The world-renowned Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan directed the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for over 30 years, making it one of the finest orchestras in the world. In addition to his tremendous schedule of concerts and opera productions during his last 50 years, Karajan made nearly a thousand recordings, both audio and video. Today, he is best known for his numerous recordings of the standard 18th- and 19th-century repertoire.
Born in Salzburg on April 5, 1908, Karajan’s musical training began with piano lessons at the age of five and continued during his teenage years at the Salzburg Mozarteum, where his piano teacher encouraged him to study conducting. After graduating from Salzburg, Karajan left for Vienna, in 1926, to study both engineering at the Technical Academy of the University of Vienna and conducting at Vienna’s Music Academy.
While in Vienna, the 21-year-old conductor was offered a position as principal director of a small opera house in Ulm, Germany—a position that he held for five years. It was here that Karajan’s career as a conductor was launched, with a memorable performance of Mozart’s opera Le nozze di Figaro on March 2, 1929. During this period, Karajan was challenged by having to work with an orchestra of only 26 players, instead of perhaps twice that number. Despite the limited resources, he later remarked o n the importance of being able, as a young conductor, to produce major operas such as STRAUSS’ Salome and Wagner’s Die Meistersinger away from the intense scrutiny that inevitably surrounds a major orchestra or opera house.
In 1934, at the age of 26, Karajan was appointed general music director in Aachen, Germany. In order to be considered for the position, however, he had to join the Nazi party. His Nazi connections kept him working throughout the 1930s, and he made debuts with major organisations such as the Vienna State Opera, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Berlin State Opera. After the war, however, he was forbidden to hold a conducting position because of his former political connections. His restriction was lifted in 1947, and Karajan began to conduct and record with the London Philharmonia Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the Salzburg Festival. He also became conductor and opera producer at La Scala, Milan, establishing himself as a major interpreter of Italian and German opera. Karajan’s fame spread throughout Europe, and in 1951, after conducting The Ring at Bayreuth, he became known as one of the foremost conductors of the works of Wagner.
In 1954, Karajan succeeded Wilhelm FURTWANGLER as principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra—it was to be Karajan’s main association for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, his artistic venues also included responsibilities as artistic director of the Salzburg Festival, director of the Vienna State Opera, and music director of the London Philharmonia Orchestra. Karajan also founded international music festivals and competitions for youth orchestras and young conductors.
Totally involved in the music, Karajan always conducted from memory and with his eyes closed, except when conducting vocal music. Praised by his critics for his well-prepared performances and for his musical perfection, he was at the same time criticised for lacking emotion. Karajan, a legendary figure in European music-making, died in July 1989, near Salzburg.
Kathleen Lamkin
SEE ALSO:
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS; OPERA; ORCHESTRAL MUSIC.
FURTHER READING
Chesterman, Robert, ed. Conductors in Conversation: Herbert von Karajan (New York: Limelight Editions, 1992);
Vaughan, Robert. Herbert von Karajan: A Biographical Portrait (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1990).
SUGGESTED LISTENING
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9; Mahler: Symphony No. 9; Schoenberg: Verklaerte Nacht and Variations for Orchestra; Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer.