Karajan/VPO Bruckner 7

[richardfinegold]

Was at Harold Moore CD shop today and I was able to purchase this CD. It was listed as unavailable in the States on Amazon a few months ago but was available at cdjapan for about twice the 14 pounds I paid today. I used to have this a have pined for it since it went missing, as I think that the VPO Bruckner recordings were amongst HvK last and are for me the apex of his art.
It made me smile after I was disgruntled earlier in the morning after our tour guide tried to kill me and my 83 year old mother in law by getting our party of 13 from the British Museum to her special vantage point for watching Changing Of The Guard in 5 minutes flat, including two separate tube rides.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think the Bruckner 7 was the very last HvK recording. I have it in the bumper VPO symphony box set.

[Petrushka]

This was actually Karajan's last recording, Richard. As I have the recording in the Karajan 1980s box and also the original CD issue you could have had the latter for free had you mentioned it!

London taxi drivers don't usually like to be requested to get somewhere in nought seconds flat. They have their lives, other people's lives and licence to think about.

EDIT: EA got there first while I was musing about London taxi drivers.

[richardfinegold]

This was actually Karajan's last recording, Richard. As I have the recording in the Karajan 1980s box and also the original CD issue you could have had the latter for free had you mentioned it!

London taxi drivers don't usually like to be requested to get somewhere in nought seconds flat. They have their lives, other people's lives and licence to think about.

EDIT: EA got there first while I was musing about London taxi drivers.

It wasn't a taxi

That would have been interesting with 13 people. We were asked to run through Russel park, change two tube lines, and then sprint through whatever park is in front of Westminster Abbey...which was where mom bailed out, and I wound up keeping her company. Oh well, at least it makes an interesting story

[Petrushka]

Read 'tour guide' as taxi somehow. Well, it's been a tiring day at the office.

[Conchis]

This recording has a reputation as being somewhat 'un-Karajanish' - i.e., 'rougher' than usual, with the edges not blended out.

I've got it but haven't listened in a while: will try to give spin this week.

[richardfinegold]

Did Karajan record the 9th with the VPO at this time?

[Conchis]

Did Karajan record the 9th with the VPO at this time?

No: I don't think he did a 'digital' 9th.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Only the 7th & 8th.

[Gordon]

Was at Harold Moore CD shop today and I was able to purchase this CD. It was listed as unavailable in the States on Amazon a few months ago but was available at cdjapan for about twice the 14 pounds I paid today. I used to have this a have pined for it since it went missing, as I think that the VPO Bruckner recordings were amongst HvK last and are for me the apex of his art.
It made me smile after I was disgruntled earlier in the morning after our tour guide tried to kill me and my 83 year old mother in law by getting our party of 13 from the British Museum to her special vantage point for watching Changing Of The Guard in 5 minutes flat, including two separate tube rides.

Glad you found that HvK disc Richard, of all the recordings he made in his lifetime it is one of his best and a swansong too. I have had that Bruckner since it came out. Like many conductors his studio and live recordings show differences. I have always preferred his earlier recordings in London in the 1950s[even though the technology isn't quite as good, much of it mono] and the Decca/DG period in the 60s to those made afterwards when he became more invasive in the technology both for EMI and DG.

As for your rush across London I'm sorry it was stressful. But unless I have missed something, your journey across London is a bit confusing. I assume you started out at the BM, nearest tubes Russell Square or Holborn both on Piccadilly Line, - RS is in the wrong direction to go SW so why did you have to rush across Russell Square, from BM front entrance it's almost the same distance to walk to Holborn? - and I also assume that you were going to Buck House for the Guard Change, nearest tube debatable but probably Green Park also Piccadilly, so why a tube change?? And why go anywhere near Westminster Abbey?? Just curious. BM to BH should take at least 20-25 mins even for able bodied folks.

Incidentally Holborn tube is the stop to go to see the Kingsway Hall Hotel in Queen Street which is built on the site of Kingsway Hall!! All that's left of KH is the portico on Kingsway itself, a couple of hundred metres south of the tube on the west side. It's now a sandwich bar. On your Piccadilly line trip you'd pass beneath it! Anyway I hope the remainder of your trip goes well and the MiL isn't so rushed; you must keep up the travelogue!!

[mathias broucek]

Did Karajan record the 9th with the VPO at this time?

There's a 1985 Karajan **Berlin** 9th on this DVD set.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Herbert-Von-Karajan-Bruckner-Symphonies/dp/B00122M2HE/ref=pd_sim_74_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=14KKNXZVV7JN087JMX13#

Or a spectacular VPO one from 1976

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000025BIB?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

[richardfinegold]

Glad you found that HvK disc Richard, of all the recordings he made in his lifetime it is one of his best and a swansong too. I have had that Bruckner since it came out. Like many conductors his studio and live recordings show differences. I have always preferred his earlier recordings in London in the 1950s[even though the technology isn't quite as good, much of it mono] and the Decca/DG period in the 60s to those made afterwards when he became more invasive in the technology both for EMI and DG.

As for your rush across London I'm sorry it was stressful. But unless I have missed something, your journey across London is a bit confusing. I assume you started out at the BM, nearest tubes Russell Square or Holborn both on Piccadilly Line, - RS is in the wrong direction to go SW so why did you have to rush across Russell Square, from BM front entrance it's almost the same distance to walk to Holborn? - and I also assume that you were going to Buck House for the Guard Change, nearest tube debatable but probably Green Park also Piccadilly, so why a tube change?? And why go anywhere near Westminster Abbey?? Just curious. BM to BH should take at least 20-25 mins even for able bodied folks.

Incidentally Holborn tube is the stop to go to see the Kingsway Hall Hotel in Queen Street which is built on the site of Kingsway Hall!! All that's left of KH is the portico on Kingsway itself, a couple of hundred metres south of the tube on the west side. It's now a sandwich bar. On your Piccadilly line trip you'd pass beneath it! Anyway I hope the remainder of your trip goes well and the MiL isn't so rushed; you must keep up the travelogue!!

The Guide left me pretty confused as well, and not being a native, I may have misspoke. In fairness to her, our tour was to have included Westminster Abbey, but it was closed for a memorial service for the massacre of Srebenicia. I suggested the British Museum replace it, and she gave a fantastic tour there, but I think she underestimated the difficulty getting from there to the changing oh the Guard. Perhaps she should have suggested a Tour of Parliment instead which would have made better sense geographically.
The wife and I did a tour of the Abbey with London Walks tour company today. Good tour, but Gee whiz, the place is essentially a huge cemetery.
I agree that the Swansong Bruckner 7 is more treasurable for sounding "less Karajaninistic" than his other recordings of the work. It sounds like he meant it, and was less concerned with applying the lacquered surface that sometimes would gild the rose on his interpretations

[Gordon]

...The wife and I did a tour of the Abbey with London Walks tour company today. Good tour, but Gee whiz, the place is essentially a huge cemetery.

Well we have been at it a while!! And the Abbey isn't the only place we've buried folks either!

[akiralx]

Did you get the Karajan Gold version, with remastered sound (Original Image Bit-Processed)? This is my favourite Bruckner 7, one of Karajan's finest recordings.

[richardfinegold]

Did you get the Karajan Gold version, with remastered sound (Original Image Bit-Processed)? This is my favourite Bruckner 7, one of Karajan's finest recordings.

That's the one.