This morning, I return to Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989), the Berliner Philharominiker, and Beethoven’s incomparable Symphony No. 5 in C minor.
We’ve had a blustery, cold, rainy Fall here in West Michigan. October is my favorite month – normally.
This year, it’s one of my least favorite. It’s been too cold and rainy to go outside (as it is today), especially for riding a bicycle. After the blazing hot summer we had, my wife and I had been looking forward to Fall to get back on our bikes.
Alas, that hasn’t been the case.
If this cold and wet Fall is a portent of weather to come, Winter is truly going to suck.
I’ve encountered Maestro Karajan four times previously in his legendary 1977 cycle, on…
Day 11. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 29. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 47. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 65. Rating: Almost “Huzzah!”
What will it be today – “Meh!”? Or “Huzzah!”?
I’ll know in a about a half hour.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 5 in C minor), from this particular conductor (Karajan, at age 67-69) and this particular orchestra (Berliner Philharmoniker), at this particular time in history (1975-1977) on this particular record label (Deutsche Grammophon) is as follows:
I. Allegro con brio (C minor)………………………………………………………7:08
II. Andante con moto (A♭ major)…………………………………………..9:28
III. Scherzo: Allegro (C minor)……………………………………………………4:37
IV. Allegro (C major)………………………………………………………………..8:39
Total running time: 29:52
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (nearly perfect; some, but hardly noticeable tape hiss, wonderful dynamic range, a lively, brisk performance)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 4 (slimmer booklet compared to the 1963 cycle, but no less interesting…a missing, but necessary, piece of information: when, exactly, was this recorded? Which day? Which year? Providing a range of 1975-1977 isn’t sufficient for inquiring minds like mine)
How does this make me feel: 4
The opening 4-8 notes of Movement I have the proper gravity and tempo. It’s not rapid-fire like Morse Code. It breathes. The entire movement in the ’77 cycle sounds more comfortable me than it did in the ’63 cycle. Thumbs up on the first movement.
Movement II is lush, grand, spacious, and gorgeous. This is truly a fine performance, the perfect follow up to Beethoven’s heavy, dark Movement I. Thumbs up.
Movement III (Scherzo) is my favorite of this symphony and in my Top Three of all Beethoven movements. There’s something about it that moves me deeply. It’s powerful. And incredibly stirring the second (:17 in) the horns and strings begin that tremendous melody. Thumbs up.
Movement IV is as grand and spectacular as it is supposed to be. Thumbs up.
I can’t help but award this performance the coveted “Huzzah!” rating. It is spectacular – much better than Karajan’s performance from his ’63 cycle yesterday.