There is hardly anyone more suitable than Herbert von Karajan, the "King of Classics" as Yehudi Menuhin called him, and the most successful and influential conductor of the 20th century, to celebrate the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beethoven’s nine symphonies, which hold a very special place among the masterpieces of music history, were at the center of Karajan's repertoire. No one else has recorded the complete cycle of the nine Beethoven symphonies as often as he has. The recording of the nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the beginning of the 1960s is considered unequaled and one of the most ambitious and commercially successful projects in record history.
The first cycle of recordings was made ten years earlier in collaboration with producer Walter Legge. Legge, one of the most influential figures on the European music scene, had built an exquisite ensemble with his Philharmonia Orchestra, which he founded especially for work in the studio under the direction of Karajan. Another of the legendary joint productions that were made in the 1950s is the recording of the „Missa Solemnis“ from 1958, which is undisputedly one of the reference recordings of this important work. The piano concertos and the violin concerto are also included in this series of milestones. Another devoted Beethoven interpreter was the exceptional Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. His recording of the 3rd Piano Concerto under Karajan caused a sensation in musical circles and is regarded as a treasure.
Further important soloists in this selection of milestones of the Beethoven repertoire under the baton of Karajan are pianist Walter Gieseking, violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan, as well as singers Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, Hans Hotter, and Gottlob Frick.
Tracklist
CD 1
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major Op. 55 “Eroica”/ Es-Dur
1. I. Allegro con brio 14‘48
2. II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai 17‘10
3. III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 5‘47
4. IV. Finale: Allegro molto 12‘19
Berliner Philharmoniker
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1962
■ 5. Leonore III Op. 72b 14‘54
Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1953
Total Time 65‘05
CD 2
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Symphony No. 4 in B Flat Major Op. 60 / B-Dur
1. I. Adagio. Allegro vivace 9‘53
2. II. Adagio 9‘59
3. III. Allegro Vivace 5‘46
4. IV. Allegro ma non troppo 5‘24
Symphony No. 6 in F Major Op. 68 “Pastoral” / F-Dur
5. I. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft 9‘01
auf dem Lande
6. II. Szene am Bach 11‘36
7. III. Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute 3‘02
8. IV. Gewitter – Sturm 3‘25
9. V. Hirtengesang – Frohe und dankbare Gefühle 8‘47
nach dem Sturm
Berliner Philharmoniker
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1962
Total Time 67‘00
CD 3
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor op. 125 “Choral” / d-Moll
1. I. Allegro man non troppo, un poco maestoso 15‘29
2. II. Molto vivace 11‘00
3. III. Adagio molto e cantabile 16‘28
4. IV. a) Presto 6‘22
5. IV. b) Allegro molto assai „O Freunde, nicht diese Töne“ 17‘34
Gundula Janowitz soprano / Sopran
Hilde Rössl-Majdan contralto / Alt
Waldemar Kmentt tenor / Tenor
Walter Berry bass-baritone / Bassbariton
Wiener Singverein
Berliner Philharmoniker
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1962
Total Time 66‘56
CD 4
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Symphony No. 6 in F Major Op. 68 “Pastoral” / F-Dur
1. I. Allegro non troppo 9‘14
2. II. Andante molto mosso 12‘06
3. III. Allegro 3‘05
4. IV. Allegro 3‘31
5. V. Allegretto 9‘19
Symphony No. 7 in A Major Op. 92 / A-Dur
6. I. Poco sostenuto. Vivace 12‘37
7. II. Allegretto 9‘03
8. III. Presto 8‘37
9. IV. Allegro con brio 6‘56
Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1951 (6-9) 1953 (1-5)
Total Time 74‘36
CD 5
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 61 / D-Dur
1. I. Allegro ma non troppo 23‘57
2. II. Larghetto 10‘07
3. III. Rondo: Allegro 9‘53
Wolfgang Schneiderhan violin / Violine
Festival Strings Lucerne
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1961 (live)
■ 4. Egmont Op. 84 – Overture / Ouvertüre 8‘28
5. Coriolan Op. 62 – Overture / Ouvertüre 9‘07
Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1953
Total Time 61‘44
CD 6
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Missa solemnis in D Major Op. 123 / D-Dur
1. Kyrie 11‘13
2. Gloria 17‘20
3. Credo 22‘21
4. Sanctus – Benedictus 17‘05
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf soprano / Sopran
Christa Ludwig mezzo-soprano / Mezzo-Sopran
Nicolai Gedda tenor / Tenor
Nicola Zaccaria bass / Bass
Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Wien
Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
Total Time 68‘01
CD 7
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Missa solemnis in D Major Op. 123 / D-Dur
(continued / Fortsetzung)
1. Agnus Dei 16‘16
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf soprano / Sopran
Christa Ludwig mezzo-soprano / Mezzo-Sopran
Nicolai Gedda tenor / Tenor
Nicola Zaccaria bass / Bass
Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Wien
Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
■ Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor Op. 37 / c-Moll
2. I. Allegro con brio 16‘21
3. II. Largo 9‘25
4. III. Rondo: Allegro 9‘26
Glenn Gould piano / Klavier
Berliner Philharmoniker
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1957
Total Time 51‘35
CD 8
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major Op. 58 / G-Dur
1. I. Allegro moderato 16‘43
2. II. Andante con moto 5‘02
3. III. Rondo: Vivace 9‘50
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat Major Op. 73 “Emperor” / Es-Dur
4. I. Allegro 20‘05
5. II. Adagio un poco mosso 7‘49
6. III. Rondo: Allegro 10‘15
Walter Gieseking piano / Klavier
Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
Total Time 69‘50
CD 9
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Fidelio Op. 72
1. Overture / Ouvertüre 6‘58
Act 1 / 1. Akt
2. Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein (Jaquino, Marzelline) 4‘47
3. O, wär' ich schon mit dir vereint (Marzelline) 4‘10
4. Marzelline, ist Fidelio noch nicht zurück? (Rocco) 0‘55
5. Mir ist so wunderbar (Marzelline, Leonore, Rocco, Jaquino) 4‘22
6. Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben (Rocco) 2‘47
7. Unterdessen gibt es ein Gewölbe (Rocco, Leonore) 1‘00
8. Gut, Söhnchen, gut (Rocco, Leonore, Marzelline) 5‘52
9. March / Marsch 2‘42
10. Ha! welch ein Augenblick! (Pizarro) 2‘57
11. Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile! (Pizarro, Rocco) 4‘33
12. Abscheulicher! wo eilst du hin? (Leonore) 8‘04
13. Ohne Erlaubnis des Gouverneurs? (Rocco, Marzelline) 0‘34
14. O welche Lust, in freier Luft den Atem leicht zu heben! 6‘57
(Chorus / Chor)
15. Nun sprecht, wie ging's? 11‘38
(Leonore, Rocco, Marzelline, Jaquino, Pizarro)
Leonore: Birgit Nilsson soprano / Sopran Florestan: Jon Vickers tenor / Tenor
Don Pizarro: Hans Hotter baritone / Bariton Don Fernando: Franz Crass
bass / Bass Jaquino: Gerhard Unger tenor / Tenor Marzelline: Wilma Lipp
soprano / Sopran Rocco: Gottlob Frick bass / Bass
Coro e Orchestra alla Scala di Milano conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1960 (live)
Total Time 68‘17
CD 10
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Fidelio Op. 72 (continued / Fortsetzung)
Act 2 / 2. Akt
1. Introduction / Introduktion 11‘04
- Gott! welch' Dunkel hier! (Florestan)
2. Wie kalt ist es (Leonore, Rocco) 1‘33
3. Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben (Rocco, Leonore) 3‘55
4. Er erwacht! (Leonore, Rocco, Florestan) 0‘54
5. Euch werde Lohn in bessern Welten (Florestan, Rocco, Leonore) 6‘34
6. Er sterbe! (Pizarro, Florestan, Leonore, Rocco) 4‘49
7. Meine Leonore, was hast du fur mich getan! (Florestan, Leonore) 2‘58
8. Overture / Ouvertüre (Leonore II) 15‘23
9. Des besten Königs (Fernando) 7‘37
10. Wer ein holdes Weib errungen (tutti) 4‘23
Birgit Nilsson soprano / Sopran Florestan: Jon Vickers tenor / Tenor
Don Pizarro: Hans Hotter baritone / Bariton Don Fernando: Franz Crass
bass / Bass Jaquino: Gerhard Unger tenor / Tenor Marzelline: Wilma Lipp
soprano / Sopran Rocco: Gottlob Frick bass / Bass
Coro e Orchestra alla Scala di Milano conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan
recorded / aufgenommen 1960 (live)
■ Fidelio – Recitative and Aria
11. Abscheulicher! 2‘13
12. Komm, Hoffnung! 5‘29
Leonore: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf soprano / Sopran Philharmonia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Herbert von Karajan recorded / aufgenommen 1954
Total Time 66‘58
Details
Genre: Classical
Set content: 10
EAN: 4053796005748