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.
Beethoven · Missa Solemnis (Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan)
as Self - ConductorKarajan: Strauss: Death and Transfiguration & Metamorphosen
as dirigentVivaldi - The Four Seasons / Von Karajan, Mutter, Berlin Philharmonic
as Self - ConductorFamed conductor Herbert Von Karajan leads the Berlin Philharmonic in a performance of what may...
Movie pageLa Bohème
as Self - ConductorIn the early 1960s two artistic giants, conductor Herbert von Karajan and director Franco...
Movie pageHerbert von Karajan: Verdi: Requiem
as Self - ConductorThis installment in the "Karajan Legacy" series captures the acclaimed conductor leading the...
Movie pageKarajan: Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 8
as SelfWorld-renowned classical conductor Herber Von Karajan masterfully conducts Antonin Dvorak's...
Movie pageDer Rosenkavalier
as Self - ConductorA production of Strauss' opera 'Der Rosenkavalier' performed at the Saltzburg Festival in 1984....
Movie pageThe Art of Conducting: Great Conductors of the Past
as Self (archive footage)Documentary about sixteen great conductors of the 20th century.
Movie pageKarajan - Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies DVD
as Self - ConductorSymphonien Nos. 1 - 9 Gundula Janowitz · Christa Ludwig · Jess Thomas · Walter Berry Chor der...
Movie pageHerbert von Karajan: Maestro for the Screen
as Self (archival footage)Documentary on conductor Herbert van Karajan, focusing on his early adoption of audio and video...
Movie pageOtello
as ConductorHerbert von Karajan directed this film of Verdi’s Shakespearan masterpiece as well as conducting...
Movie pageMadama Butterfly
as Self - ConductorMirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Christa Ludwig, and Robert Kerns star in this Jean-Pierre...
Movie pageHerbert Von Karajan: Dvorák - Symphony No. 9
as Self - ConductorThe Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan, plays the music of Antonin Dvorak -...
Movie pageBeethoven Symphony No. 9
as Self - ConductorKarajan's very best video Beethoven 9th Symphony, recorded December 31, 1977. The Quartet of...
Movie pageKarajan: Mozart Violin Concerto No 5, Dvorak Symphony No.9
as Self - ConductorCombining the forces of two of the 20th century's greatest musicians - Yehudi Menuhin and...
Movie pageThe Clouzot Scandal
as Self (archive footage)Great filmmakers claim the artistic influence of French director Henri-Georges Clouzot...
Movie pageKarajan Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
as Self - ConductorThe Symphonies were recorded live with a special recording concept by Herbert von Karajan, and...
Movie pageKarajan in Rehearsal
as Self - ConductorKarajan conducts rehearsal and performance of Schubert's Symphony No. 4 with the Vienna Symphony...
Movie pageKarajan: New Year's Eve Concert
as uncreditedKarajan had been appointed music director for life of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1955, and soon...
Movie pageKarajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 1, 2 & 3
as Self - ConductorThis set was recorded in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Herbert von Karajan is widely...
Movie pageVon Reinhardt bis Karajan - 50 Jahre Salzburger Festspiele
as Self (archive footage)Karajan: Bach: Violin Concerto No. 2: New Year's Eve Concert 1984
as Self - ConductorWorld-renowned conductor Herbert Von Karajan directs the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in this...
Movie pageKarajan: Beauty As I See It
as Self (archive footage)With a career that includes a 35-year tenure as composer of the Berlin Philharmonic and record...
Movie pageClouzot filme Karajan : la Symphonie du Nouveau Monde de Dvořák
as Chef d'OrchestreKarajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
as Self - ConductorHerbert von Karajan directs the Berlin Philharmonic in an Italiannate take of Beethoven's Fourth...
Movie pageHerbert Von Karajan - New Year's Concert Vienna 1987
as Self - ConductorThis recording of Karajan's 1987 New Year's Day Concert with the Vienna Philharmonic and the...
Movie pageBeethoven - Symphony No. 7
as Self - ConductorRecording of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan playing...
Movie pageHerbert von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
as Self - ConductorAustrian maestro Herbert von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in this 1984 performance...
Movie pageKarajan: Beethoven: Violin Concerto
as uncreditedConductor Herbert Von Karajan leading the Berlin Orchestra through Beethoven's Concerto in D...
Movie pageIl Trovatore - Verdi
as Self - ConductorThe gypsy Azucena (Fiorenza Cossotto) takes revenge for her mother who was accused of putting a...
Movie pageThe Berliner Philharmoniker’s New Year’s Eve Concert: 1977
as Self - ConductorThe annual New Year’s Eve Concert is one of the highlights in the calendar of every classical...
Movie pageKarajan conducts Ravel and Debussy
as SelfHerbert von Karajan was a master of the fine blending of acoustic colours. This quality is shown...
Movie pageYehudi Menuhin und Herbert von Karajan – Mozart: Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 5
as Self - ConductorDon Carlo
as Self - ConductorA live performance of Giuseppe Verdi's opera.
Movie pageKarajan: Beethoven - Symphonies 7, 8 & 9
as Self - ConductorHerbert von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in these 3 great Beethoven...
Movie pageDer Rosenkavalier
as Self - ConductorThe legendary soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf stars in this acclaimed film of Richard Strauss'...
Movie pageVerdi – Messa da Requiem
as Self - ConductorHerbert von Karajan conducts La Scala Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Leontyne Price,...
Movie pageDon Giovanni
as Self - ConductorLive performance from Salzburger Festspiele in 1987. Herbert von Karajan conducting the Wiener...
Movie pageBeethoven · Missa Solemnis - Herbert von Karajan
as Self - ConductorKarajan - Bruckner - Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
as SelfKarajan - Bruckner - Symphonies No. 8 & 9
Movie pageKarajan: Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie / Also Sprach Zarathustra
as uncreditedWagner: Das Rheingold
as Self - ConductorThis 1978 studio production of the prologue to Wagner's masterpiece is the only segment of the...
Movie pageHerbert Von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
as Self - ConductorThis installment of the Herbert von Karajan: His Legacy series showcases the acclaimed conductor...
Movie pageHerbert Von Karajan: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
as Self - ConductorThis installment of the Herbert von Karajan: His Legacy series showcases the acclaimed conductor...
Movie pageCavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci
as Self - ConductorOpera's most popular double bill, fondly known as Cav and Pag, conducted by Herbert von Karajan....
Movie pageRostropovich Life & Art
as Self - ConductorReleased as a memorial for the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who passed away on...
Movie pageEroica
as ConductorA concert-film using innovative cinematic techniques to set music to images. As conductor...
Movie pageKarajan: Portrait of a Maestro
as Self - Music Conductor (archive footage)An account of the life and work of controversial German orchestra conductor Herbert von Karajan...
Movie pageImpressions of Herbert Von Karajan
as SelfReveals the life and current (1978) muses of Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan.
Movie pageVerdi: Falstaff
as Self - Conductor“The whole world is a jest, man was born a great jester…” So goes the brilliant conclusion to...
Movie pageKarajan: Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklarung / Metamorphosen
as uncreditedKarajan Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem
as Self - ConductorThis unique document from the 1978 Salzburg Festival has fortunately been released on DVD and is...
Movie pageBrahms: The Symphonies
as Self - ConductorKarajan conducts these symphonies with eyes closed, often intently enraptured by the music,...
Movie pageKarajan: 1988 New Year's Concert - Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky
as uncreditedThis memorable concert marks Herbert von Karajan's final public appearance with the Berlin...
Movie pageKarajan: Opening Concert - Berlin 750 Years
as uncreditedIn this program filmed not long before the maestro's death, Herbert von Karajan -- renowned...
Movie page