In April 2008, Herbert von Karajan would have been 100 years old.  Many publications in CD and DVD greet this birthday.  Here a first turn of horizon of newly reprinted CD that you will be able to find in store. 

It is difficult today, notably seen North America, to imagine to which not at all Herbert von Karajan had a mastery on musical life.  Boss to life of the philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin and of the one of Coming, former deus machined Deutsche Grammophon, it was the classical European music locomotive, a begun ascension in the brown years of Nazi Germany and made real by his taken one of musical strength to Berlin in 1955. 

His pronounced taste for the technologies did the remainder.  The stereophony advent brought it to record the big catalog to Berlin, to Comes and to London.  A time, it had even two “contracts of exclusivity rights”, the one with EMI, the other with DG. 

To the arrival of the compact disc, it was involved himself to melts in the promotion of this new support, that, accessorily, legitimized it of all réenregistrer.  To the all end of his life, it attached himself to constitute an ultimate visual legs, videos climbed in his own cellar and that it confided in Sony (that had just repurchased cbs-columbia) in exchange… construction of a factory of pressage of discs close to at his place in Austria. 

The music strength

On the musical plan also, Karajan had a considerable impact, materializing to Berlin his representation of what had to be an “ideal sonorous body”.  The German word klangkörper of course can translate itself elegantly by “sonorous entity”, but the literal idea of “sonorous body” translates perfectly the organic vision of the sound with Karajan.  And the heart of this tone, this are the ropes. 

In this direction, the orchestral picture carried by Karajan is the illustration more accomplished of the “his German”, that advocates the merger of all the elements in a corpus irrigated by the ropes and opposes itself radically to the “his French”, in which every instrument to wind is considered as a soloist that comes to bring his color key to the body. 

This is for this reason specifies that the fact to see attached on the reissue CD of The Sea of Debussy with DG a self-adhesive one proclaiming “one of the 100 better recordings of all the times according to the magazine Gramophone” has the right to to do to laugh, for even if this is a beautiful recording, it illustrates by the example a hedonistic vision, melted and dynamically corseted, to the exact opposites of.  That does not prevent the envoûtement, but constitutes all except a model

The most surprised one in the career of Herbert von Karajan, this is his “non-career post mortem”.  While the discs of Bride Callas or of Glenn Gould continued to sell itself, more even after their disappearance that of their living one, ubiquitousness and the power of the presence of Karajan on the market practically collapsed in a nothing of time.  All happened as if the music-loving ones too had seen it and decided to turn the page. 

The commercial success of the various commemorative publications to the occasion of the centennial one definitively we will inform on this point.  But what a pity to forget Karajan, for, that one there adheres or no, his legs indicates the quintessence of a unique sonorous ideal, does power and of legato, that marked the year interpretation 1960 to 1990 and opposes itself in all points to the aesthetic one American orchestras of the era. 

Deutsche Grammophon published the first one a commemorative casket of 10 CD in albums boxes embedded in a luxurious casket and resuming visual of era.  This casket sweeps all, first stereo recording (A life of hero of Richard Strauss) to the discovery of the young violoniste Anne-

Sophie Mutter (concerto of Beethoven), while going through the Stupid 1st certo of Tchaïkovski with Sviatoslav Richter, the Requiem of Mozart and the inevitable symphonies of Beethoven (our 3 and 4) and of Brahms (our 2 and 3). 

Other irony of the history, obvious to the réécoute:  Karajan, of which the absolute passion was sonorous ideal, importantly well was not served by the sound engineers: the true plumpness closes ropes of Berlin, the softness that one heard in concert, does not show through really to his just one and full measure in the discs.  For example, the one of the intermezzos of operas suffers as a result tones a little made tense. 

The choices

As such, the casket DG illustrates very well the aesthetic Karajan in the catalogs more varied.  Karajan folding in fact the works to his grinds musical rather than to look for the style of each.  The 1st Concerto of Tchaïkovski, pompously Germanic, or the Requiem of Mozart, cérémonieux and very legato, illustrate that just as well as the disc debussy-ravel aforementioned.  Coronation of the spring by Karajan (interpretation of 1964: a choice surprising when one knows the later version), Stravinski himself had besides reviled the “savagery of parlor”, while very ignored recording Bernstein of 1958, the composer had just says:  “Wow!”  (With reason). 

If you desire a selection of the discs extracts of the casket, the square of have is taken by A life of hero.  More one listens Karajan, more one goes counts than Richard Strauss is “his” composer.  The three heirs apparent of this disc are the “opera Intermezzos”, despite the sonorous aforementioned reserve, the Symphonies n° 3 and n° 4 of Beethoven in 1963, very characteristic of the “claws” Karajan (more than the Brahms of 1964, of which the Second is all except exceptional), as well as the surprise and unrecognized 9th Schubert, rather strange by its priorities and its balances.  This recording of 1969 never had the quotation.  It is nevertheless more personal and partial than many other testimonies, as were it also the 3rd Symphony of Honegger, the 10th one of Chostakovitch or the 5th one of Prokofiev, jewels that do not figure, alas, in the casket. 

DG publishes also a double album of the choices of Eliette von Karajan, extracts without interest, and a luxurious book disc Karajan, the Music, the Legend, understanding a DVD of extracts and a CD of complete works, of which the Concerto for two violins of Bach with Christian Fit with steel and Michel Schwalbé, never published beforehand. 

And for the jollifications to come, of which we will repair yourself, quote DVD with Sony and DG (here and now can buy to you without fear the DVD of the Symphonies n° 4, n° 5 and n° 6 of Tchaïkovski with DG) and, especially, the publication in two immense caskets (symphonic the one of 88 CD, the vocal other of 72 CD) of all the recordings EMI, since 1946.  With DG, only Japan dared a complete one: she totals 240 CD, costs 3000 $ and will be sold in edition limited by subscription! 

Some years ago, the symbolic director of the national Center of lyric artists (CNIPAL) Gérard Founau, about the recruitment of its “students” (17 currently of which 10 foreigners) pointed out me:  “If one has trouble to have ténors, one has some again more to have low”.  Useless to say that it appeared me very happy to the coming from the first recital of three of these young people, while learning me that there were some two in the new promotion (of which a good party, we offered, a little later, a pleasant one “concert of Christmas”).  And it added with pride:  “And of equal talent”.  This talent, one in had a proof with the benefit of Nika Guliashvili programmed with two others interpret (an “hour of tea” misogynous: in reality, their feminine foreseen partners had had engagements to the exterior one) and a pianist Nino Pavlennichvilt, very appreciated in the ungrateful role of accompanist that, in addition, conferred a lot of brilliances to the opening of The magpie thief (Rossini).  All sharply being applauded by the numerous public that had not left, in the home of the Opera, any empty seat.  Thus, the three categories of masculine singers fortunately were represented.  The baritone (type more current), this was with Alec Avedissian giving, in particular, a lot of charm to the serenade of the Gift Giovanni of Mozart; to the enticing stamp, to the supple phrasé, to the perfect style in the opera as in the melody.  The ténor, this was Xin Wang, embodying superbly, among others, the melancholic hero of the of Arles one (Cilea), especially remarkable in muted colors, vocalize them, the nuances of the line of song, the transmission ease; his sharp request to become more “polite”.  The Bulgarian one and this Chinese returning, in an impeccable, articulated French as it is it rarely even by our compatriots, the famous duet of the Fishermen of appears, appropriating itself really the score of Bizet.  At last, that to say of this low one?  Sumptuousness, consistency, volume, power, voice length, and which mastery in the interpretation!  Which in fact already the equal one of the prestigious colleagues and elder of the Georgian Guliashvili (often besides Slavs as him).  Brief, ideal, that this be for the Mozart as for the Rossini and Turned greenen.  Yes, once more, the director of the CNIPAL (and his team) did actually “the good choice”. 

Otto Erich Deutsch, who studied all available letters and documents about the composer, arrived at the following conclusion about what the composer called himself: “In Italy, from 1770, Mozart called himself “Wolfgango Amadeo”, and from about 1777, “Wolfgang Amadè”.

The use of multiple language versions of the same name was perhaps common for composers in Mozart’s day. Joseph Haydn went by “Joseph” (English and French), “Josef” (German), and “Giuseppe” (Italian); and Ludwig van Beethoven likewise published as “Luigi” (Italian) and as “Louis” (French).

Mozart’s preference for “Wolfgang Amadè” can be seen on the wedding contract for his marriage to Konstanze Weber, dated August 3, 1782, where the composer’s signature is “Wolfgang Amade Mozart”. In the parish register entry for the marriage, dated August 4, Mozart is oddly referred to as “Herr Wolfgang Adam Mozart”, perhaps a bureaucratic error caused by the unfamiliarity of the name “Amadè”. Mozart biographer Maynard Solomon has developed a number of speculations on the meaning of “Adam”, under the assumption that its appearance is deliberate.

Mozart’s preference for “Amadè” was not in general respected by others. Frequently, he was called either “Wolfgang Amadeus” or “Wolfgang Gottlieb”, “Gottlieb” being yet another translation (German) of “Theophilus”. Here are examples, all dating from shortly after Mozart’s death.

• In a letter dated December 11, 1791, Mozart’s widow Konstanze, in severe financial straits, asked to be given a pension by the Emperor (the appeal was ultimately successful). She signed herself “Konstantia Mozart, née Weber, widow relict of the late Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.” Imperial officials, replying to her request, used the same name.
• The parish register that recorded Mozart’s death gave his name as “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart”.
• A benefit concert for Mozart’s family was held in Prague on December 28, 1791, billed as “Concert in memory of Wolfgang Gottlieb Mozart”.

Mozart was baptized January 28, 1756, the day after his birth, at St. Rupert’s Cathedral in Salzburg as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. The baptismal register of the cathedral parish contains the entry shown below, written down in Latin by city chaplain Leopold Lamprecht. The parallel five-column format of the original document is rendered here as five consecutive paragraphs. Material in brackets represents editorial additions by Otto Erich Deutsch (see below), intended for clarification.

Januarius. 28. med[ia hora] 11. merid[iana] baptizatus est : natus pridie h[ora] 8. vesp[ertina]

Joannes Chrysost[omus] Wolfgangus Theophilus fil[ius] leg[itimus]

Nob[ilis] D[ominus] Leopoldus Mozart Aulae Musicus, et Maria Anna Pertlin coniuges

Nob[ilis] D[ominus] Joannes Theophilus Pergmayr Senator et Mercator Civicus p[ro] t[empore] sponsus

Idem [Leopoldus Lamprecht Capellanus Civicus]]

Mozart’s first two baptismal names, “Joannes Chrysostomus,” represent his saint’s name, following the custom of the Roman Catholic Church. They result from the fact that his birthday, 27 January, was the feast day of St. John Chrysostom. The document also records that Mozart was of legitimate birth and gives the names of his parents and his father Leopold’s occupation as court musician. The first paragraph indicates that the baptism took place at 10:30 in the morning, and that Mozart had been born at 8:00 the night before.

Here are the details of the various names given on the register:

• “Wolfgangus” is “Wolfgang”, adapted to the Latin used in the parish register. The composer used “Wolfgang” in German-speaking contexts. “Wolfgang” was the name of the composer’s maternal grandfather.

• “Theophilus” comes from Greek and is variously rendered as “lover of God” or “loved by God”. The familiar form “Amadeus” is the Latin version of this name. “Theophilus” was a name of Mozart’s godfather, the merchant Joannes Theophilus Pergmayr, whose presence is recorded in the fourth paragraph.

• The baptismal name “Joannes Chrysostomus” was in conformance to Catholic custom and was not used by Mozart in everyday life.