, but it's always a game of comparisons, isn't it? We can do so much better than "pleasantly surprised."

@nattyco

10 ай бұрын

@@DavesClassicalGuide Indeed, they do sound very good. The playing of the BPO is a delight in itself and rewards repeated listening. For instance, I listened again to 5 after you pointed out its length. It is certainly expansive, but when I listened a third time it sounded very natural and engaging. I guess the ear/brain adapts! I still prefer Beecham, which is the recording of 5 I grew up with though. He gives more spring and bounce, more levity and Viennese charm.

As I admire your knowledge and criticism Mr. Hurwitz I don't understand your opinion on his Rachmaninoff 2. Weissenberg did extremely big and powerful culmination at the beginning, also nobody did such bombastic climax in the middle of first mvm. Of course it is slow, especially second mvm but it is beautifully played.

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

Fair enough. I'm glad you enjoy it more than I do.

@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist

10 ай бұрын

for what it's worth, Glenn Gould also admired this recording as well!

Great review. I agree with you that his Philharmonia days were probably his best.

Is 'the room' EMI studio 1? If so it's next door to where The Beatles recorded (I am wearing a tie as I type!)

Karajan's EMI Sibelius is really good, very hot as you say, throbbing and emotional. 1 and 2 are big fun, and I wish he had completed the cycle with 3! Oh well. The Schubert cycle is very average, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Compared to Blomstedt/Dresden, it's almost note for note, tempo for tempo identical. I love that Four Seasons with Mutter. It absolutely blows away the awful 70s DG version with Schwalbe on violin, which sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom. The EMI is brisk and surprisingly clear, with a forward harpsichord. Probably his best Baroque recording (something that was never his specialty).

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

There's more to the music than tempo (re: the Schubert cycles). Much more.

Dave, have you heard the opera Shintokumaru by japanese composer J.A.CAESAR? It's my favorite opera of all time!!! Turandot by Puccini is my second favorite!!

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

Haven't heard it.

@petercable7768

10 ай бұрын

What is the relevance of this in respect of Dave's review of the Karajan EMI box?

@bertkarlsson1421

10 ай бұрын

​@@petercable7768 Have you heard Shintokumaru by J.A.Caesar?

and Tapiola 4 times!

Now. When do we get the DG Fricsay box? Waiting for Ferenc...

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

In progress...

3:50 which Beethoven work are people expected to 'wear a tie for'? I'm not aware of this...

@mr-wx3lv

10 ай бұрын

Symphony 9

There were 101 cd's in the original megabox. Did they throw some stuff out?

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

I don't know what you mean by "original megabox."

@wouterdemuyt1013

10 ай бұрын

I got a big box with all the small EMI boxes you mentioned in them.

@wouterdemuyt1013

10 ай бұрын

Or was that released after this one?

@ftumschk

10 ай бұрын

The EMI megabox had opera and vocal recordings in it as well. This "Orchestral" box has none (unless we count THE NINTH), and was volume one of two. The second volume repackaged the opera and vocal recordings separately.

@DavesClassicalGuide

10 ай бұрын

That came later, and it decoupled some of the earlier discs to fit the "theme" of the boxes.

Odd, I recall Karajan's EMI Bruckner 4 as being good, apart from that weird thing with strings in the first movement. I didn't notice any problems with the sound. I love Karajan's EMI Sibelius. Great thick sound, thrilling sense of power that you don't get in the DG recordings. The only problem was he didn't understand symphony 2, and to be honest I don't think much of his symphony 5 either. Dull stuff compared to the other symphonies and the tone poems. (As many have lamented, Karajan should have recorded Sibelius 3, because it's potentially much more up his street than 2.)

@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist

10 ай бұрын

' that weird thing with strings in the first movement.' do you mean the way the 2nd subject is phrased where he ignores the staccato articulation? it seems completely the wrong character ( needs some lilt)