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Sibelius: Symphonies 1 & 6

Herbert von Karajan - CD

Sibelius: Symphonies 1 & 6 Karajan,Herbert Von CD
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  • Artist: Karajan,Herbert Von
  • UPC: 094637247822
  • Item Number: EMI724782
  • Release date: 02/06/2007
  • 1. Andante Ma Non Troppo - Allegro Energico
  • 2. II. Andante (Ma Non Troppo Lento)
  • 3. III. Scherzo: Allegro
  • 4. IV. Finale: Quasi Una Fantasia - Andante - Allegro Molto
  • 5. I. Allegro Molto Moderato
  • 6. II. Allegretto Moderato
  • 7. III. Poco Vivace
  • 8. IV. Allegro Molto
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Sibelius: Symphonies 1 & 6 by Karajan,Herbert Von on CD


This EMI disc of Sibelius symphonies by Herbert von Karajan leading the Berliner Philharmoniker couples a 1981 performance of the First, a work Karajan had never recorded before, with a 1980 performance of the Sixth, a work Karajan had recorded twice before, once in 1956 with the London's Philharmonia for EMI and then again in 1967 with the Berlin for Deutsche Grammophon. The 1967 DG Sixth is commonly held to be among the greatest, if not the greatest, Sixth ever recorded -- fused together as an indissoluble whole, Karajan's seamless legato and the Berlin's effortless virtuosity created a performance of transcendent beauty -- and his re-recording was seen at the time as an impossible attempt to improve on perfection. In fact, Karajan had completely re-thought the piece. Instead of creating orchestral beauty, Karajan sought to create storm and stress. The opening Allegro molto moderato's more ominous string harmonies, the Allegretto moderato's more threatening wind tone, the Poco vivace's more driven timpani, and especially the closing Allegro molto's unrelenting energy make the 1980 Sixth altogether more frightening than either the 1967 or the 1956 recordings. Karajan's first First from the following year is, so to speak, cut from the same bolt of lightning. The opening Allegro energico's incandescent force, the Andante ma non troppo lento's broad lyricism, theScherzo's timpani propelled power, and the Finale Quasi una fantasia's unrelenting tragedy make the 1981 First seem as overwhelmingly bleak as Karajan and the BPO's 1978 Mahler Sixth. Whether this approach succeeds or not depends on the listener -- some might think the First a bit hyperbolic and others might find the Sixth simply wrong-headed -- but there's no denying Karajan had the talent and strength of will to get the Berlin to do exactly what he wanted -- and what he wanted was to create terrifying soundscapes. Recorded in direct but hard early digital sound by EMI, this disc, although it clearly has its merits, may be of interest mostly to fans of the Austrian conductor who have to have every recording of Sibelius' music he ever made. ~ James Leonard, Rovi
  • Artist: Karajan,Herbert Von
  • UPC: 094637247822
  • Item Number: EMI724782
  • Release date: 02/06/2007
  • Label: Emm/Emi Classics

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  • Sibelius: Symphonies 1 & 6 Karajan,Herbert Von CD
Sibelius: Symphonies 1 & 6 Karajan,Herbert Von CD