Holst: The Planets
£7.99
- 1. Mars, the Bringer of War
- 2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
- 3. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
- 4. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
- 5. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
- 6. Uranus, the Magician
- 7. Neptune, the Mystic - Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan, RIAS Kammerchor, Uwe Gronostay
Not such a stellar experiance - I am probably one of the few not to be overwhelmed by Karajan s Berlin Planets . The sound is sumptuous, but there is much amiss below the surface.Listening carefully, with score in hand, one has the distinct impression that some of the movements were under-prepared, judging by the looseness of the ensemble at times, the sprinkling of split notes and the odd wrong entry. There is also the near-catastrophy at the big climax in Mars where not everybody resolves the suspension on the second bar of the 5/2 - something that clearly should have been re-taken. I do not get any sense of committment here and I have to confess to preferring Karajan s 1961 Vienna recording, although that is not without its blemishes, including the conductor s misunderstanding of the tempo at rehearsal figure V. The Berlin recording sounds to me as if the orchestra is just playing the notes, whereas their Viennese colleagues do seem to be trying to make something out of the piece (and, despite Ray Minshull s assertation in his booklet note that the players were unfamiliar with The Planets , many of them would have recorded the suite with Sir Adrian Boult in 1959 for the Westminster label, wearing their Vienna State Opera Orchestra hats).
Stunning - There seems to be something of a general consensus among classical record fans that Karajan s latter-day digital recordings are a pale shadow of his earlier, analogue recorded greatness. Although this could be true as far as his Beethoven Symphonies cycle is concerned, he did make some very fine recordings towards the end of his life, and this 1981 recording of Holst s masterpiece is certainly one of them, with excellent early digital sound recorded in well-balanced stereo, and Karajan s mastering of the enormous forces of the Berlin Philharmonic managing to create some awe-inspiring beauty for Mercury and Venus, a terrifying and loud Mars, a stirring Jupiter, and an ethereal Neptune, with much to enjoy in between. Definitely one of Karajan s finest recordings and one of the best The Planets out there, this is excellent for newcomers to the work and dedicated fans alike.
simply brilliant - A slightly old recording of around 20 years old, but an absolute classic. Karajan and the Berlin Philarmonic are simply playing at their subliminal best. The score is phenomenal and the recording masterful and of absolute clarity. The opening Mars still puts a tingle down my spine, as does the lively and wonderously bright Jupiter . Definately worth adding to your collection, if you like Holst. Hearing it on Castle Howard speakers and the finest hifi money can buy will blow you away!