The second volume of the Berliner Philharmoniker’s widely-acclaimed series of historic radio recordings conducted by Herbert von Karajan has been released. The edition features 20 concert recordings from the years 1970 to 1979 – a period in which the orchestra and its chief conductor cultivated their distinctive sound. For the first time, these broadcasts are presented together as a complete collection, offering vivid insights into the Karajan era.
The edition includes legendary solo appearances by orchestra members such as Thomas Brandis, Michel Schwalbé, Leon Spierer and Ottomar Borwitzky. To ensure outstanding sound quality, the original tapes from RIAS and SFB have been meticulously restored and newly digitised. The hardcover set, featuring strong designs by Thomas Scheibitz, contains 20 CD/SACDs as well as a richly-illustrated accompanying book with essays by Richard Osborne, Peter Uehling and Tobias Möller.
Following editions devoted to recordings conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler and early Karajan performances, the Berliner Philharmoniker’s edition series continues to explore the orchestra’s media history. Philipp Bohnen and Olaf Maninger, members of the orchestra’s media board, say: “With these concert recordings, we make the atmosphere of the 1970s audible, inviting listeners to rediscover this formative period of orchestral culture.”
The edition is available from berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com and at selected retailers.