Tchaikovsky DG Karajan box

Been listening to this 8CD box, not sure I like too many of the performances, although the 1964 Pathetique is a pretty good performance of a work I don't particularly like. The late symphonies are different performances than the DG double set which date from the 1970s. The First Symphony is good but I prefer MTT (DG) and Jansons.

Haven't got to Ferras' concerto yet, I like his Brahms and Sibelius recordings so I might be pleasantly surprised. The ballet suites CD seems very brash in terms of sound.

One point is that I think this is the first time this Romeo and Juliet may have been on CD, not to be confused with his VPO Decca and late digital DG versions.

One question I have is, why the hell didn't they put Berman's recording of the First Concerto in instead of Richter's, for the following reasons:

1 Berman's seems generally to be better, but I agree that's a matter of opinion; 2 it isn't currently available when we've all got the coupling with Richter's Rach 2; 3 it's with the same orchestra (the BPO) as the rest of the box, rather than the VSO.

Strange...they might even have got some rmcr people to buy the entire box who were desperate to get their hands on Berman's recording - which doesn't seem to get mentioned whenever recommendations for the concerto are raised.

By all means seek it out. Outside of Heifetz, it's one of my fav's.

Because there are those who believe that if it is old and by Richter it must be better than anything -even if the performance is dry, boney, and un-characterful.

The Berman is good. There are those who want to say that Berman is shrouded by Karajan's steroid laden Berlin Philharmonic, but so be it. It's played to the hilt and the expansiveness of the opening is strong. By the way have you heard the Vinyl edition of this recording? It sounds much better than the coldly transferred Gallerlia CD edition (which disappeared from U.S. stores a long time ago).

The Berman is great. I hadn't realized that it was out of print. I think that was my first Tchaikovsky cd (it's coupled with the violin concerto.) Well I wouldn't be surprised if it appeared or will appear on bro.

David Whitbeck

DGG seems to make quite a few odd duplicative coupling choices, not just this one.

For my tastes, the symphonies, Roccoco Variations and orchestral recordings included in this set are very good, with the exception of the 1812 Overture, where the use of the Don Cossak Choir annoys me terribly. My favorite recording of this pot-boiler is Dorati's old Mercury recording. Neither the Richter PC1 nor the Ferras VC did anywhere near as much for me, unfortunately, although I think the Ferras recording sounds more involved. The Richter and Karajan team sounds uncharacteristically uninvolved to me.

Another prime, U.S.D.A choice, faux pas that Universal made recently concerns their new Karajan forever (or whatever they're called) releases. On the two disc Brahms set they could have finally remastered and released Karajan's very fine mid-sixties recordings of the complete symphonies in one complete package.( Previously they have been released in some here or there Galleria or other editions, separately in old transfers.) Instead, they re-released a hodge-podge of his very average 1970's and 1980's cycles. Why, I don't know.

Maybe not one of the greatest recordings of that work, but some of us rather like the pianist, and wish to have it for that reason. (I've already got DGG 423 224-2, so not an issue here. And yes, I've also got Schwann CD 11644.)