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…]

Day 7: Symphony No. 1 in C Major (Furtwangler)

This morning’s conductor is the legendary Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954). The orchestra is the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic). The venue is the Royal Albert Hall in London. Maestro Furtwangler died two years after this recording was made. I first encountered Wilhelm Furtwangler during my Bruckner projects. Something about him – maybe I just like saying his … [Read more…]