Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, Johann Pachelbel :: Albinoni: Adagio for Organ and Strings; Pachelbel: Canon and Gigue

Not for Pachelbel fans

Adrian | Mexico City, Mexico | 05/01/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Karajan was an amazing conductor. Precise, demanding, exacting, but also emotional and deeply sensible to nuances and subtleties of the various works and comosers he conducted. He's amazing with Beethoven and Wagner, for instance.



With Pachelbel, however, something didn't click. I have at least three Karajan recordings of the Canon in D -as well as over 50 other versions- and none are as brief, "martial", cut-and-dry, hurry-up-and-leave like Karajan's. Don't ask me why, but it would seem that conducting Pachelbel was something he didn't enjoy.



The rest of the album, however, is very enjoyable, smooth, melodious, and thoroughly enjoyable and commendable.



So, in a nutshell: if you've had it with Pachelbel's Canon in D, this is a great recording for you. If, on the other hand, you really love the Canon, skip it while playing this album or, for that matter, any of Karajan's recordings of it, where you'll also find this report, as I have collected them all: my acoustical masochism knows no boundaries.



I hope this helps you in your selection. Enjoy!

"

A Nice Introduction to Baroque Music . . .

Johnny Bard | Orlando, FL | 09/20/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Karajan disc is a nice introduction to Baroque music. Karajan records some of the better known Baroque compositions, and the results are very pleasing. The sound is full without sounding sappy or syrupy. Since this disc is ADD (and recorded in the early 1970's), there's some background hiss, but it's only noticeable between tracks. The remastering has also somewhat dampened the overall sound (which is characteristic of Deutsche Grammophon's analog-to-digital transfers, versus Philips or Sony remasterings).Nevertheless, Karajan leads the Berliner Philharmoniker through nice interpretations of pieces composed by the likes of Albinoni and Vivaldi. True, there are better, DDD recordings of these same pieces available, but Karajan offers a large orchestral interpretation that serves as a nice alternative to recordings by smaller, 'period-piece' ensembles . . . and that's not such a bad thing. The price of this disc is nice, and the music wonderful."

Good Introduction to Baroque Music . . .

Johnny Bard | Orlando, FL | 09/19/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although I have been collecting compact discs for year, I only really began compiling a Classical CD collection since early 2000 (and today, I own over 350 -- everything from Albinoni to Vivaldi). I had always been aware of the most famous composers of their day: Bach and Vivaldi (Baroque); Haydn and Mozart (18th Century); and Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert (19th Century). But that was about it. Most of the other composers were just names to me, and little more. So where do you begin? I started, and continue to go with, the less expensive Classical discs. Most of the major labels (Deutsche Grammophon, Sony, Philips, etc.) offer a variety of ADD/DDD discs ranging in price... Amazon, too, provides useful direction through its reviews (but there's nothing like listening to the music yourself)....I was a bit skeptical at first, since it was recorded in the early '70's. Being ADD, I knew that I could expect to hear some background hiss (even after remastering). These same pieces have also been recorded countless times by many conductors on other labels (even Karajan recorded them again in the early '80's on DG). But Karajan has quite a reputation (granted, some love him, while others hate him). So I took a chance. And I was not disappointed. Karajan leads the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra through some of the better-known Baroque pieces. There's not getting around the fact that Karajan's style is, for lack of a better work, heavy and dramatic. Interestingly, I didn't find that detrimental to listening to the disc (even though I would never have associated Karajan with Baroque music!). When I think of Vivaldi or Pachelbel, I envision their works being performed by small ensembles -- not by a large German orchestra. But here, it works, and quite well. Albinoni's 'Adagio for Organ and Strings in G-Minor,' for instance, sounds full and fluid -- not syrupy or sappy. Maybe it's a bit heavy and ponderous at times, but at the same time Karajan makes it sound majestic and inspiring. The same can be said for Vivaldi's pieces. Pachelbel's 'Canon and Gigue (D-Major)' sometimes sounds a bit melodramatic here and there, especially for a Baroque composition. Call it Karajan's signature touch. Frankly, I find it a refreshing change from the proliferation of 'period piece' performances (most of which, I must add, sound great).In sum, this Karajan disc provides a great introduction to some of the most famous Baroque pieces. The price is affordable, and the sound quality pretty good (considering it's ADD). There are 'better' performances available that are just as affordable (and DDD): 'Canon and Gugue . . .' on Polydor and 'Favorite Baroque Classics' on Helios. Like the Karajan disc, these offer the same pieces, plus others less recognizable (but no less important). But 'better' is such a relative term -- every conducter will inevitably treat the same exact piece according to his/her style of conducting. In the end, it all comes down to a matter of taste -- and that comes only with listening experience. So for the beginner, this Karajan disc is a great start. And for those who know a little bit (or a lot) about Baroque Music, Karajan's recording offers an altogether different perspective -- sort of a 20th Century interpretation of music from the 17-18th Century . . . not necessarily a bad thing."