My office on this beautiful, sunny Sunday is the balcony overlooking the lake.
Current temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Time is 12:23pm.
I first encountered Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan’s famed 1977 Beethoven cycle on…
Day 11. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 29. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 47. Rating: “Huzzah!”
What will today bring – “Meh!”? Or “Huzzah!”?
Let’s find out.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 4 in B flat Major), from this particular conductor (Karajan, at age 67-69) and this particular orchestra (Berliner Philharmoniker), at this particular time in history (1975-1977) on this particular record label (Deutsche Grammophon) is as follows:
I. Adagio – Allegro vivace……………………………………………………………….10:72
II. Adagio………………………………………………………………………………………..9:59
III. Allegro molto e vivace – Trio. Un poco meno allegro………………..5:52
IV. Allegro ma non troppo………………………………………………………………..5:37
Total running time: 31.20
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (nearly perfect; some, but hardly noticeable tape hiss, wonderful dynamic range, a lively, brisk performance)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 4 (slimmer booklet compared to the 1963 cycle, but no less interesting…a missing, but necessary, piece of information: when, exactly, was this recorded? Which day? Which year? Providing a range of 1975-1977 isn’t sufficient for inquiring minds like mine)
How does this make me feel: 4
The opening of Movement I sounds particularly ominous in Karjan’s ’77 cycle. It would be right at home as part of the score of a horror film.
The tempo seems slower than usual in the first movement. At least, it’s more ponderous than some of the others to which I’ve listened. It seems to take awhile to get to the more boisterous part.
I must have cycled through the performance 2-3 times. Each time I wondered what I was feeling, what impression this was making on me.
I still don’t know.
Although this performance was remarkaly Karajan-like – that is to say, solid and dependable – I’m not sure I was particularly moved by it. I was amazed at some parts (Movement I when the livelier part kicks in…the Scherzo…parts of the Finale). But not really engaged by others (Movement II).
Hmmm.
Is this a “Meh!”? or a “Huzzah!”?
The best I can do is “Almost “Huzzah!”
It’s not terrible. In fact, it’s notches above most performances. But it didn’t totally blow me away, didn’t amaze me. Not in totality. Parts, yes. But not the entire performance.
Your mileage may vary.