Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan (born Heribert Ritter[a] von Karajan; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and during the Second World War he conducted at the Berlin State Opera. Generally regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, he was a controversial but dominant figure in European classical music from the mid-1950s until his death. Part of the reason for this was the large number of recordings he made and their prominence during his lifetime. By one estimate, he was the top-selling classical music recording artist of all time, having sold an estimated 200 million records.
The Karajans were of Macedonian Greek ancestry. Herbert's great-great-grandfather, Georg Karajan (Geórgios Karajánnis, Greek: Γεώργιος Καραγιάννης), was born in Kozani, in the Ottoman province of Rumelia (now in Greece), leaving for Vienna in 1767, and eventually Chemnitz, Electorate of Saxony.
His last name, like several other Ottoman-era ones, contains the Turkish language prefix "kara", which means "black".
He and his brother participated in the establishment of Saxony's cloth industry, and both were ennobled for their services by Frederick Augustus III on 1 June 1792, thus adding the prefix "von" to the family name. This usage disappeared with the abolition of Austrian nobility after World War I. The surname Karajánnis became Karajan. Although traditional biographers ascribed a Slovak and Serbian or simply a Slavic origin to his mother, Karajan's family from the maternal side, through his grandfather who was born in the village of Mojstrana, Duchy of Carniola (today in Slovenia), was Slovene. Aromanian heritage has also been claimed. Through the Slovene line, Karajan was related to the Slovenian-Austrian composer Hugo Wolf. He also seems to have known some Slovene.
Heribert Ritter von Karajan was born in Salzburg, Austria-Hungary, the second son of senior consultant Ernst von Karajan (1868–1951) and Marta (née Martha Kosmač; 1881–1954) (married 1905). He was a child prodigy at the piano. From 1916 to 1926, he studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Franz Ledwinka (piano), Franz Zauer (harmony), and Bernhard Paumgartner (composition and chamber music). He was encouraged to concentrate on conducting by Paumgartner, who detected his exceptional promise in that regard. In 1926 Karajan graduated from the conservatory and continued his studies at the Vienna Academy, studying piano with Josef Hofmann (a teacher with the same name as the pianist) and conducting with Alexander Wunderer and Franz Schalk.
Karajan made his debut as a conductor in Salzburg on 22 January 1929. The performance got the attention of the general manager of the Stadttheater in Ulm and led to Karajan's first appointment as assistant Kapellmeister of the theater. His senior colleague in Ulm was Otto Schulmann. After Schulmann was forced to leave Germany in 1933 with the NSDAP takeover, Karajan was promoted to first Kapellmeister. ...
Source: Article "Herbert von Karajan" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For | Acting |
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Most Rating | 2.831 |
Birthday | 1908-04-05 |
Place of Birth | Salzburg, Austria |
Also Known As |
1971
Beethoven - Symphony No. 7
8/1
Recording of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan playing Beethoven's 7th Symphony.
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Beethoven - Symphony No. 7
1971
Beethoven - Symphony No. 8
0/0
Recording of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan playing Beethoven's 8th Symphony.
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Beethoven - Symphony No. 8
1977
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
9/0
Karajan's very best video Beethoven 9th Symphony, recorded December 31, 1977. The Quartet of vocal soloists and Chorus in IV are superb. This is much...
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Beethoven Symphony No. 9
2008
Karajan - Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies DVD
0/0
Symphonien Nos. 1 - 9
Gundula Janowitz · Christa Ludwig · Jess Thomas · Walter Berry
Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herber...
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Karajan - Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies DVD
1965
La Bohème
8/2
In the early 1960s two artistic giants, conductor Herbert von Karajan and director Franco Zeffirelli, joined forces to create this milestone productio...
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La Bohème
1984
Der Rosenkavalier
0/0
A production of Strauss' opera 'Der Rosenkavalier' performed at the Saltzburg Festival in 1984. Includes the Vienna State Opera Choir, the Philharmoni...
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Der Rosenkavalier
1967
Pastorale
6.2/2
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Pastorale
1999
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons / Von Karajan, Mutter, Berlin Philharmonic
0/0
Famed conductor Herbert Von Karajan leads the Berlin Philharmonic in a performance of what may be Vivaldi's best-known composition -- "The Four Season...
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Vivaldi - The Four Seasons / Von Karajan, Mutter, Berlin Philharmonic
1962
Der Rosenkavalier
8/1
The legendary soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf stars in this acclaimed film of Richard Strauss' delightful opera, Der Rosenkavalier. This Salzburg Festiv...
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Der Rosenkavalier
1985
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9: From the New World
0/0
Under the direction of Herbert Von Karajan, the Vienna Philharmonic performs Austrian composer Antonym Dvorak's Symphony No. 9. Dvorak's work was infl...
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Dvorak: Symphony No. 9: From the New World
1967
Verdi – Messa da Requiem
9/1
Herbert von Karajan conducts La Scala Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Leontyne Price, Fiorenza Cossotto, Luciano Pavarotti, and Nicolai Ghiaurov.
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Verdi – Messa da Requiem
1987
Don Giovanni
9/2
Live performance from Salzburger Festspiele in 1987. Herbert von Karajan conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Staatsopernchor. Stage direct...
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Don Giovanni
2005
Karajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 7, 8 & 9
10/2
Herbert von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in these 3 great Beethoven symphonies. Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas an...
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Karajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 7, 8 & 9
1974
Madama Butterfly
9.5/2
Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Christa Ludwig, and Robert Kerns star in this Jean-Pierre Ponnelle-directed version of the Puccini opera, with Herbert...
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Madama Butterfly
2010
Karajan dirigiert Beethovens Siebente (Directors Cut)
0/0
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Karajan dirigiert Beethovens Siebente (Directors Cut)
2012
Herbert von Karajan – The Second Life
0/0
“What remains of Karajan?” asks the award-winning documentary film maker Eric Schulz. In his film Karajan – The Second Life, he explores the man and t...
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Herbert von Karajan – The Second Life
1978
Wagner: Das Rheingold
2/1
This 1978 studio production of the prologue to Wagner's masterpiece is the only segment of the famous Salzburg Festival/Metropolitan Opera productions...
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Wagner: Das Rheingold
1993
The Art of Conducting: Great Conductors of the Past
9/1
Documentary about sixteen great conductors of the 20th century.
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The Art of Conducting: Great Conductors of the Past
2005
Karajan · Die Symphonien
0/0
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Karajan · Die Symphonien
2008
Beethoven · Missa Solemnis (Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan)
9/1
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Beethoven · Missa Solemnis (Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan)
1999
Herbert Von Karajan: Dvorák - Symphony No. 9
0/0
The Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan, plays the music of Antonin Dvorak - Symphony No. 9 in E Minor.
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Herbert Von Karajan: Dvorák - Symphony No. 9
1984
Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Requiem
0/0
This installment in the "Karajan Legacy" series captures the acclaimed conductor leading the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with the Vienna State Opera...
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Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Requiem
1972
Eroica
10/1
A concert-film using innovative cinematic techniques to set music to images. As conductor Herbert von Karajan didn't like the experimental style, he h...
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Eroica
2009
Eroica - Director's Cut
10/1
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Eroica - Director's Cut
1973
Karajan dirigiert Beethovens fünfte Symphonie
0/0
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Karajan dirigiert Beethovens fünfte Symphonie
2005
Karajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
0/0
Herbert von Karajan directs the Berlin Philharmonic in an Italiannate take of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony and an assured rendering of the Fifth, while...
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Karajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
1967
Herbert von Karajan, Symphonie n°5 Beethoven
0/0
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Herbert von Karajan, Symphonie n°5 Beethoven
1966
Yehudi Menuhin und Herbert von Karajan – Mozart: Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 5
7/1
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Yehudi Menuhin und Herbert von Karajan – Mozart: Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 5
2017
The Clouzot Scandal
6.5/8
Great filmmakers claim the artistic influence of French director Henri-Georges Clouzot (1907-1977), a master of suspense, with a unique vision of the...
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The Clouzot Scandal
2008
Karajan: Beauty As I See It
0/0
With a career that includes a 35-year tenure as composer of the Berlin Philharmonic and record sales topping 200 million, Herbert von Karajan is one o...
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Karajan: Beauty As I See It
2019
Karajan: Portrait of a Maestro
7/1
An account of the life and work of controversial German orchestra conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-89), celebrated as one of the greatest musicians...
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Karajan: Portrait of a Maestro
2019
Rostropovich: L'archet Indomptable
10/1
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Rostropovich: L'archet Indomptable
2007
Karajan Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
0/0
The Symphonies were recorded live with a special recording concept by Herbert von Karajan, and he did not only direct the filming, but also closely fo...
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Karajan Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
1978
Karajan Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem
0/0
This unique document from the 1978 Salzburg Festival has fortunately been released on DVD and is a magical interpretation, prodigiously realized with...
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Karajan Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem
1965
Karajan in Rehearsal
0/0
Karajan conducts rehearsal and performance of Schubert's Symphony No. 4 with the Vienna Symphony in Vienna, Nov. 1965, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 5...
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Karajan in Rehearsal
2007
Rostropovich Life & Art
7/1
Released as a memorial for the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who passed away on 27 April 2007, this DVD contains one bonafide cello con...
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Rostropovich Life & Art
1980
Brahms: The Symphonies
9/1
Karajan conducts these symphonies with eyes closed, often intently enraptured by the music, smiling occasionally when a passage or solo sounds just ri...
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Brahms: The Symphonies
1970
Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci
8.5/2
Opera's most popular double bill, fondly known as Cav and Pag, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. In 'Cavalleria rusticana', Turiddu returns from milit...
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Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci
1978
Il Trovatore - Verdi
5.8/5
The gypsy Azucena (Fiorenza Cossotto) takes revenge for her mother who was accused of putting a curse on one of the old Count di Luna's two sons: she...
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Il Trovatore - Verdi
2005
Karajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 1, 2 & 3
0/0
This set was recorded in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Herbert von Karajan is widely acknowledged to be one of the finest conductors of the 20th cent...
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Karajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 1, 2 & 3
1986
Don Carlo
0/0
A live performance of Giuseppe Verdi's opera.
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Don Carlo
1987
Herbert Von Karajan - New Year's Concert Vienna 1987
0/0
This recording of Karajan's 1987 New Year's Day Concert with the Vienna Philharmonic and the ballet of the Vienna State Opera at the Großer Musikverei...
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Herbert Von Karajan - New Year's Concert Vienna 1987
2000
Herbert Von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
0/0
This installment of the Herbert von Karajan: His Legacy series showcases the acclaimed conductor leading the Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra in a 1984 p...
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Herbert Von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
2003
Herbert Von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
0/0
This installment of the Herbert von Karajan: His Legacy series showcases the acclaimed conductor leading the Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra in a 1984 p...
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Herbert Von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Herbert von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
0/0
Austrian maestro Herbert von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in this 1984 performance of Tchaikovsky's last completed work -- Symphony no. 6...
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Herbert von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
1966
Karajan: Mozart Violin Concerto No 5, Dvorak Symphony No.9
0/0
Combining the forces of two of the 20th century's greatest musicians - Yehudi Menuhin and Herbert von Karajan in their only recorded performance toget...
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Karajan: Mozart Violin Concerto No 5, Dvorak Symphony No.9
1984
Karajan: Beethoven: Symphony 1 & 8
0/0
The legendary Berlin Philharmonic conductor Herbert von Karajan is chronicled as he conducts two important classical pieces. Music director Von Karaja...
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Karajan: Beethoven: Symphony 1 & 8
2008
Herbert von Karajan: Maestro for the Screen
0/0
Documentary on conductor Herbert van Karajan, focusing on his early adoption of audio and video recording technology and his impetus to make use of it...
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Herbert von Karajan: Maestro for the Screen
1978
Impressions of Herbert Von Karajan
0/0
Reveals the life and current (1978) muses of Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan.
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Impressions of Herbert Von Karajan
1984
Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61
0/0
Premiered in 1806, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major paved the way for three great violin concertos of the 19th and 20th centuries: Brahms, Tchai...
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Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61
2004
Karajan: Bach: Violin Concerto No. 2: New Year's Eve Concert 1984
0/0
World-renowned conductor Herbert Von Karajan directs the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in this performance of Bach's Violin Concerto No. 2 for a New Y...
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Karajan: Bach: Violin Concerto No. 2: New Year's Eve Concert 1984
1985
Karajan: Brahms: German Requiem
0/0
Conductor Herbert von Karajan spent much of his career exploring the work of Johannes Brahms and in particular his A German Requiem. This 1985 concert...
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Karajan: Brahms: German Requiem
1985
Karajan: Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 8
0/0
World-renowned classical conductor Herber Von Karajan masterfully conducts Antonin Dvorak's "Symphony No. 8" in a live 1985 concert with the Wiener Ph...
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Karajan: Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 8
1977
The Berliner Philharmoniker’s New Year’s Eve Concert: 1977
0/0
The annual New Year’s Eve Concert is one of the highlights in the calendar of every classical music fan in Berlin and beyond. On New Year‘s Eve, the B...
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The Berliner Philharmoniker’s New Year’s Eve Concert: 1977
1971
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5
0/0
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Beethoven - Symphony No. 5
1979
Karajan conducts Ravel and Debussy
0/0
Herbert von Karajan was a master of the fine blending of acoustic colours. This quality is shown to its best advantage in this programme of masterpiec...
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Karajan conducts Ravel and Debussy
1987
Neujahrskonzert der Wiener Philharmoniker 1987
0/0
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Neujahrskonzert der Wiener Philharmoniker 1987
1986
Herbert von Karajan conducts Beethoven's Symphony No. 9
0/0
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Herbert von Karajan conducts Beethoven's Symphony No. 9
2020
Beethoven · Missa Solemnis - Herbert von Karajan
10/1
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Beethoven · Missa Solemnis - Herbert von Karajan
1970
Von Reinhardt bis Karajan - 50 Jahre Salzburger Festspiele
0/0
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Von Reinhardt bis Karajan - 50 Jahre Salzburger Festspiele
2007
Karajan - Bruckner - Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
10/1
Karajan - Bruckner - Symphonies No. 8 & 9
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Karajan - Bruckner - Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
2017
Karajan - Der Maestro und sein Festival
0/0
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Karajan - Der Maestro und sein Festival
1984
Karajan: Strauss: Death and Transfiguration & Metamorphosen
0/0
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Karajan: Strauss: Death and Transfiguration & Metamorphosen
2020
Sternstunden der Musik: Der Rosenkavalier mit Karajan in Salzburg 1960
0/0
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Sternstunden der Musik: Der Rosenkavalier mit Karajan in Salzburg 1960
Clouzot filme Karajan : la Symphonie du Nouveau Monde de Dvořák
0/0
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Clouzot filme Karajan : la Symphonie du Nouveau Monde de Dvořák
Karajan: Mozart - Coronation Mass
0/0
Herbert von Karajan, who led the Belgian Philharmonic for more than three decades until his death in 1989, conducts this moving June 1985 concert film...
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Karajan: Mozart - Coronation Mass
1984
Karajan: Beethoven: Violin Concerto
0/0
Conductor Herbert Von Karajan leading the Berlin Orchestra through Beethoven's Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra
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Karajan: Beethoven: Violin Concerto
1999
Karajan: 1988 New Year's Concert - Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky
0/0
This memorable concert marks Herbert von Karajan's final public appearance with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra before his death in 1989 and include...
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Karajan: 1988 New Year's Concert - Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky
2003
Karajan: Opening Concert - Berlin 750 Years
0/0
In this program filmed not long before the maestro's death, Herbert von Karajan -- renowned Austrian conductor and longtime music director of the Berl...
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Karajan: Opening Concert - Berlin 750 Years
1986
Karajan: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem
10/1
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Karajan: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem
1973
Otello
0/0
Herbert von Karajan directed this film of Verdi’s Shakespearan masterpiece as well as conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. As the tragic Moor of Venice...
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Otello
2008
Karajan: Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies nos. 1-4
0/0
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Karajan: Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies nos. 1-4
2008
Karajan: Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies nos. 5-8
0/0
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Karajan: Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies nos. 5-8
2008
Karajan: Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 9
0/0
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Karajan: Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 9
2008
Karajan: Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklarung / Metamorphosen
0/0
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Karajan: Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklarung / Metamorphosen
2008
Karajan: Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie / Also Sprach Zarathustra
0/0
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Karajan: Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie / Also Sprach Zarathustra
1978
Karajan: New Year's Eve Concert
10/1
Karajan had been appointed music director for life of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1955, and soon the orchestra mastered the entire palette of Karajan's...
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Karajan: New Year's Eve Concert
1967
Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Requiem
0/0
Acknowledged to be the finest Karajan recording of this overwhelming sacred masterpiece — “electrifying ... with the Italian chorus and orchestra sing...
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Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Requiem
1986
Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Don Carlo
0/0
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Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Don Carlo
2008
Inside Karajan
0/0
Very few people really knew Herbert von Karajan. The conductor gave access to his private life only a little circle of strictly loyal people who kept...
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