Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps; Bartók: Konzert für Orchester

Herbert von Karajan

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Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps; Bartók: Konzert für Orchester Review

by Blair Sanderson

If Igor Stravinsky or Béla Bartók had been German post-Romantic composers, then having arch-Teutonic maestro Herbert von Karajan conduct their works might not have been a bad idea. However, because the Russian Stravinsky and the Hungarian Bartók were paragons of modernism, and Le Sacre du printemps and the Concerto for Orchestra were far from Karajan's specialty, he is simply the wrong conductor for this music. In his hands, Le Sacre is undeniably barbaric, but it sounds two-dimensional, clumsy, and heavy-handed, without the proper atmosphere, subtle timbres, or varied dynamics that are needed for Stravinsky's transparent score; the Concerto, from Bartók's late neo-classical phase, is almost bloated and bombastic here, since it is read with the same exaggerated heroics and broad pathos Karajan would have used in his Beethoven and Bruckner. This is not to take away from the expert playing of the Berlin Philharmonic or the fine recording by Deutsche Grammophon, both of which likely kept these performances in the catalog far longer than necessary. But with so many superb all-digital recordings available, many of which surpass this disc in interpretations and sound quality, there seems little need to acquire this ADD reissue except to round out a Karajan collection, a dubious reason even then.

Track Listing

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra
	1	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Introduction Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	03:18	Amazon
	2	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Les Augures printaniers (Danses des adolescentes) Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	03:24	Amazon
	3	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Jeu du rapt Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	01:10
	4	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Rondes printanières Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	03:37	Amazon
	5	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Jeux des cités rivales Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	01:50	Amazon
	6	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Cortège du Sage Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	00:42	Amazon
	7	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Adoration de la terre (Le Sage) Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	00:25	Amazon
	8	I. L'Adoration de la terre. Danse de la terre Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	01:15	Amazon
	9	II. Le Sacrifice. Introduction Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	04:37	Amazon
	10	II. Le Sacrifice. Cercles mystérieux des adolescentes Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	03:27	Amazon
	11	II. Le Sacrifice. Glorification de l'Elue Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	01:32	Amazon
	12	II. Le Sacrifice. Evocation des ancêtres Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	00:46
	13	II. Le Sacrifice. Action rituelle des ancétres Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	03:57	Amazon
	14	II. Le Sacrifice. Danse sacrale (L'Elue) Igor Stravinsky	Herbert von Karajan	04:50	Amazon
Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 127
	15	1. (Introduzione). Andante non troppo - Allegro vivace Béla Bartók	Herbert von Karajan	10:09	Amazon
	16	2. (Giuoco delle coppie). Allegretto scherzando Béla Bartók	Herbert von Karajan	06:50	Amazon
	17	3. (Elegia). Andante, non troppo Béla Bartók	Herbert von Karajan	08:14
	18	4. (Intermezzo interrotto). Allegretto Béla Bartók	Herbert von Karajan	04:18	Amazon
	19	5. (Finale). Pesante - Presto Béla Bartók	Herbert von Karajan	09:25	Amazon