Herbert von Karajan - Live in Berlin 1970-1979 (2026) [20xSACD]

This edition presents the second part of our series of largely unreleased live recordings, which chronologically trace the Berliner Philharmoniker’s years with Herbert von Karajan. Following the formative phase of the 1960s, the recordings from the 1970s cover the heyday, when the chief conductor and orchestra had fully found their feet and perfected the sound that was so characteristic of their partnership. The edition not only complements the existing joint discography, but also provides a counterpoint: while the widely known recordings were mostly made in the studio, these recordings capture the unique magic of a live concert.

The recordings in the edition, which are presented in their entirety, also offer an insight into Herbert von Karajan’s dramaturgical approach. Beethoven’s and Bruckner’s symphonies have a firm place in it, but so do works that provide a contrasting colour – which the conductor, however, recorded on disc only in part. In addition, this journey through time allows listeners to encounter orchestra members such as concertmasters Leon Spierer and Thomas Brandis, who appear as protagonists in solo concertos.

The recordings were made between 1970 and 1979 by Rundfunk im Amerikanischen Sektor (RIAS) and Sender Freies Berlin (SFB). They have been digitally remastered from analogue recordings to achieve the best possible quality for this edition. The hardcover box, designed by Thomas Scheibitz, contains the recordings on 20 CDs/SACDs (hybrid), as well as an accompanying book with in-depth essays and photos portraying Herbert von Karajan, the man and musician.



Tracks:


Disc 1

Vivaldi - Sinfonia 'Al Santo Sepolcro'
01. 1. Adagio molto (3:16)
02. 2. Allegro ma poco (4:26)
Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D minor
03. 1. Allegro moderato (16:01)
04. 2. Adagio di molto (9:39)
05. 3. Allegro (7:50)
Stravinsky - Le sacre du printemps
1. The Adoration of the Earth
06. Introduction (3:03)
07. Augurs of Spring - Dance of the Young Girls (3:25)
08. Ritual of Abduction (1:11)
09. Spring Rounds (3:31)
10. Ritual of the Rival Tribes (1:49)
11. Procession of the Sage (0:40)
12. Adoration of the Earth - The Sage (0:24)
13. Dance of the Earth (1:19)
2. The Sacrifice
14. Introduction (4:06)
15. Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (3:11)
16. Glorification of the Chosen One (1:29)
17. Summoning of the Ancestors (0:47)
18. Ritual of the Ancestors (3:30)
19. Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One) (4:40)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 25.IX.1971


Disc 2

Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 3
01. 1. Andante con moto - Allegro un poco agitato (13:35)
02. 2. Vivace non troppo (4:39)
03. 3. Adagio (11:26)
04. 4. Allegro vivacissimo - Allegro maestoso assai (9:44)
05. Debussy - Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (10:19)
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2
06. 1. Lever du jour (4:59)
07. 2. Pantomime (7:26)
08. 3. Danse générale (3:31)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 19.II.1972


Disc 3

Bruckner - Symphony No. 5
01. 1. Introduktion. Adagio - Allegro (20:23)
02. 2. Adagio. Sehr langsam (19:18)
03. 3. Scherzo. Molto vivace (schnell) - Trio. Im gleichen Tempo (13:41)
04. 4. Finale. Adagio - Allegro moderato (25:19)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 31.XII.1972


Disc 4

Mozart - Symphony No. 41
01. 1. Allegro vivace (8:03)
02. 2. Andante cantabile (7:39)
03. 3. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio (4:50)
04. 4. Molto allegro (5:54)
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5
05. 1. Andante - Allegro con anima (14:53)
06. 2. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza (13:28)
07. 3. Valse. Allegro moderato (6:20)
08. 4. Finale. Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace (11:45)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 8.IX.1973


Disc 5

Schubert - Symphony No. 7
01. 1. Allegro moderato (11:32)
02. 2. Andante con moto (12:24)
03. Penderecki - Capriccio for Violin and Orchestra (12:46)
Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition
04. Promenade (1:46)
05. 1. The Gnome (2:31)
06. Promenade (1:00)
07. 2. The Old Castle (4:56)
08. 3. Tuileries (Children's Quarrel after Games) (1:04)
09. 4. Cattle (2:40)
10. Promenade (0:55)
11. 5. Ballet of Chicks in their Shells (1:11)
12. 6. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle (2:15)
13. 7. Limoges - The Market Place (The Great News) (1:22)
14. 8. Catacombs (Roman Tomb) (2:25)
15. With the Dead in a Dead Language (2:15)
16. 9. The Hut on Hen's Legs (Baba Yaga) (3:27)
17. 10. The Great Gate of Kiev (6:24)
Leon Spierer, violin (3)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 17.II.1974


Disc 6

Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 23
01. 1. Allegro (11:35)
02. 2. Adagio (7:21)
03. 3. Allegro assai (8:12)
Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande
04. Die Achtel ein wenig bewegt - zögernd (4:23)
05. Heftig (3:13)
06. Lebhaft (4:03)
07. Sehr rasch (7:14)
08. Ein wenig bewegt (1:22)
09. Langsam (3:13)
10. Ein wenig bewegter (4:13)
11. Sehr langsam (5:08)
12. Etwas bewegt (2:15)
13. In gehender Bewegung (2:16)
14. Breit (6:03)
Jean-Bernanrd Pommier, piano (1)-(3)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 25.IX.1974


Disc 7

Bartók - Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
01. 1. Andante tranquillo (8:19)
02. 2. Allegro (7:18)
03. 3. Adagio (8:04)
04. 4. Allegro molto (7:39)
Dvorák - Symphony No. 9
05. 1. Adagio - Allegro molto (9:24)
06. 2. Largo (12:41)
07. 3. Scherzo: Molto vivace (8:20)
08. 4. Allegro con fuoco (10:51)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 8.XII.1974


Disc 8

Berg - Three Pieces from the Lyric Suite
01. 1. Andante amoroso (6:07)
02. 2. Allegro misterioso (3:26)
03. 3. Adagio appassionato (6:42)
Bruckner - Symphony No. 4
04. 1. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell (18:04)
05. 2. Andante quasi Allegretto (14:44)
06. 3. Scherzo. Bewegt - Trio. Nicht zu schnell, keinesfalls schleppend (10:32)
07. 4. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell (20:37)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 20.IV.1975


Disc 9

01. Strauss - Metamorphosen (24:39)
Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra
02. 1. Introduction (1:40)
03. 2. Of the Backworldsmen (3:19)
04. 3. Of the Great Longing (2:01)
05. 4. Of Joys and Passions (2:09)
06. 5. The Song of the Grave (2:48)
07. 6. Of Science and Learning (4:24)
08. 7. The Convalescent (5:07)
09. 8. The Dance-Song (7:52)
10. 9. Song of the Night Wanderer (4:53)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 25.IX.1975


Disc 10

Mozart - Sinfonia concertante for four winds
01. 1. Allegro (13:43)
02. 2. Adagio (8:51)
03. 3. Andantino con variazioni (8:47)
Sibelius - Symphony No. 5
04. 1. Tempo molto moderato - Allegro moderato - Presto - Più presto (14:16)
05. 2. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto - Tranquillo - Poco a poco stretto - Tempo primo (8:56)
06. 3. Allegro molto - Misterioso - Largamente assai - Un pochettino stretto (9:01)
07. Sibelius - Finlandia (8:55)
Karl Steins, oboe (1)-(3)
Karl Leister, clarinet (1)-(3)
Gerd Seifert, horn (1)-(3)
Manfred Braun, bassoon (1)-(3)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 16.X.1976


Disc 11

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5
01. 1. Introduktion. Adagio - Allegro (20:42)
02. 2. Adagio. Sehr langsam (19:19)
03. 3. Scherzo. Molto vivace (Schnell) - Trio. Im gleichen Tempo (13:48)
04. 4. Finale. Adagio - Allegro moderato (24:33)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 12.XII.1976


Disc 12

Mozart - Symphony No. 41
01. 1. Allegro vivace (8:12)
02. 2. Andante cantabile (8:13)
03. 3. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio (5:14)
04. 4. Molto allegro (6:12)
Strauss - Ein Heldenleben
05. The Hero (4:20)
06. The Hero's Adversaries (3:38)
07. The Hero's Companion (12:25)
08. The Hero's Battlefield (7:18)
09. The Hero's Works of Peace (6:09)
10. The Hero's Retreat from the World and Fulfillment (12:05)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 31.XII.1976


Disc 13

Wimberger - Plays
01. 1. Konfrontation (5:22)
02. 2. Ostinato (7:04)
03. 3. Nostalgie (8:23)
04. 4. Swing (5:17)
Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique
05. 1. Rêveries - Passions: Largo - Allegro agitato ed appassionato assai (13:48)
06. 2. Un bal: Valse. Allegro non troppo (6:17)
07. 3. Scène aux champs: Adagio (16:35)
08. 4. Marche au supplice: Allegretto non troppo (4:41)
09. 5. Songe d'une nuit de sabbat: Larghetto - Allegro (10:54)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 25.I.1977


Disc 14

01. Thärichen - Batrachomyomachia (37:25)
Stravinsky - Le sacre du printemps
1. The Adoration of the Earth
02. Introduction (3:05)
03. Augurs of Spring - Dance of the Young Girls (3:26)
04. Ritual of Abduction (1:16)
05. Spring Rounds (3:53)
06. Ritual of the Rival Tribes (1:54)
07. Procession of the Sage (0:43)
08. Adoration of the Earth - The Sage (0:23)
09. Dance of the Earth (1:18)
2. The Sacrifice
10. Introduction (4:19)
11. Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (3:35)
12. Glorification of the Chosen One (1:34)
13. Summoning of the Ancestors (0:46)
14. Ritual of the Ancestors (3:41)
15. Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One) (4:42)
Werner Thärichen, timpani I (1)
Oswald Vogler, timpani II (1)
Walton Grönross, baritone (1)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 25.IX.1977


Disc 15

Brahms - Double Concerto
01. 1. Allegro (17:44)
02. 2. Andante (8:21)
03. 3. Vivace non troppo (9:07)
Brahms - Symphony No. 2
04. 1. Allegro non troppo (15:46)
05. 2. Adagio non troppo (10:33)
06. 3. Allegretto grazioso (quasi Andantino) (5:22)
07. 4. Allegro con spirito (9:25)
Thomas Brandis, violin (1)-(3)
Ottomar Borwitzky, cello (1)-(3)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 21.X.1977


Disc 16

Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde
01. 1. The Drinking Song of Earth's Misery (8:20)
02. 2. Autumn Loneliness (9:07)
03. 3. Youth (3:09)
04. 4. Beauty (7:00)
05. 5. The Drunkard in Spring (4:22)
06. 6. The Farewell (31:43)
Agnes Balta, mezzo-soprano
Hermann Winkler, tenor
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 4.I.1978


Disc 17

Sibelius - Symphony No. 4
01. 1. Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio (10:20)
02. 2. Allegro molto vivace (5:07)
03. 3. Il tempo largo (10:22)
04. 4. Allegro (12:16)
Beethoven - Symphony No. 7
05. 1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace (10:52)
06. 2. Allegretto (7:56)
07. 3. Presto - Trio I und II: Assai meno presto (7:10)
08. 4. Allegro con brio (6:28)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 28.I.1978


Disc 18

Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
01. 1. [Allegro] - 2. Adagio (6:08)
02. 3. Allegro (5:29)
Berg - Three Pieces for Orchestra
03. 1. Präludium (5:29)
04. 2. Reigen (5:44)
05. 3. Marsch (10:58)
Dvorák - Symphony No. 8
06. 1. Allegro con brio (9:33)
07. 2. Adagio (11:03)
08. 3. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace (5:33)
09. 4. Allegretto, ma non troppo (9:50)
Michel Schwalbé, violin
Wolfram Christ, viola
Ottomar Borwitzky, cello
Eberhard Finke, cello
Friedrich Witt, double bass
Rainer Zepperitz, double bass
Herbert von Karajan , harpsichord
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 4.I.1979


Disc 19

Webern - Five Movements for String Orchestra
01. 1. Heftig bewegt (2:48)
02. 2. Sehr langsam (2:02)
03. 3. Sehr lebhaft (0:48)
04. 4. Sehr langsam (1:22)
05. 5. In zarter Bewegung (3:09)
Schumann - Symphony No. 4
06. 1. Ziemlich langsam - Lebhaft (10:20)
07. 2. Romanze: Ziemlich langsam (4:30)
08. 3. Scherzo: Lebhaft (6:59)
09. 4. Langsam - Lebhaft (7:05)
Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1
10. 1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito (23:48)
11. 2. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I (9:20)
12. 3. Allegro con fuoco (7:22)
Mark Zeltser, piano (10)-(12)
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 27.I.1979


Disc 20

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1
01. 1. [Allegro] (3:56)
02. 2. Adagio (4:48)
03. 3. Allegro (4:20)
04. 4. Menuetto - Trio I - Menuetto - Polonaise - Menuetto - Trio II - Menuetto (9:36)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3
05. 1. Allegro con brio (13:42)
06. 2. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai (15:22)
07. 3. Scherzo: Allegro vivace (5:50)
08. 4. Finale: Allegro molto (11:41)
Thomas Brandis, violin
Hansjörg Schellenberger, oboe I
Burkhard Rohde, oboe II
Heinrich Kärcher, oboe III
Gerd Seifert, horn I
Dieter Fischer, horn II
Philipp Moll, harpsichord
Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin on 25.XI.1979

Personnel:

Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan, conductor