Known as the "Emperor of Command", Karajan is known for his rigid and unified tone and cold and strong conducting style, and his complete collection of "Beethoven's Symphonies" recorded in the 1960s is regarded as "the benchmark for appreciating Beethoven's 9 symphonies", in which the decisive king's spirit has almost become Karajan's "label".
In fact, Karajan's conducting style is not all "fierce", looking at the thousands of recordings he left behind in his lifetime, recorded in different periods, you will find that his inclusiveness is actually very strong, both the boldness of the ups and downs when open, and the exquisite delicacy that is fascinating. In prime and old age, due to the difference in life perceptions, there are also differences in the way the repertoire is interpreted. The following three albums may lead you to a more multifaceted Karajan.
1 《Soft Plate Masterpieces》
Karajan / Berliner Philharmonic
Karajan is said to be a solipsistic "conductor emperor", but this record shows his gentle side. Eleven warm and leisurely orchestral pieces, including flexographic movements by Mahler, Masnay, Brahms, Vivaldi, Grieg, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Sibelius and other famous artists. In the symphonies of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, Karajan is fierce, passionate, and kingly. In these lyrical pieces, we can hear more clearly the noble and elegant grace of Karajan's conducting art, as well as his pursuit of the beauty of musical form as always.
Karajan's flexographic albums have become popular with fans and have sold more than two million copies worldwide. The flex board is a kind of speed, the overall tone is solemn, slow and dignified, but at the same time it condenses enthusiasm, strength and momentum, which is the most delicate and very testing part of the symphony and the control of the conductor and orchestra. Karajan's interpretation of these soft plates can be described as pure fire, he uses a concise approach, strictly and fully depicts the ideological essence and artistic realm of the work, the details of the music are refined, and the cooperation with the Berlin Philharmonic can be described as a perfect blend of water and milk.
2 Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3&5
Karajan / Mutter / Berliner Philharmonic
In 1976, Mutter appeared with her brother at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, and after listening to her mozart sonata, Karajan, then the festival's artistic director, became interested in the little girl. A few days later, Mutt once again conquered Karajan with Chakon, and the master was overjoyed and immediately invited her to the Salzburg Festival the following year.
Since then, Karajan has become the "protector" of Mutt's musical career. Under Karajan's arrangement, she used Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 as her debut at the Salzburg Festival and was a great success, which was the beginning of their 13-year collaboration. This relationship lasted until Karajan's death.
Mutter was only 14 years old when she recorded this album, and her playing was full of angelic beauty and sweetness, warmth and nature. However, at that time, Mutt was only a newly enlightened child after all, the whole piano sound was thinner, and the sense of lines seemed to be sticky, but the girl's innocent innocence was enough to make up for these defects.
From another point of view, it is precisely this "defect" that makes people feel innocent and lovely. It seems that it is most appropriate for a pure and innocent child to express the simple and sincere emotions of Mozart's music. Even the always domineering Karajan tried his best to match this rare innocence, with soft music and love.
Some people commented that the two works played by Grumio and Kramer had a strong French and German flavor, and if he listened to the little Mutte's performance, those "factions" would disappear, leaving only purity and sweetness, as well as the natural "Mozart flavor".
3 Karajan Gold Collection
Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6
From 1993 to 1995, in honor of Karajan and his contribution to digital records during his lifetime, DG used an advanced digital processing technique called Original Image Bit Processing to reprocess 25 series of 32 recordings of Karajan's later years and republished them as regular-priced CDs, the famous Karajan Gold Records series.
Karajan's Beethoven Symphony has long been hailed as one of the greatest interpretations of his life. He has performed this work many times, and this one in the 1980s is obviously much better than previous recordings, with a more granular and layered sense.
In his later years, the master was inclined to aestheticism, with a bright and delicate tone and a relatively open brass pipe, which contrasted with his previous rigid and unified orchestra. This trait is undoubtedly brilliant for playing the Sixth Symphony, Pastoral, with more open, soft and bright colors that bring the back-to-basics nature of the piece to life. The fifth symphony "Destiny" is not as exciting as the previous version, but it has a rare introspection to life.
【Original Import】
Karajan's Collection of Famous Songs
(German CD)
Karajan & Mutter, Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 & No. 5
Karajan Gold Series Beethoven: Symphonies No. 5 & 6