Product Details

• Actors: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic, Ludwig van Beethoven
• Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (PCM Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Sony
• DVD Release Date: September 5, 2000
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305849358
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,293 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

BEETHOVEN:SYMPHONY 6 PASTORAL - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Perfoermances -- Monument to a Conductor, June 29, 2000

By 

Dan Sherman (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video: Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphonies 6 'Pastorale' & 7 (DVD)

At this point, Sony has released all of its von Karajan performances of the Beethoven symphonies on five DVDs. They are all very good performances, created for film (rather than concert performance) in the early 80s. Von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic, his personal orchestra, and the performance is as much von Karajan as Beethoven. Musically, these are very fine performances, with von Karajan in absolute control of the orchestra which plays very precisely. These are the performance as he wanted to present them -- smooth, well thought-out, and note-perfect.

There is probably no right way to put symphonic music onto film -- these productions (made by conductor's own film company) spend most of their time focused on the conductor with cut-away shots to both individual and groups of instrumentalists (also singers in the 9th), usually focusing on the instruments themselves rather than the players.

It is fascinating to watch von Karajan -- his authority in the music and with this orchestra are clear thoughout each performance. He conducts without a baton and uses his whole body to conduct, though not in a distracting way (I am thinking of Leonard Bernstein here).

The sound and picture on these DVDs are excellent; the sound is truly comparable to a well-recorded CD. The soundtrack is available both in stereo and also an excellent 5.1 Dolby mix. The disks have a set of program notes and a biography of von Karajan.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's good but, February 9, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video: Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphonies 6 'Pastorale' & 7 (DVD)

This is a good recording. Good sound quality.
The Beethoven Symphonies recorded by Karajan and the Berlin Phil. in the 70's have more energy and aparkle.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not too fast!, December 14, 2002

By 

Jaime Valenzuela Orrego (Chile) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video: Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphonies 6 'Pastorale' & 7 (DVD)

Many reviewers argue that Karajan plays too fast. I am not a musician, but if you compare this DVD with Solti's, the latter, in my opinion, is boring, too slow. Who knows how Beethoven would has play it? Course I do not, but this symphony played as Karajan does, is much more strong and full of emotions than played slower. I really like the seventh played fast. Karajan is the best playing Beethoven.