Composers

Spotlight Mozart: “The Magic Flute”

“The Magic Flute” is arguably the most popular opera of all time. It had a special significance at several turning points in Karajan’s career (and because of his importance for the development of classical recording)...

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Spotlight Mendelssohn: The orchestral works

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was one of the most important and influential composers in the first half of the 19th century, admired by Goethe, Schumann, Wagner and Berlioz, a genius, a prodigy and a European celebrity...

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Spotlight Hindemith: Symphony “Mathis der Maler”

Hindemith was a universal master of German music in the 20th century. He was able to play almost every orchestral instrument and invented a unique tonal system of his own...

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Spotlight Debussy: Three masterworks

Although Karajan conducted “Nocturnes” and “Trois chansons de Charles d’ Orléans” in a few concerts in 1953, his commitment to the oeuvre of Claude Debussy focused on three works...

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Spotlight Mozart: The Da Ponte Operas

Spotlight Mozart: The Da Ponte Operas

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Spotlight Saint-Saëns: The “Organ Symphony”

Saint-Saëns was one of the most important French composers in the second half of the 19th century. Many of his compositions are still in the repertoire today, above all the 3rd symphony...

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Spotlight Schubert: The symphonies

Franz Schubert’s symphonic oeuvre has often been neglected in comparison with his chamber and piano works and his six hundred Lieder. Today, his symphonies are generally held to be an important link between Beethoven and Bruckner.

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Spotlight Franck: Two orchestral works

César Franck was a Belgian composer and organist, born in 1822. He worked most of his life in Paris. Franck’s life was the rare case of a modest artist who composed all his best-known pieces after his 50th birthday.

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Spotlight Bruckner: Your guide to the symphonies

In this episode of the Spotlight series we are looking at Karajan's interpretations of the Bruckner symphonies. As was the case with many other great 20th-century conductors, Bruckner’s oeuvre was a central pillar in Karajan’s symphonic repertoire. In his last season 1988/89, he chose two Bruckner symphonies for his last performance in New York (the 8th) and for his last concert of all in Vienna (the 7th).

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Spotlight Brahms: Your guide to the orchestral works

Karajan was a "Brahmsian" with heart and soul. Even if he didn't perform every of Brahms' works for orchestra, the symphonies, the concertos and the Requiem have been cornerstones of his repertoire through his entire career...

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Agnes BaltsaAlban BergAlexander BorodinAlexis WeissenbergAnna Tomowa-SintowAnne-Sophie MutterAnton BrucknerAnton DermotaAnton von WebernAntonín DvořákMore

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