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One of the boxed sets I recently received was the set of Brahms symphonies as conducted by Karajan with the BPO, from the early 60s (tulips on the label). Very nice set and I was happy to see this, given a more elevated regard for Karajan's recordings that I have been experiencing over the last few years.
But I have to say that I find this set disappointing, in the main. Karajan seems intent on re-creating the Brahms symphonies as really "big" -overinflated one might say, which I think is to the disadvantage of the scoring - the sound strikes me as very thick. He also seems to be intent on wringing the last element of romantic juice out of these, with quite a few tempo fluctuations and rhetorical gestures. Surprising given his more classical bent for the nearly contemporaneous Beethoven symphony recordings.
While I haven't collected endless sets of Brahms symphonies, I can think of two I like better - the Walter stereo set on Columbia and the early Abbado set, using a different orchestra for each symphony, also on DG. Some have praised the Sanderling Eurodisc set to the skies, but I find it too slow.
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Topic - Brahms Symphonies conducted by Karajan - TGR 16:02:03 09/19/16 (13)
- RE: Brahms Symphonies conducted by Karajan - edwyun 19:46:19 09/23/16 (0)
- You think Sanderling on Eurodisc is slow? - Chris from Lafayette 19:26:45 09/19/16 (5)
- Have never paid $$$ for a CD and never will. nt - rbolaw 14:16:59 09/20/16 (1)
- Well, personally, I like to deal in pounds and euros too, but I admit to using $$ sometimes [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 17:17:54 09/20/16 (0)
- $530.09 on Amaxon? - Ivan303 19:44:04 09/19/16 (1)
- Hey - People aren't supposed to know about that! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 00:26:40 09/20/16 (0)
- RE: You think Sanderling on Eurodisc is slow? - steve.ott@kctcs.edu 19:34:48 09/19/16 (0)
- He may have recorded at least 1-3 with Vienna... - Ivan303 17:46:29 09/19/16 (2)
- Some earlier Karajan Brahms - TGR 07:51:43 09/20/16 (1)
- That's my recollection too - only 1 and 3 were recorded with Decca [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 10:01:28 09/20/16 (0)
- RE: Brahms Symphonies conducted by Karajan - bcowen 16:33:45 09/19/16 (1)
- Agreed on the Wand, esp. his 3rd, on DHM nt - jdaniel@jps.net 08:35:17 09/20/16 (0)
- Agree on the Walter. The Third, in particular, is exceptional. /nt\ - Opus 33 1/3 16:13:12 09/19/16 (0)