---
product_id: 12789646
title: "Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker"
brand: "herbert von karajanberlin opera"
price: "734 zł"
currency: PLN
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.pl/products/12789646-beethoven-the-symphonies-boxset-herbert-von-karajan-gundula-janowitz-christa
store_origin: PL
region: Poland
---

# Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker

**Brand:** herbert von karajanberlin opera
**Price:** 734 zł
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker by herbert von karajanberlin opera
- **How much does it cost?** 734 zł with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pl](https://www.desertcart.pl/products/12789646-beethoven-the-symphonies-boxset-herbert-von-karajan-gundula-janowitz-christa)

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## Description

Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker

## Images

![Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/410n2fD7q4L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Karajan at his peak
  

*by M***N on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 21, 2005*

For many lovers of Beethoven's Symphonies, Karajan's 1962 integrated set of the nine (available as a CD box set from DGG) is the best available. For some (but not me), that collection is definitive: individual symphonies may vary in quality of performance, they say, but in toto, as a unified vision of these orchestral masterpieces, there is no finer set. In his later years, with the dawning of the digital era, Karajan re-recorded the Beethoven Nine. I purchased those autumnal efforts as they were released. I found them to be slow, essentially lackluster performances. They were filmed as well, and when this DVD set was initially offered for sale, I feared it contained films of those later, inferior recordings. Thankfully, it does not.These performances date from the late 1960's - early 1970's. In many ways, they may be the best Beethoven recordings Karajan ever made. Those of you familiar with Carlos Kleiber's recordings of the 5th and 7th Symphonies might be interested to know that Karajan's 5th (lasting 30 minutes) and 7th (34 minutes) have a comparable urgency of expression. They are powerful, fleet explorations of these two ubiquitous works. His 5th is almost as fast as Roger Norrington's speed-freak version. It is as if Karajan sensed the future onslaught of period performances and was determined to pre-empt them. The 1st (23 minutes) and 2nd (31 minutes) are Haydnesque Symphonies and Karajan conducts them as such. He gives them a Classical grace with a hint of the Beethovenian power to come. I love Beethoven's even-numbered symphonies; beautifully serene and graceful works that are less frequently played. They strike me as more personal expressions of Beethoven's genius, as if he had nothing to prove but his love for Music. The Berlin Philharmonic are like a thoroughbred horse, capable of instantaneously responding to the slightest touch of the reins. Watching Karajan conduct with eyes closed and only the slightest movement of his body is fascinating and the reason why DVD performances will inevitably replace the CD.The "Eroica" (lasting 48 minutes) is played beautifully; Karajan crafts this structure with intelligence. Though embracing the mystery inherent in this inexplicable masterpiece, his performance flaunts Beethoven's revolutionary clarion call by urgently weaving the strands of fate. This inevitable tension is barely resolved by the repetitive dance-like themes of the final movement. A wonderful performance. The 4th (31 minutes) and 8th (25 minutes) Symphonies are a return to the sound-world of Haydn. Karajan conducts them as if they mean something and not as a mere afterthought; thoroughly enjoyable performances that had me conducting along with him. Thankfully, I was alone and unobserved.The 6th Symphony, the "Pastoral" (lasting 36 minutes), is lovely, lyrical and serene. It evokes exactly what Beethoven wished to portray, the beauty and majesty of nature. Karajan loses himself in this evergreen score. An exquisite and delicate performance that I immediately replayed. The final work, the 9th Symphony (64 minutes) is sung by a masterful quartet of Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas and Walter Berry, all at their peak. All except Thomas are Karajan regulars. Filmed on New Year's, 1968, this is a fleeter, fiercer, more dramatic 9th than Karajan's previously recorded versions. He himself directs the film of this performance, using the camera to emphasize the twists and turns of the work. This is an excellent version of Beethoven's ultimate Symphony.The films of these Symphonies all add to the enjoyment. Artistic self-indulgences are minimized. There are no slap-to-the-forehead, My-God-what-were-they-thinking? moments. The LPCM stereo and DTS 5.1 sound (the best sounding format) are both crystal clear, never betraying the age of these films. The performances are uniformly excellent, making this three DVD set nearly self-recommending. Watching them one can see why Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic were so admired, way back when the world was young.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Despite Quirky Visuals, Great Performance
  

*by O***E on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 15, 2009*

This set features performances coming about 6 years after Karajan's 1962/1963 Beethoven cycle. That earlier cycle remains, and will likely remain, the definitive set of Beethoven symphonies for me (among over 100 Beethoven symphony recordings I have). Karajan's Beethoven is not "perfect" -- for example, he always skips some repeats that I deem necessary -- but he and the BPO really brought out all the qualities a modern listener thinks ought to be brought out of Beethoven's symphonies.The 9 symphonies recorded here are spread out over 3 DVDs. The visual take on all but the 9th was supposed to be artistic; most of them were directed by a renowned French filmmaker. But the visual qualities are uneven and on the whole unsatisfactory. It's not just Karajan dominates the screen time -- as with most other classical videos, the cameramen always seem to favor just a few angles and just a few select musicians.In terms of musical quality, as I alluded earlier, taken as a whole this is second only to Karajan's earlier cycle. I do like the 3rd symphony on this set a little better, but my friends disagree with me on this. But if you want solid, no, I mean great, Beethoven symphony playing, you won't be disappointed. Obviously, if you don't like the visuals, simply turn off your TV monitor and only listen to the sound.BTW, this set is better than the 1983 "His Legacy" set in both video and audio; that later set is notorious for focusing way too much on Karajan, and the BPO playing is less coherent than here. Abbado's 2001 set is also nice (see my review there), but IMHO Abbado cannot match Karajan in interpretive power or execution (plus the BPO was already at the start of its downward spiral). So, if you want one DVD set of Beethoven's symphonies to own, this is it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Disappointing - save your money.
  

*by G***E on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 20, 2016*

Sonically, this box set is near to superb.  Visually, it is a major disappointment, and had I paid closer attention to some of the other reviews I would not have purchased it.  To begin with one could be forgiven for assuming that is was produced and directed by Herbert von Karajan's mother.  Furthermore it appears to have been staged in an abandoned cement airplane hanger.  The images simply do not measure up to the sound of Beethoven's incredible works, and anyone who has seen a live performance of a Beethoven symphony on PBS will be hugely disappointed by these offerings.  The only way they can be considered remotely acceptable would be to put a disc in your DVD player and then leave the room, to use them as background music while you attend to your housework.

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*Product available on Desertcart Poland*
*Store origin: PL*
*Last updated: 2026-01-23*