Day 113: Symphony No. 7 in A major (Bohm)

This morning, while I eat my tasty Midwestern Scramble at New Beginnings Restaurant, I look outside to see our first major snowfall of the season, sip quite tasty coffee that doesn’t seem to have a bottom because of the crack team of wait staff here, and I listen to Austrian conductor Karl Bohm, Wiener Philharmonica, … [Read more…]

Day 41: Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major (Bohm)

My office this morning, once again, overlooks the small lake behind our residence. It’s a bit chilly this morning (65 degrees Fahrenheit) under partly cloudy skies. So, unlike on previous mornings, I had to wear what I call a “shammy,” which is in this case an oversized, button-down flannel shirt I purchased from Cabela’s. Don’t … [Read more…]

Day 11: Symphony No. 1 in C Major (Karajan)

This morning’s conductor of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major is, once again, Herbert von Karajan – this time from the legendary 1977 cycle. As with his performance in the 1963 cycle, the orchestra for the ’77 is still the Berliner Philharmoniker. (I wonder if any musicians from 1977 were present at the recording … [Read more…]

Day 10: Symphony No. 1 in C Major (Karajan)

Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) scares me. The Cult of Karajan is a powerful one, with many music aficionados revering him and the ground he walked on. I’ve tried to separate that – with varying degrees of success – from my listening experiences with the late Maestro. His bio on Wikipedia doesn’t make it … [Read more…]