Search - Johann II [Junior] Strauss, Johann I [Senior] Strauss, Josef Strauss :: Johann Strauss: Walzer & Polkas [Germany]

Karajan at his best

Ralph Ferdingstadt | Ashland, OR | 10/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD hoping it contained the famous version of "The Blue Danube" used in the movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey, which I knew was conducted by Herbert Von Karajan, with the Berlin Philharmonic. Knowing nothing more than that this CD featured both performing Strauss, I took a chance and bought it anyway and was rewarded with this all-digital recording from 1980, which although it does not contain the performance I hoped, well exceeded my expectations. "The Blue Danube" here is as on-the-money as the movie version and the remainder of the disc is filled with far more great selections and performances than I dreamed. I am fast becoming a Karajan fan, and here's yet another reason why.



I see they finally updated this listing to include titles. But I'll keep my list up for now for the additional information:



Johann Strauss II (1825-1899)

1. Die Fledermaus (The Bat) Overture

2. Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz) Op. 437

3. Perpetuum mobile (Movement perpétuel) Op. 257 (Musical Joke)

4. G'schichten aus dem Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods) op. 325 (Walzer)

5. Unter Donner und Blitz (Thunder and Lightning) Op. 324

6. Rosen aus dem Süden (Roses from the South) op. 388 (Walzer)



Johann Strauss (father) (1804-1849)

7. Radetzky-Marsch op. 228



Johann Strauss II (1825-1899)

8. An der schönen, blauen Donau (The Blue Danube Waltz) op. 314 (Walzer),

9. Leichtes Blut (Light of Heart) op. 319 (Polka schnell)



Josef Strauss (1827-1870)

10. Delirien-Walzer (Delirium Waltz) op. 212



Johann Strauss II (1825-1899)

11. Auf der Jagd (Hunting) op. 373 (Polka schnell)"

Oh Boy!

David Saemann | 08/20/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These recordings come from the early 1980's, when Karajan was still at one of the peaks of his career. The playing of the Berlin Philharmonic on this album simply is phenomenal. The phrasing, the sonority, the elasticity--all of this is at an unmatched level. In fact, you may wonder if Johann Strauss really requires all this intensity. There are many beautiful moments. The Die Fledermaus Overture was a Karajan specialty, and here it has wonderful rhythmic snap and sparkle. The zither soloist in Tales from the Vienna Woods is the best I've ever heard, and the performance as a whole rivals Stokowski's with the National Philhamonic. The Blue Danube features more repeats than usual, and Karajan almost loves it to death. Ormandy's Columbia recording may not be surpassed, but Karajan's is in the same league. Josef Strauss's Delirien Waltz receives a treatment fully in tune with its strangeness, an interesting sidebar to the rest of the program. The sound engineering is unusually good digital for this period. I collect Johann Strauss anthologies, and while I admire specialists like John Georgiadis and Willi Boskovsky, Karajan's CD definitely has a special place in my affections."