Wes Crone wrote:

>I have come to really enjoy Karajan's performances of Brahms and Mahler.
>recently I have come to the conclusion that Karajan's conducting is
>despised by many people for some reason.  I would like to hear from those
>who dislike him and/or his conducting.  I would also like to hear from
>those who like him awell as I do and hear their thoughts on the subject.
>Personally, I don;t see anything wrong with his work.  I don;t think I ma
>a lesser person because I like it.

I don't know why, but it seems to me alot of people have a love-hate
realtionship with HvK.  Personally, there are some discs that I will
avoid when I see that Karajan is involved, on the other hand, there are
some discs that I have with him that I personally adore.  An old Wagner
overtures disc on EMI and his Mahler Symphony no.5 on DG, part of DG's
Originals Series are two that I really treasure.  The sound is glorious
on the Mahler disc and the Berlin players really shine in this one.  The
openning alone gives me shivers.  This the Herbert von Karajan that I
really love.

However, when I see recordings of Karajan doing Bach's St.  Matthew's
Passion, I cringe.  Perhaps needlessly, I don't know, but I just know
that I will hate it.

Milan Gowin
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http://www.ualberta.ca/~mgowin/