Product Details

• Actors: von Karajan, Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mutter
• Directors: Ozawa
• Format: Classical, Color, Widescreen
• Language: English (PCM)
• Subtitles: Italian, German, English, French, Spanish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: EUROARTS
• DVD Release Date: February 24, 2009
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001OBT3FC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,214 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #15 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Performing Arts
  • #42 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Symphonies > General
  • #44 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Special Interests

Editorial Reviews

HERBERT VON KARAJAN:MEMORIAL CONCERT - Blu-Ray Mov

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars desert island disc--a real gem of a concert, April 1, 2009

By 

Chhan Thuan Kiat "Pediatrician & music nut" (Brunei Darussalam) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Herbert von Karajan: Memorial Concert [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

This celebratory concert(100th anniversary of Karajan's birth)recorded at the dazzling Golden hall of Vienna's Musikverein on 28 Jan 2008, is arguably the best concert disc on Blu ray that I've seen so far. Featuring Anne Sophie Mutter in stunning form musically, playing Beethoven's violin concerto, the work with which she has performed more times with her late mentor Karajan than any other work,and supported by the Berliners in sparkling form,with immaculate conducting from Seiji Ozawa, this is a must have for music lovers. Yes one may have heard the Beethoven a hundred times but when performed with such panache and virtuosity,one hears it again afresh. The picture quality is first class and the recorded audio in PCM 5.1 is brilliant with great dynamic range and a surround ambience that almost makes one feel one were in a concert hall. In the larghetto Mutter coaxed the most amazing tones from her instrument and with lucid accompaniment from the woodwinds particularly the bassoon this was a movement to cherish. This is a lush and romantic reading , the soloist relishing in the musical nuances of this Mount Everest of violin concertos. The final movement too is played with great aplomb. The solo violin Partita( Sarabande) by JS Bach was a refreshing sorbet before the next major work, Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony, and here too one sees Ozawa urging the BPO in a dramatic account with exciting sonic dynamics very well recorded . How the audience responded. What a concert . If you buy just one music disc this year, buy this one!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a word to support the above review, September 19, 2009

By 

John E. Martell Jr. (Kalamazoo, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Herbert Von Karajan: Memorial Concert (DVD)

I have watched this DVD several times now and have been overwhelmingly impressed by it. The Beethoven and Tchaikovsky are brilliantly played. The soloist, conductor,orchestra and setting could not be better. Each piece is a thrill to listen too. And watch the performers and the audience respond to one another. You will catch some of the enormous excitement of this performance. High emotion runs like a powerful undercurrent in the whole production.

I think the above reviewer has said most else of what needs to be said about this outstanding performance. I would only add that there is no better performance of either the Beethoven or Tchaikovsky on DVD of which I am aware.

Buy this. You will very pleased that you did and have many an enjoyable evening watching it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes for a Delightful Evening, November 4, 2009

By 

David Bower (Houston, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Herbert von Karajan: Memorial Concert [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

When this disc came in I immediately played the Tchaikovsky 6th and found it very enjoyable. The sound is outstanding but one needs to manually select the 5.1 option each time it's played. The stereo version seems to leave much lacking but the 5.1 version provides an exciting ride.

The Beethoven is also well done which all together provides a fairly satisfying evening's listening.

I tried listening to the audio only, no picture, just to check my reaction on a comparative basis to some other recordings I have of the 6th. I have to say von Karajan's digital surround recording of the 6th on DTS is probably more exciting but the uncompressed audio on this disc does give it a distinct audio advantage.

I would say that anyone who enjoys a colorful performance will enjoy this one; I'm glad I've added it to my collection.