Artist: Robert Casadesus, Géza Anda, Clara Haskil, Nathan Milstein, Herbert von Karajan, Schweizerisches Festspielorchester, Philharmonia Orchestra
Title: Herbert von Karajan - The Early Lucerne Years
Year Of Release: 2023
Label: audite Musikproduktion
Genre: Classical
Quality: 24bit-  48kHz FLAC (tracks+booklet)
Total Time: 03:44:53
Total Size:  1.87 GB

Tracklist:

CD1
1. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: I. Allegro vivace e con Brio (9:44)
2. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: II. Allegretto Scherzando (4:02)
3. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: III. Tempo di Menuetto (5:28)
4. Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93: IV. Allegro Vivace (7:52)
5. Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491: I. Allegro (13:14)
6. Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491: II. Larghetto (8:38)
7. Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491: III. Allegretto (8:26)
8. Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in C Major, BWV 1061: I. - (7:40)
9. Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in C Major, BWV 1061: II. Adagio ovvero Largo (4:28)
10. Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in C Major, BWV 1061: III. Fuga (5:28)

CD2
1. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arriving in the Countryside. Allegro ma non Troppo (11:21)
2. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': II. Scene By the Brook. Andante molto Moto (11:17)
3. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': III. Merry Gathering of Country Folk. Allegro - (2:57)
4. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': IV. Thunderstorm. Allegro - (3:23)
5. Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 'Pastoral': V. Shepherd's Hymn: Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm. Allegretto (9:17)
6. Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98: I. Allegro non Troppo (13:19)
7. Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98: II. Andante Moderato (12:02)
8. Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98: III. Allegro Giocoso (6:12)
9. Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98: IV. Allegro energico e Passionato (10:21)

CD3
1. Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: I. Allegro non Troppo (20:33)
2. Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: II. Adagio (8:51)
3. Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo Vivace (8:24)
4. Symphony No. 3, H. 186 'Liturgique': I. Dies Irae. Allegro Marcato (6:56)
5. Symphony No. 3, H. 186 'Liturgique': II. De profundis clamavi. Adagio (13:07)
6. Symphony No. 3, H. 186 'Liturgique': III. Dona nobis pacem. Andante (12:02)

"For the first time, this edition makes available Herbert von Karajan’s previously unreleased early live recordings from the Lucerne Festival, made in a decade during which Karajan was rebuilding his career. Included are legendary soloists such as Clara Haskil and Geza Anda, Robert Casadesus and Nathan Milstein. The Internationale Musikfestwochen Luzern (today’s Lucerne Festival) was the first promoter outside Austria to engage Herbert von Karajan after his performance ban and denazification proceedings, thus enabling him to return to international podiums. “I will always be indebted”, Karajan later confessed. For almost four decades, from 1948 to 1988, he was to make his mark on Lucerne Festival. His annual appearances with the Berlin Philharmonic (from 1958) enjoyed cult status. But already in the decade before, as documented by this edition, Karajan enthused audiences and critics alike in Lucerne and quickly rose to become the defining artistic personality alongside Wilhelm Furtwangler: he conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, but above all the Swiss Festival Orchestra, whom he held in high esteem and with whom he performed a total of nine concerts. The surviving Lucerne live recordings range from Bach’s C major Concerto for two Keyboards, BWV1061 (with Clara Haskil and Geza Anda), to Arthur Honegger’s Symphonie liturgique. The exciting, rhythmically tight interpretations show Karajan to be an extremely form-conscious, textually faithful conductor of great expressive power. He inspires his orchestras to deliver top performances, whilst also acting as a sensitive yet extremely present accompanist, as for instance in Brahms’ Violin Concerto with Nathan Milstein, or in Mozart’s dramatic C minor Concerto, K. 491, with Robert Casadesus. As a digital bonus, the edition also includes Bach’s Mass in B minor, which Karajan celebrated at the end of the 1951 festival with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Singverein and a top-class quartet of soloists (Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Elsa Cavelti, Ernst Haefliger and Hans Braun): a fascinating sonic document thanks to Karajan’s very personal approach, even if stylistically it feels far removed. The sound of the live recordings on the 3-CD box set has been carefully restored. The 62-page booklet in three languages contains essays by Wolfgang Rathert and Erich Singer on Karajan’s career re-launch during the post-war years and on his special relationship with Lucerne Festival. It also includes numerous previously unpublished photos."

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