Karajan/Beethoven SACD box (1 Viewer)

[Mike Broadman]

I just found out there's a box set of all of Beethoven's symphonies conducted by Karajan.

Elusive Disc link

Has anyone heard this?

By way of comparison, some of the other versions of these symphonies I have are SACDs of the 3rd by Szell and the 5th and 6th by Bruno Walter, the 5th and 7th by Kreiber (my favorite Beethoven disc) as well as all the Barenboim DVD-As.

I know there are some folks that don't dig Karajan, and oddly enough I don't have a lot of his stuff, even though it's quite popular on the market. I did just acquire the SACD of his rendition of Mozart's Requiem but haven't listened to it yet.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

This set has been out for a while. I've got it and it's quite good. It's the early 1960s set by Herbey. IIRC he did FOUR complete Beethoven cycles over the years, this being the first and perhaps the best. This set has a "bonus disk" which is a redbook CD of a rehersal for the 9th. I know there are those who don't like Herbey and the Berlin boys.

 

[Seth--L]

This was the second time he recorded a complete cycle. The first was for EMI in the mid 50s with the London Philharmonia Orchestra. The latter three are all with the BPO and for DG. The '63 cycle (available on SACD) is the best because by the 70s, Karajan was totally engrossed in his legato fetish.

$100 is way too much for the set, especially considering that it has long been available for a third of the price as a redbook, and most new recordings of the symphonies are typically offered at a discounted price (Rattle's new cycle for instance is only $50).

 

[Mike Broadman]

I can get it for $78.

There's also another SACD of Karajan doing the 9th, this with a MC track. I then take it this is a different performance?

I'm looking at scoring a whole bag of Universal classical SACDs tonight.

 

[Seth--L]

$78 is still steep. $60 would be fair price -- that would put it in-line with most new full priced cycles.

That 9th is from the mid/late '70s cycle.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Hey, Herbey still beats Toscanini with his staccato fetish..... :p)

My biggest beef with Herbey is his role in WWII.

 

[Seth--L]

Yes. Not many people can claim to have joined the NSDAP twice.

 

[Craig S]

Never been a fan of Karajan's Beethoven. My favorite cycle remains the one I started with: Bruno Walter & the Columbia Symphony. The performances are iconic, and the recording (close to 50 years old now, I think) warm & lush.

If they released this cycle on SACD (looks like just the Pastoral is out now), I'd be all over it like white on rice.

 

[Seth--L]

I don't get why Sony has yet to release either the Szell or Walter cycles on SACD (well, actually, it's probably because they realize that most consumers care more about multi channel than interpretation/performance quality).