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Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video - Beethoven Symphony No. 9 |
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Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video - Beethoven Symphony No. 9
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by Sony
Sales Rank: 52714
Price: $13.49
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I have heard all of the great recordings of the 9th, and this is the best. The soloists are perfectly controlled, they make other recordings sound bombastic. If you are into camera work, well, who knows, but this is the best musical performance. After hearing this, I don't even like the 1962 recording anymore.
Viewer Reviews
This towering version of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was recorded near the end of Herbert von Karajan's illustrious career, in 1983. Still, he is at the top of his game. I had seen earlier versions of the Ninth under his baton--and this is very typical. His video representations of Beethoven were very stylized. This version may not tell us anything new about Beethoven's Ninth--but is attractively rendered. I enjoy the micro-level viewpoint, as opposed to seeing the whole orchestra t once (although, obviously, others disagree).
The First Movement begins with von Karajan in profile (very typical of his videos). These foreboding, mysterious opening chords. . . . The subsequent crescendo is well and crisply played by the Berlin Philharmonic. There is a good tempo, with nice tension and pace. The camera moves from conductor to orchestra. I find the camera work compelling--including capturing entire rows of players and their instruments, whether strings, horns, wind instruments, or voices. Some reviewers want to see the whole orchestra. I find this approach more dynamic.
The second movement is the scherzo (normally appearing in the third movement of symphonies by Beethoven's contemporaries--including Beethoven himself). The scherzo begins at a good pace, with the various instruments heard pretty distinctly. The Berlin Philharmonic is a great instrument here--in concert with von Karajan's still superb conducting--performing this movement in excellent fashion. It's fun watching the conductor's minimalist baton technique when the pace is slower and the sound lower (as Fritz Reiner?).
The Third Movement is elegiac and stately as composed by Beethoven. The orchestra does this movement considerable justice. There is a nice seamless sound from the orchestra.
In my humble opinion, the Fourth Movement is one of the grandest, most compelling and most glorious artistic achievement in human history. It represents an act of genius by Ludwig van Beethoven. The cacophony of the opening moments, the playing of themes from earlier movements, the exploring of the "Ode to Joy" theme come at the outset. Then, another raucous sound. And the vocal rendition of the "Ode to Joy." And on it goes, from one wondrous moment to the next, all well played by the Berlin Philharmonic and well sung by the singers and chorus. Finally, the manic presto at the end--well and compellingly done, leaving goose bumps aplenty. One nice thing to watch: von Karajan singing along!
Overall, a classic version. As music, von Karajan ranks with Toscanini and Solti as interpreters of Beethoven's symphonies. The Ninth Symphony is one of the great artistic achievements in human history. And this version captures the magic of Beethoven most nicely. Technical quality of sound and video? I don't know and I don't care. I care about the music--and that is ethereal.
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Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video - Beethoven Symphony No. 9
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