Herbert von Karajan

Herbert von Karajan (Testament)

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AllMusic Review by James Leonard

This is the "good" 1958 Karajan recording of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and should not be confused with the nearly half-dozen "bad" later Karajan recordings of it. This 1958 Karajan Missa Solemnis has terrific solo singing from Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, and Gedda; superb choral singing from the Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde; tremendous playing from the Philharmonia Orchestra; and superlative early stereo sound from Walter Legge. And because Legge was the producer, this recording had someone in the studio who could at least temper -- if no longer control -- the massive and monumental Karajan ego. Because when you get right down to it, there can be no such thing as a good Karajan recording of the Missa Solemnis because the greatest thing about the work -- it's overwhelming spirituality -- is always and everywhere absent from Karajan's recordings. Because while all Karajan's recordings of the work are brilliant and beautiful, they are also spiritually vapid and void because there's just no room for Karajan's ego and anything else. And let's face it, is there anything worse than a fake spiritual experience?

Track Listing - Disc 1

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time
	1	Elisabeth Schwarzkopf talks about the recording in a recent interview Elisabeth Schwarzkopf	Herbert von Karajan	09:30
Mass for soloists, chorus & orchestra in D major ("Missa Solemnis"), Op. 123
	2	Kyrie Ludwig van Beethoven	Herbert von Karajan	11:12
	3	Gloria Ludwig van Beethoven	Herbert von Karajan	17:20
	4	Credo Ludwig van Beethoven	Herbert von Karajan	22:21
	5	Sanctus / Praeludium / Benedictus Ludwig van Beethoven	Herbert von Karajan	17:05

Track Listing - Disc 2

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time
Mass for soloists, chorus & orchestra in D major ("Missa Solemnis"), Op. 123
	1	Agnus Dei Ludwig van Beethoven	Herbert von Karajan	16:35
Symphony No. 38 in D major ("Prague"), K. 504
	2	Adagio Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Herbert von Karajan	10:18
	3	Andante Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Herbert von Karajan	08:30
	4	Finale, Presto Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Herbert von Karajan	05:56
Karajan rehearses Beethoven's Missa Solemnis
	5	Part 1 Herbert von Karajan	Herbert von Karajan	10:47
	6	Part 2 Herbert von Karajan	Herbert von Karajan	11:31
	7	Part 3 Herbert von Karajan	Herbert von Karajan	03:44
	8	Part 4 Herbert von Karajan	Herbert von Karajan	04:42
	9	Part 5 Herbert von Karajan	Herbert von Karajan	07:12

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Herbert von Karajan

Herbert von Karajan (Testament)

AllMusic Review by James Leonard

Track Listing - Disc 1

Track Listing - Disc 2