Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8 & 9 / Rosamunde Overture, d. 485,589,759,787,944

Franz [Vienna] Schubert (Composer), Herbert von Karajan (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
• Composer: Franz [Vienna] Schubert
• Audio CD (February 15, 2005)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B0002XV2YS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,879 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #31 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Languages > German
  • #40 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Historical Periods > Romantic (c.1820-1910)
  • #89 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > General Modern

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sterling 9th, June 15, 2006

By 

Matt "musician" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8 & 9 / Rosamunde Overture, d. 485,589,759,787,944 (Audio CD)

You know, maybe there is just something to a composers Symphony No. 9. Beethoven, Bruckner and Schubert all had amazing 9th Symphonies, but I digress. This CD is worth the money (which isn't very much) just to hear "The Great" C Major Symphony. I haven't found a better recording of it anywhere. Once again, Karajan turns out a gem.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Karajan marches on, January 31, 2007

By 

King Lemuel "Trust, but verify" (Puyallup, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8 & 9 / Rosamunde Overture, d. 485,589,759,787,944 (Audio CD)

It is interesting to read the comments about Karajan. Those in the Beethoven section often loose sight that he did record stuff other than Beethoven's symphonies. Or they think he slighted the piano concertos when after all he did make several runs at those including mono recordings from the 50s. Or there will be comments about the sound he gets, too pure, too pretty. "I just can't like it, it sounds too good."

Karajan recorded just about everything from the Baroque Masters to Richard Strauss. He also headed up numerous music festivals and operas. To see what I mean, do a search either here or at Ebay on Karajan and opera. He was one busy productive dude. And he delighted millions both in live performances and all those vinyl gems he left us now bing ported over to cd.

I have these recordings that were issued on vinyl by Angel records in association with the book of the month club from way back when.

Karajan's recordings span from the 1930s to the late 1980s. Kinda like the Duke and all them westerns. He led the best orchestras in Europe (Vienna, Berlin, the Philharmonia to name three) and made records with them year end and year out for over 50 years. He also pushed the technology envelope and took advantage of digital when it first came out and video. Often the arguements about Karajan have to do with which version of such and such is best! "They all sound good, but I like his mono version with the Philharmonia best."

All this activity in conducting and recording over so many years paid major dividends. Like Bohm, I have seldom heard one of Karajan's lps and thought that he laid an egg! The reason why he is soooo popular is that he consistenly put out top notch work. You may find better individual performances but chances are you will not get an ear infection from listening to his recordings.

This inexpensive set is a good way to test the non Beethoven Karajan waters if you have not done so already. Or, you may give his great Schumann or Tchaikovsky Symphony recordings a try.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Karajan's Schubert Cycle Reissued for Cheap!, March 13, 2005

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Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8 & 9 / Rosamunde Overture, d. 485,589,759,787,944 (Audio CD)

EMI's new "Gemini" series is a breath of fresh air amidst all the smoke being put forth recently by the major classical labels. While Sony is deleting most of their classical budget discs, BMG is raising theirs to mid-price and UNI is convinced that 3CDs are always better than one, EMI decides to start a two-fer line that sells for significantly less than the competition, not to mention their own "Double Forte" series. It might not be as cheap as the old "Seraphim" series, but they could certainly be charging more for quality recordings such as these.

Herbert von Karajan's Schubert Symphony Cycle, made between 1975-78 for EMI with the Berlin Philharmonic, has been available previously on CD in the "Karajan Edition." However, those discs, released as four single titles with two Symphonies each, were twice the price of these new reissues. These performances of Symphonies 5, 6, 8 & 9 plus the Rosamunde Overture are certainly solid, but Karajan was never celebrated as a conductor of Schubert. One wonders if that is why DG had a young Lorin Maazel record the Schubert Symphonies with the Berliners instead of Herbie at the dawn of the stereo age, and that ultimately EMI had him record this Cycle because it was something he hadn't yet done for DG. In any event, I would certainly recommend the Bohm boxed set on DG or the Kertesz on London/Decca (see my review of the latter) ahead of these performances. But considering how cheap these two double discs are, maybe picking up an extra Schubert Cycle is worth it after all.