I think it was here someone recommended, so took a punt. Listened to it all last night, loved it !!!
Thanks
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I certainly recommended it, others may have too! Perfect cast, perfect (if close) recording, world’s greatest conductor (at the time). What could go wrong?
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Thank you. Now, after reading about Richard Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier, investigating which version (CD) to try !? I do like Richard Strauss’ music
Karajan’s EMI version with Schwarzkopf as the Marschallin in early stereo sound, produced by Schwarzkopf’s husband Walter Legge, has yet to her bettered, in my opinion. I have heard a claim that the mono version, recorded at the same time, is better yet, but I have never heard it, and I don’t think that it’s still available.
There are newer recordings, in more modern sound, from Bernstein, Haitink et al, and Karajan re-recorded it, inevitably, for Deutsche Grammophon.
There are DVDs of two separate live performances by the great Carlos Kleiber, but he was never tempted into the recording studio with it, sadly.
Kleiber used to conduct Rosenkavalier in Munich every New Year, often dressed up as a ‘celebrity’, including once as Boris Becker, complete with ginger wig and a tennis racket instead of a baton.
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This is, in my opinion, a desert island disc. There are other wonderful recordings of La Traviata (e.g., the Pavarotti/Sutherland/Bonynge comes to mind), but this one stands out. Absolutely perfect in every way (and this comes from someone who rarely prefers non-Italians in recordings of Italian operas).
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I would second the Schwarzkopf/Karajan recording on EMI. No one has managed to inhabit that role like Schwarzkopf. I can’t listen to the trio at the end without misty eyes.
For absolutely spectacular singing plus stunning visuals in HD, you might also seek out the Metropolitan Opera DVD featuring Renee Fleming and Susan Graham. Fleming is, in my opinion, second only to Schwarzkopf as the Marschallin. I was fortunate to be in the audience for her “farewell” performance at the Metropolitan, with Elina Garanca as Octavian, and will never forget it.
I have never heard the Sofiensaal cat in the 50+ (I imagine) times I have played through the Solti Ring. Is there some suggestion as to where in the 15+ hours of Wagner one might listen for the cat? Surely in all the years since the cycle was released, someone has pinpointed the exact moments when it is audible!
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I have absolutely no idea! I have brand new LP remasterings of the Solti sets (from the original master tapes) which I’m saving for Christmas/New Year, so that may be my best chance yet!
Really quite amazing fidelity from these DG Original Source series. This one has just arrived, had a trip through the Degritter and is now transporting me to the Musikvereinsaal in 1975.
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The new round of four albums are out for delivery today. Looking forward to my Friday night. 
Friedrich Gulda was a fascinating musician. He would only play/record Mozart concertos for which Mozart’s own cadenzas existed. And he said that he would only record them if Claudio Abbado was conducting. So you get concertos 20, 21, 25 and 27 from the pair.
At one stage of his career, he got fed up playing Mozart, Beethoven et al, and went off to New York to play jazz.
He made two complete recordings of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas, an early one for Decca, and a later one for a Philips offshoot. I think that both are unavailable at present.
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Karajan’s 1982-84 Beethoven cycle has had some bad press in the past and I have always been curious to hear it for myself. Now with a cheap secondhand copy I actually think this, on the whole, is a really good set. Meaty, well paced, sensitively phrased, and really persuasive. A disappointment is the sound: it’s not too bad in this ‘gold’ issue but has aged: early digital, a bit glassy, easily congested and occasionally unfocused at the treble.
Cheers
EJ
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Yes, they all look like buys to me. I notice prices have hiked another 15% for individual albums though!
I wish they’d coordinated themselves to have these available for delivery in time to be Xmas gifts. It would have made it easier for me to justify!
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I just listened to the Smetana Ma Vlast. OMG!!! This is truly extraordinary. The performance is great to begin with, and my OG sounds pretty good, even for the otherwise crappy DG 70s sound. I have always loved this work. Some have said it’s lighter fare, but it really isn’t. It’s a masterpiece of folk-based Czech orchestral music, in every way.
DG Classics and EBS really, really knocked this one out of the park. I’m not sure I’m even listening to the same thing. This is an amazingly great sounding album. Holy Cow!. I think this is one of the best classical records I have ever heard, and it’s definitely my top pick for the series so far. And it has bass! Since when did DG have any bass to speak of? This one has my subs engaged.
Buy now or cry later on this one.
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My true musical love is jazz 1935-1955 but I always read the recommendations posted here to see if anything catches my fancy.
Large orchestral works are not for me and my Falcon LS3 speakers but these three volumes I have played over and over…
Mozart would have fitted in a treat at Birdland.
Qobuz.
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That’s good to hear JDP. My copy has just arrived this morning !
I’ve listened to the recording on Qobuz and you’re totally right, it’s an extraordinary recording. The bass is not just there, it’s there in the right balanced way. I don’t hear it very often that the drums have scale but here they have it. It’s like the kick you’d expect timpani’s to create.
I’m not overly fond of Kubelik but this recording stands out. It’s precise (legato / non legato / staccato) which lifts the lyrical folk melody up from the non legato depiction of the other themes.
Ah, and I’ve just (that is today) returned from Bohemia having had a holiday house overviewing the Moldau
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Replying to my own post here because I need to amend my assessment drastically.
Nothing to do with my assessment of the Original Source issue’s stunning SQ which remains unchanged, but because of the original performance. Abbado and the VPO are beautifully captured and faultless as you’d expect. My issue is with Gulda’s performances here. Could just be me, but I find him flat, matter of fact and utterly uninteresting. There’s no poetry, pathos, humour, no surprises, no character to his playing.
The Coronation #27 is such a joyful piece. When Abbado and the VPO play you hear that. When Gulda plays it becomes an academic exercise. Bizarre!
If I could send it back to get my money back I would, because I really don’t know when I’ll ever play it again.
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