Search - Karajan, Bpo :: Legend

Tribute to a forgotten violinist

Accidental Tourist | Paris, France | 12/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Austrian maestro will probably be spinning in his grave, but I bought this disk to get the two Bach violin concertos, recorded with the French violinist Christian Ferras - who, in his prime years, was firmly in the major league as Oistrakh, Milstein, inter alia.



Ferras made this recording in St Moritz in 1966, probably with his newly-acquired Milanollo Teresa (for those who believe it is the violin - and not the violinist - that explains the sound). Against a typical Karajanish orchestration, Ferras managed to maintain his trademark warm, bright, cantabile melody line that defended every bit his status as a loyal disciple of Enesco. Nonetheless, for reasons that even the meticulous research of Ferras' biographer could not find, Karajan had decided never to publish these concertos while he was alive. And why, we may never know.



It seems obvious that Ferras has made big efforts to accomodate Karajan's vision while recording these two pieces (eg the conspicuous absence of his signature vibratos). But then if these two "symphonies with violin" does not fit the taste of Karajan while he was alive, I would surely recommend you to buy them as a nice version of the two Bach concertos in your collection. A tasteful reflection of the art of Christian Ferras - even though not at its most typical.



The other tracks are all re-issues - most classics lovers will probably have them in their collection already."

The Stuff Legends Are Made Of

Trevor Gillespie | San Jose, California United States | 10/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That's what Herbert von Karajan had. On this CD, you get Dvorak's 8th Symphony, Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony, Bach's Violin Concerto, and opera highlights of Mozart and Bizet. Truly it is an artist's palette of music. This compilation, I am sure, aims at showing the true flexibility of Karajan as a conductor. He was just at home with baroque as he was the ultra romanticism of Tchaikovsky as well, he was the consummate opera conductor. Although, the opera cast in the recordings on this compilation aren't top notch, the music is what is important, and Karajan delivers."