Reviews (1)

A great combination
Karajan was undeniably one of the greatest Bruckner interpreters of the century and here he tackles the final Bruckner symphony late in his career. The Bruckner Ninth is one of the most profound symphonies ever written. It is a work which deals unmistakably with "last things" - the passage from this world to the next. Bruckner was very ill when he wrote this piece and the music reflects his mental and physical condition. It's an anguished work in which the great composer bids farewell to the world and, at the very end, finds himself in paradise. Karajan was an old man when he conducted this performance in Berlin. He undoubtedly sympathized with the feelings of the composer when the work was written. As always, Karajan is in complete control; powerful in the great climaxes and lovingly sensitive in the many moments of wistful introspection in the mighty slow movement - perhaps the greatest symphonic slow movement ever written. In short, this is a great performance and a fine tribute to a great composer and a great conductor. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Forget the music, look at me.
Avoid this DVD if you are interested in the music and not in watching Von Krajan pose and show his "pretty face"

Viva Vivaldi!
This performance was taped 17 years ago so the video quality isn't that sharp by today's standards, but the audio is excellent. The new building - The Chamber Music Auditorium of the Berlin Philharmonic - is beautiful and perfect for such a performance. Mutter's playing is up to her usual lofty standards, and of course maestro Herbert Von Karajan (he and Mutter are my reasons for granting the five stars) is larger than life, although he was obviously beginning to weaken at this point and sadly needed assistance in standing. (He passed less than two years after this taping.) Also provided on the DVD are backgrounds on Von Karajan and the new auditorium. Overall an excellent presentation of Vivaldi's masterpiece.

too romantic of an interpretation
i love Mutter but too much vibrato, not the way i would like too hear vivaldi, i saw this dvd twice, and the second time only because my viola teacher wanted to watch it, don't waste your money, move on.

Vivaldi and HvK- A beautiful friendship
The 5.1 mix is very lush and smooth. If you enjoy entertaining with background music or just like to "kick it up a notch", you'll really enjoy this disc. For some reason, a lot of the
von Karajan DVD's are not in 5.1, but go ahead and buy this one, you will NOT be disapointed

Quantitative Evaluation
Audio Merits:7/10; Video Merits:8/10; Musical Merits:9/10; Artistic Performance:10/10; DVD Extras:7/10; Recording Total Quality:8/10. Professor's Comment: BPO is not appropriate for Baroque! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another Karajan's masterpiece
I really cannot be objective if I have to make a comment about a concert conducted by the maestro Von Karajan. What I can say is that it is a pity that all of his Legacy for Home Video concerts have not been re-issued and I feel lucky that I could get some of them. In this concert you will find a variety of composers who range from Ravel to Karl Maria von Weber. If you have the chance to buy it, do not hesitate to do so and good luck in your journey into the magic world of classical music. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An interesting video of an outstanding person
Ever since I decided to start listening to classical music, one of the names that appeared again and again was the name Herbert von Karajan. I didn't know why he was so important, so I decided to buy this video to learn more about this peculiar character. I really enjoyed it very much and I could understand a bit more the world that surrounds a conductor. What is great is that all the interviews are in the original language with subtitles in English. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Power and energy.
In this extraordinary recording we can find all the positive topics of the remarkable maner of conducting of Karajan. A big intensity in all the work by Prokofiev thanks to the marvellous sections of the Berliner Philarmonikder with an incredible modern sound. The sound and the realization of the video are also very good. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Mozart at his best"
This is a once in a lifetime historical event captured on video which should occupy a space in everyone's home. You can witness the "splendor of Mozart" performed at St Peter's Cathedral with it's incredible accoustics. The voices of Kathleen Battle, Gosta Winbergh, Trudeliese Schmidt and Ferruccio Furlanetto fill and embrace the structure with Maestro Herbert von Karajan in command bringing perfection to a new and higher level.

Outstanding
You want to know what perfection means? Then, let yourself be taken to it by this video. It is a masterpiece of Mozart. It is Karajan at his best. The Agnus Dei is particularly fabulous. The soprano, Kathleen Battle, is really outstanding! But take into account that it is a mass. Therefore, to listen to the music, you must attend mass at St. Peter's Cathedral, Vatican. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Karajan is Electrifying
This is a very good collection to have. Karajan does not disappoint you: brings out the best in him, the orchestra and Beethoven. It also gives the viewer that chance to see his very unique conducting style and as always an electric performance. It also includes and incredible performance by Ms. Mutter that brings out the best in her.

I gave it only 4 stars because you could not see or get a feel of the audience. It would have been much better if the audience reaction to this music were also included. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must for any Opera and Music fan
Very well recorded and edited like any other Karajan
records . Superb performance by Norman , and a touching end.

One of the best Salzburg performances
A very well edited and beatiful and moving performance of
Mr. Karajan and Jessie Norman.
Worthwile to have it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

a magical evening of infectuously fun music making
karajan told an interviewer that this concert reinvigorated him. he had been in much pain and, to be frank, had been producing much joyless music making for quite some time. before this concert karajan restudied these scores and put his heart, soul, and mind into this 'very theraputic concert'
the sense of fun that karajan had here is infectuous. this is as much fun as his decca recording of fledermaus.
too, his masterly sense of direction is a joy to watch. he controls the crowds clapping with merely a glance.
the staged dances (one with horses) adds to the sheer spectacle of the evening. by the time its over you really feel you were there and this is undoubtedly the best of the 'his legacy' films.
one MAJOR complaint to sony. while sony has released some of the more inferior editions (the bach and vivaldi concerts-two composers karajan simply was not aesthetically suited to) they have yet to release the brilliant (and his final) bruckner 8th
( a performance that floored leonard bernstein), the bruckner 9th or the strauss ein heldenleben. lets hope their releases are imminent.

New Year's Party
This is one of the best DVDs from "Hebert von Karajan Legacy for Home Video" series. Apart from the beautifull music there are several (good) surprises as the orquestra plays the famous Strauss's partitures. This is probably the only video that shows Karajan laughing, smiling and interacting with the audience. The musicians and the public also seem to be very pleased with this party .

Get the Carlos Kleiber
Not at all impressive when you have the likes of Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in the same repertoire on DVD. The orchestra responds with allot more finesse to Kleiber.

Boring
One of the great tragedies of European music. Karajan. Brilliant showman but mediocre musician. We in Vienna use to cringe when the band master rode into town. And to add insult to injury, our then greedy orchestra invited him to conduct the venerable New Year Day concert. It was the first time since 1973 that my family did not attend the event. We instead, listened to a wonderful Boskovsky record with our beloved orchestra.

The Best of the Best
This concert is one that I would have liked to attend. A living leyend in the most celebrated concert of the year. This concert is just great, there is no doubt that even though Herbert Von Karajan was pretty old when he directed the concert, he did not lose his special spell while directing. The DVD has extra information about the composer and all the masterpieces played in this concert. About the repertory, what can I say? It seems that they chose the best of the best music by Strauss so that it could be played all at the same concert with such a leyend directing. Also, another highlight is that Kathleen Battle sings the waltz "Voices of Spring" ("Frühlingsstimen"). Her lovely voice illuminates the whole event even more. The only bad thing of it -to me personally- is that in my favorite waltz "The Emperor Waltz" ("Kaiser-Waltzer") the orchestra is not shown playing, instead they show a beautiful performance of dancers while the music plays -which is beautiful- All in all, the whole performance is fabulous and you will be surprised of many things that you will see when you buy this DVD, because I'm sure that you will buy it!!!!!. ... Read more