Herbert von Karajan

Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Mahler : Symphony No.5 (1996/2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:13:37 minutes | 1,32 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Deutsche Grammophon (DG)

GBAs time has gone by in my collecting of Mahler on cd I have often been guided by the well known music critic ‘TD’. Most of the time TD proves invaluable in pointing the Mahler listener in the right direction but, on occasion, I have found myself disagreeing with him – and this is now the third time in which I must disagree. Anyone who has bothered to read through TD’s guide to Mahler recordings will already be aware just how dismissive he is regarding this recording by the BPO under Karajan’s baton, and it was that dismissiveness which led me to seek out other recordings first, in preference to this one. But, now that I have finally gotten around to purchasing this disc I feel compelled to review it, give it the five stars which it deserves, and say that I think TD was utterly wrong in being so dismissive of this recording. It may well be true that it is not ‘the greatest’ Fifth ever to be commited to disc but this is, nevertheless, a very fine reading indeed and sumptuously recorded / remastered by the sound engineers. It deserves to be amongst the other Fifth’s which you own and I, for one, look forward to giving it repeated listens.

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Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op.36 (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 43:02 minutes | 872 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Warner Classics

The Karajan Official Remastered Edition comprises 13 box sets containing official remasterings of the finest recordings the Austrian conductor made for EMI between 1946 and 1984, and which are now a jewel of the Warner Classics catalogue.

For many, Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) – hailed early in his career as ‘Das Wunder Karajan’ (The Karajan Miracle) and known in the early 1960s as ‘the music director of Europe’ – remains the ultimate embodiment of the maestro. The release of the Karajan Official Remastered Edition over the first half of 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the conductor’s death in July 1989 at the age of 81.

He was closely associated with EMI for the majority of his recording career (specifically from 1946 to 1960 and then again from 1969 to 1984). EMI’s legendary producer Walter Legge sought him out in Vienna just after World War II and the long relationship that ensued embraced recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Philharmonia (the orchestra founded by Legge), the Berlin Philharmonic (of which Karajan became ‘conductor for life’ in 1955), the forces of La Scala, Milan, and the Orchestre de Paris.

The Karajan Official Remastered Edition will feature primarily symphonic and choral music. The entire edition will comprise recordings remastered from the original sources in 24-bit/96kHz at Abbey Road Studios, the world’s most renowned recording studio.

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