Audition - Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 BPO/Karajan (DG) #LVB6

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan

Recorded in the Berlin Philharmonie in November 1982 and released on DG in 1984. 

Note: The recording was subsequently remastered in the Karajan Gold edition which is marginally better than the original recording.

What a mixed bag this is.

The first two movements of the work are hopeless because the engineering (approved by Karajan - who was going deaf). The 1st movement is a complete dog’s breakfast of a recording and highlighting some instruments far too closely and with exaggerated orchestral lines. The balances favour the strings too much in the second movement. And this remember is a remastering of a multi Mike and multitracked recording. 

Incidentally, in most cases the DVD films of these recordings are slightly better than the DG CDs. Moreover, Karajan sounds on autopilot and so do the players. It’s a symphony he programmed less than it’s siblings and in truth I don’t think he ever did it well.

But something happens as the Scherzo starts - the perspectives of the orchestral hierarchy settle down, and the dance, albeit somewhat lumpen at first starts to have a real spring. 

The storm is absolutely of a Beethovenian intensity which I hadn’t heard in previous recordings with these forces. It is acute, fiery, meaty and overwhelmingly and well captured.

Karajan hands over to his woodwind section with a glorious hymn of thanks. The finale rounds things off nicely full throated glorious symphonic journey but only for half the time.

There at least five more Karajan performances on record (including a live performance in London on Testament. I’m reluctant to compare.

Performance 6 out of 10 

interpretation 6 out of 10 

recording 6 out of 10