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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is an amazing recording of a thrilling and underrated symphonic poem. The incredible sonorities which Karajan extracts from the Berlin Philharmonic are a joy to behold. The work features highlights which rank with the best of any of his orchestral compositions.
The depiction of the sunrise that opens the work recalls the power of the famous introduction to Also Sprach Zarathustra. The 20 descriptive episodes that follow fill the listener with a tremendous sense of adventure. The awesome climaxes which Karajan and the BPO generate during the 'On the summit' and 'Vision' sections may just blow your socks off. After the lyrical 'Sunset' and 'Epilogue' sections the work closes where it began: in the hushed and shadowy sound-world of night.
I would whole-heartedly recommend this recording to anyone with an interest in Strauss, or the genre of the symphonic poem. The recording itself cannot be faulted.
Most music reference books do not list An Alpine Symphony as a recommended work. It has been criticised as a piece that is more a succession of highlights rather than an integrated work. I feel this is unfair as the same argument could be levelled at many of Strauss's symphonic poems given the descriptive depth of detail contained in the music which often portrays vastly differing episodes in the programme, frequently in succession (surely Don Quixote, Ein Heldenleben and Also Sprach Zarathustra suffer from the same problems?).
I urge you to listen to An Alpine Symphony and make up your own mind. In my opinion this work - like the remainder of Strauss's symphonic poems - is one of continued inspiration and invention. And with Karajan on top form with the BPO, this is truly an unforgettable sound odyssey.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
There are more violent Alpine journeys by Solti, Ashkenazy and Mravinsky, but this monumental recording by Karajan/BPO is the one I always come back to, for its rarified beauty, incomparable atmosphere, and the sheer sublimity of the music making. If you love Strauss' tone poems, this is definitely a must-buy alongside Haitink's towering, noble account of the same work.
It's a shame that this Karajan Gold reissue has lost some of the magical atmosphere of the very first original issue, while enhancing clarity of the sound.
It's a shame that this Karajan Gold reissue has lost some of the magical atmosphere of the very first original issue, while enhancing clarity of the sound.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Recorded in 1981, this is the best version of this five-star work I possess. The murmurings in the deep bass prior to the dawn seem clearer that in my other versions, so that I can hear such things as solo tremolo strings in the mix. There is a blazing sunrise, but the cellos then sound a little tinny once the ascent commences. Perhaps the sound is constrained by the 1980s technology. The hunting horns, however, sound wonderful.
Not everything is perfect. The brass leading up to the waterfall sound strangely winded and there are bum notes here and there. The view from the summit is stupendous, but again one senses some restraint in the sound. The trumpet solo is wonderfully well to the fore in the `Vision' section. The storm is scarily dramatic and the sunset rightfully rich. The epilogue is beautifully played.
This may be the best interpretation in my collection, but it is well over twenty years old now and there is room for improvement. I am seeking a broader vision that I have yet to hear on CD. Nonetheless, for now, this one is the one I will pull out of the collection if I want to go hiking in the Alps.
Not everything is perfect. The brass leading up to the waterfall sound strangely winded and there are bum notes here and there. The view from the summit is stupendous, but again one senses some restraint in the sound. The trumpet solo is wonderfully well to the fore in the `Vision' section. The storm is scarily dramatic and the sunset rightfully rich. The epilogue is beautifully played.
This may be the best interpretation in my collection, but it is well over twenty years old now and there is room for improvement. I am seeking a broader vision that I have yet to hear on CD. Nonetheless, for now, this one is the one I will pull out of the collection if I want to go hiking in the Alps.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Classics
I have always been an admirer of Karajan and the BPO, mainly for the excellent sound. Karajan passed away more than 20 years ago but his CDs are still selling for he has the gift... Read more
Published 10 months ago by D Chan
Very impressive recording with some minor reservations
I bought this recording mainly out of curiosity to see what all the hype was about and to discover if Karajan's conception of this piece really did deserve all the critical... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Classical Musician
Eine Alpensinfonie
Anyone needing a definitive recording of this wonderful music, this is it. The music is as glorious and evocative as any of Strauss's works and the sound-world he creates is... Read more
Published on 20 Mar 2010 by A. J. Cornish
a true test of your sound system
This is a listening experience unique in the world of classical music and is a test of any sound system and its ability to pick up on tiny nuances as well as cope with the... Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2009 by inch worm
WoahawoahwoahAAAARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is only on thing to do with this CD: turn your hifi as loud as you can bear and submit yourself to probably the most thrilling experience ever achieved in audio. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2001
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