There are a total of 4 mW complete recordings of the Beethoven symphonies by Karajan. The first with the Philharmonia Orchestra London from 1951/55 is unfortunately mono (except # 8) and therefore - although musically wonderful - sounding not very competitive. That is why for me Karajan's first complete recording with the Berlin Philharmonic from 1961-62 remains the absolute reference recording. She holds even today, after more than 40 years, any comparison effortlessly. The orchestra is a sound event, and Karajan could not reach in his later recordings of 1976/77 and 1983/85 this performance despite better sounding. Highlights include the 5th and 9th Symphony; the Fifth tears me still every socks off. The final climax in the finale is not to beat! In the ninth confident in the final, especially the glorious voice of Gundula Janowitz, but also the other contributors excel. The Fourth Of particular note is the introduction to the first movement is of crackling tension, and the Adagio I have seldom heard so beautifully toned and colorful. Serious interpretive weaknesses I can never recognize, although I will not deny that I in vain poetry and romance Search in Pastorale (no. 6), for example, Bruno Walter (CBS) and Karl Böhm (DGG) in their recordings so inimitable to bring validity. Karajan's conception of nature is different: Here one does not think of a solitary wanderer who roams through quiet woods and fields, but rather to a Porsche driver who can roar past at high speed with the surrounding landscape. But that certainly has its charms ..... Perfectly happy, I am not with the Seventh. Without a doubt it is a tonschöne, coherent in itself representation, but I did not from the top recordings Furtwängler or Klemperer (both EMI) want to talk, because Karajan makes here himself competing with his early London recording of 1951 (EMI), which unfortunately only muster one, albeit quite acceptable, mono sound is, but looks conclusive in itself, and certainly exudes a warmth and closeness with his Viennese stereo recording in March 1959 (RCA / Decca), which is not only full color, but I here in some places a little miss. Especially the finale seems to me a little too peppy, almost rushed, therefore, and the swinging rhythms of the movement to bring the Vienna Philharmonic convincing advantage. All in all, however, gives us a great view of Karajan Beethoven symphonies-cosmos that has been surpassed by any ancient or modern, in all legitimate objections to individual details. Nothing against Klemperer, wall, Solti, Szell among others - as a complete recording this here, although now more than 40 years old, still a showpiece! Who wants a quite different alternative, the legendary Leibowitz recording from 1961 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra should specify which mW not only the metronome markings of the composer took for the first time seriously, but also the structure of the works uncovered relentlessly. Karajan is committed more of the traditional performance tradition, but this met with great excitement. Both recordings are in every good Classical Collection.
