| Royal Classics |  |
| Disc No: ROY6475 | |
| Price: Sek. 51 |
When Walter Legge, an EMI Records executive, founded the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1945 his aim was two-fold: to give high quality concerts, operas and recordings, and to enable musicians returning from war duty to find employment. Two years later the 39-year-old Herbert von Karajan made his London debut with the orchestra, and there followed a highly successful series of recordings. During the 1950s and 1960s the orchestra established an international standard of excellence under the guidance of Karajan and others, and this recording brings these halcyon years back to life in a programme of music from most corners of Europe. Karajan was a noted early champion of Sibelius's music and his impressive performance of Finlandia and delicate handling of Valse triste illustrate his sympathy with the Finn's works. The Frenchman Chabrier created a splendid evocation of Spain in Espania (even the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla was complimentary about its authentic Spanish atmosphere) and a comical essay in the very French Marche joyeuse. Austria has its marches, too. Johann Strauss borrowed his Radetzky March from a Hungarian original. A totally genuine Spanish creation is Granados's Goyescas Intermezzo. Begun as a piano suite in 1911, Goyescas evokes the atmosphere of the paintings of Goya and was later transformed for the operatic stage by the composer. Apart from the rousing Polka by the Czech Weinberger, the rest of the programme alternates between France and Italy. Whether it be in Berlioz's catchy Hungarian March or the three operatic movements by Verdi, Offenbach and Puccini, the listener will appreciate the care and precision Karajan unfailingly elicited from the Philharmonia. Particularly in Bizet's suite from Carmen, his characterisation and sense of contrast will be noted, and it is appropriate that this tribute to a fine conductor should end with the exhilarating Les Toreadors. Robert Dearling. Discontinued |
| Name: Karajan conducts Orchestral Favourites 3 | |
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| Composer | Opus | Produced | Music | Key | Performer |
| Berlioz, Hector | 1958 | La Damnation du Faust - Marche Hongroise | Philharmonia Orchestra - Herbert von Karajan | ||
| Bizet, Georges | Carmen' Suite no. 1 | ||||
| Chabrier, Emmanuel | 1960 | Espaņa | |||
| Chabrier, Emmanuel | 1960 | Marche Joyuse | |||
| Granados, Enrique | 1959 | Goyescas- Intermezzo | |||
| Offenbach, Jacques | 1959 | Les contes d'Hoffmann - Barcarolle | |||
| Puccini, Giacomo | 1959 | Manon Lescaut - Intermezzo | |||
| Sibelius, Jean | Op.26 | 1959 | Finlandia - Tone Poem | ||
| Sibelius, Jean | 1958 | Kuolema - Waltz Triste | |||
| Strauss, Johann I | Op.228 | 1960 | Radetzky March | ||
| Weinberger, Jaromir | 1960 | Schwanada The bagpiper polka | |||
| Verdi, Guiseppe | 1959 | La Traviata - Prelude Act III |