My listening post this morning is nowhere special.
What I’m hoping is special is this performance from German conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989), Berliner Philharmoniker, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major.
I encountered Maestro Karajan’s legendary 1977 cycle seven times previously, on…
Day 11. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 29. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 47. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 65. Rating: Almost “Huzzah!”
Day 83. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 101. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 119. Rating: “Meh!”‘
For this being a legendary cycle, my opinion of these performances don’t bear that 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. 8 in F 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. Allegro vivace e con brio…………………………………..8:53
II. Allegretto scherzando…………………………………….3:48
III. Tempo di menuetto……………………………………….5:16
IV. Allegro vivace………………………………………………….6:31
Total running time: 24:28
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (rich, lush, and dynamic – well recorded, powerful)
Overall musicianship: 5 (the musicians sound inspired, energized, joyful; seems a little fast)
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 (“Meh!”)
The tempo seems a little fast to me. It might not be. But it sure does sound that way.
The orchestra sounds big and full, with very nice violins riding over top of it – especially in Movement I. This performances sounds grand, even majestic.
But, overall, I’m not feeling the emotion from this performance. It’s absolutely spot on, by the numbers (if a wee bit fast). Not even the French horns in Movement III got a rise out of me.
I don’t know what it is about this legendary 1977 cycle. It’s not rocking my world. Aside from the joy I got from Movement I, the other movements don’t match that same level of intensity. Movement IV, for example, just sounds reckless.
Maybe I’m too harsh on Maestro Karajan because I don’t want to succumb to Karajan Worship Syndrome or suddenly find myself a member of the Cult of Karajan.
I don’t know.
But I do know no arm hairs stood up. No toes tapped. No head bobbed. No chills ran up my spine.
Sorry. I have to rate this “Meh!”