Adagios - Herbert von Karajan

Advantages: The music, the chorus, the memorable melody
Disadvantages: None

...of joy!”. The chorus joins in with an esculent tribute to brotherhood. Whether or not you agree with the politics behind the extension of the European Union on the 1st of May this year, it is easy to see the reasoning behind the choice of this piece of work as the official anthem for the EU The Performers Vienna Singverein / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Agnes Baltsa, Peter Schreier, José Van Dam The Conductor Herbert von Karajan Date of Release 1st march 1987 The Cost From £6.99 Availability Most good music shops and on line from www.amazon.co.uk... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Subtle, Expressive, Beautiful Performances
Disadvantages: Pricey but worth the cost

...Every classical music fan will probably have a collection of Brahm's four symphonies around somewhere, but for tonal clarity, poetic beauty and the milking of every orchestral and melodic subtlety I have heard no better than Karajan's rendition with the BPO. The first is clear and bright, with a truly haunting adagio and nice pace to the finale. There are other performances of the 2nd that I prefer, but this gave me new insights into the form, Karajan paying particular attention to crisply defined structure rather than over-Romanticising Brahms' score. The highlight, however, has to be the tumultuously powerful 4th symphony, in which both form and drama fuse marvellously, especially at the culminating final moments of the first and fourth movements. Forget the lower rate orchestral versions around the web, this is worth every penny... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Smooth voiced protagonists, nice sound
Disadvantages: Slightly tame Escamillo, maybe lacking in some french style

...to the role but his voice is not in as fine form as Domingo's was in the late 70s and Domingo has a more powerful and arguably beautiful voice than some of the competition (Shicoff, Alagna, Lamberti etc). Domingo has good french altough he has a strong spanish accent, which might distract native speakers. The baritone, Sherrill Milnes has lots of vocal glamour but lacks something in french style. His toreador's song seems a little tame in comparison with that of Robert Merrill, that other famous American baritone, on the older baritone's recording with Leontyne Price as Carmen, Herbert von Karajan conducting. This recording has recently been cut down to midprice and at that level it is a complete steal. The sound is very good and the conducting is dramatic but not forced. Maybe not for purists after 100% french style - they could maybe choose... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful