Organization

Conductor

Herbert von Karajan

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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Approved

Bass

Instrumentalist

Pianist

Violinist

Cellist

Violist

Flutist

Clarinetist

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Organist

Percussionist

hornist

Oboist

Bassoonist

Trumpeter

Contrabassist

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Harper

Saxophonist

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Bassist

Accordionist

Tuba Player

Recorder Player

Lutenist

Tenor Violinist

Timpani

Mandoline Player

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Violino Piccolo Player

Viola da gamba

Musette de cour Player

Viola Pomposa Player

Archlutenist

Vibraphonist

Cornettist

Viola d’amore Player

Theorbist

Composer

Stage director

Librettist

Set designer

Costume designer

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Actor

Chorus master

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Repetiteur

Makeup artist

Executive producer

Hairstylist

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Choir

Poet

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Teacher

Photographer

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Illustrator

Writer

Writing and performance

Chorus Director

Wig & Makeup Designer

Orchestra Operations

Extra

Countertenor

Singer

Mezzo-soprano

Soprano

Tenor

Baritone

Bass-baritone

Spoken

Child vocalist

Silent

Alto

Continuo

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, Od (1968/1968), Dirigent Herbert von Karajan

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