Organization

Conductor

Herbert von Karajan

Singer

Contralto

Christian Ludwig

Orchestra

Berliner Philharmoniker

Others

Choir of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

Karajan conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan: A triad which is virtually the epitome of classical music. The present performance is based on concerts given in the Berlin Philharmonie on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 1968 with the soloists Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas and Walter Berry. In this, his first video recording of the symphony, Karajan also makes his debut as a film director.

Karajan conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: Concert Various

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Concert

Approved

Accordionist

Instrumentalist

Archlutenist

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Bassist

Bassoonist

Cellist

Clarinetist

Contrabassist

Cornettist

Flutist

Guitarist

Harper

Harpsichordist

Hornist

Lutenist

Mandoline Player

Musette de cour Player

Oboist

Organist

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Pianist

Recorder Player

Saxophonist

Tenor Violinist

Theorbist

Timpani

Trombonist

Trumpeter

Tuba Player

Vibraphonist

Viola Pomposa Player

Viola da gamba

Viola d’amore Player

Violinist

Violino Piccolo Player

Violist

Actor

Broadcasting

Choir

Choreographer

Chorus Director

Chorus master

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Dramaturge

Executive producer

Extra

Hairstylist

Illustrator

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Lighting designer

Makeup artist

Orchestra Operations

Other

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Poet

Repetiteur

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Sound designer

Stage Manager

Stage director

Teacher

Translator

Video designer

Vocal coach

Wig & Makeup Designer

Writer

Writing and performance

Bass-baritone

Tenor

Bass

Countertenor

Baritone

Soprano

Mezzo-soprano

Alto

Child vocalist

Continuo

Silent

Spoken

Herbert von Karajan first conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Aachen in November 1939 and made a first, highly regarded recording of it in Vienna in 1947. After he conducted the symphony in London in 1949 The Times wrote: “This was a breath-taking performance. Mr von Karajan achieved his effect by concentrating, not on its dramatic or philosophical elements, but on its musical power and lyric beauty.” Later, during his Berlin years, Karajan’s reading would become leaner, quicker and more explicitly dramatic.

The present performance of the Ninth is based on concerts given in the Berlin Philharmonie on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 1968. The film, which marked Karajan’s debut as a film director, was not released during his lifetime, possibly because of a perceived mismatch between the choral parts of the finale, which were filmed in the Philharmonie, and the preceding parts of the symphony which were recorded in a television studio – with a fake audience – using the original sound recording. Notwithstanding these discrepancies, Karajan’s directorial debut impresses with its unusual editing and lighting techniques learned from earlier collaborations with film-makers Henri-Georges Clouzot and Hugo Niebeling.

A hypnotic presence on the rostrum, Karajan conducted concerts – though not operas or choral works – with closed eyes. In this 1968 Berlin Beethoven Ninth, it is in the choral finale that we see the “complete” Karajan: the master conductor, his eyes very much open in the vocal sections, symbiotically at one with soloists, choir and orchestra. Here, too, we glimpse the humanity of the man behind the mask, unflinchingly committed to the music and the musicians it was his privilege to serve.

English

Karajan conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by Various, -tól (1968/1968), Karmester Herbert von Karajan

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