Title: Herbert von Karajan, Wiener Philharmoniker – Dvorak: Symphonies Nos.8 & 9 (1985/2021)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC
Title: Herbert von Karajan, Wiener Philharmoniker – Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 (1988/2018)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
A wonderful reading it is, as authoritative as its predecessors and every bit as well played but somehow more profound, more humane, more lovable if that is a permissible attribute of an interpretation of this Everest among symphonies. […] It is the sense of the music being in the hearts and minds and collective unconscious of Karajan and every one of the hundred and more players that gives this performance its particular charisma and appeal. Richard Osborne, Gramophone, October 1989
Recorded the year before he died, this might stand as a spiritual testament to Karajan’s relationship with this work. ~ Record Review / James Jolly, Gramophone (London) / 01. December 2005 Herbert von Karajan identified with the 8th perhaps more intensely than with any other score in the repertory; it is significant that in February 1989, in what proved to be his last performances outside of Austria, he brought it to New York with the VPO & made it the centrepiece of a 3-concert engagement. The air of finality was heavy at those concerts, & Karajan, determined to go out as a conqueror, did just that. This 1988 recording comes very close to recapturing the experience of that live performance. Karajan’s careful pacing gives the 8th time to unfurl, allowing the mystery & tenderness of Bruckner’s vision to radiate from some place deep within the paroxysmal intensity of the symphony’s argument. The cumulative effect is shattering. Throughout, the Viennese play beyond their limits, as if their lives depended on it. The recorded sound is vivid & of very wide dynamic range. . . . a wonderful reading it is, as authoritative as its predecessors & every bit as well played but somehow more profound, more humane, more lovable . . . at its best, the recording surges with an almost animal impulse that recreates the pull of a live performance & puts most recordings – by anyone, including Karajan himself in the shade. ~ Richard Osborne, Peter Quantrill, Christian Hoskins, Gramophone, March 2016 . . . this 1988 Karajan account holds a special place . . . it was in the 8th Symphony that, for me, Karajan achieved the greatest recording of his last decade . . . Whether one comes to this performance as a doubter or believer, an impalpable ‘something’ runs through it that no other modern recording has. ~ Huntley Dent, Fanfare, August 2016
![Herbert Von Karajan, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorák: Symphony No.8; Brahms: Symphony No.3 (1962/65) [Japan 2011]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/1slMgxz.jpg "Herbert Von Karajan, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorák: Symphony No.8; Brahms: Symphony No.3 (1962/65) [Japan 2011]")
Title: Herbert Von Karajan, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – Dvorák: Symphony No.8; Brahms: Symphony No.3 (1962/65) [Japan 2011]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Karajan was associated with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London from the early 1950s and made recordings with this orchestra for EMI. From 1959, Karajan also started recording with the Berlin Philharmonic for Deutsche Grammophon and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO) for Decca. At that time, the recording industry was gaining momentum because of newly introduced stereophonic technology and consequently Karajan began to dominate the market. In particular, Decca’s recordings, which were made with the VPO in collaboration with the great producer John Culshaw, resulted in many remarkable tracks for the diverse orchestral compositions including pioneering recordings of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” and “Planets” and for complete operas with superb musicians and vocalists, in addition to the standard symphony recordings of the time. Among Decca’s recordings, ESOTERIC has produced a coupling of Dvorák’s Eighth Symphony and Brahms’ Third Symphony, recorded in 1961, to offer two highly admired performances on a single CD.
The reissuing of the Decca masterpiece series has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master recording and for using our hybrid Super Audio CD/CD re-mastering technology to improve sound quality. This series marks the first hybrid SA-CD/CD release of two selections that have been mainstays of the Decca catalog since their initial release on LP, later making their way on to CD. These new re-mastered audio versions feature newly created DSD master.
![Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.3 'Polish'... [Japanese SHM-SACD 2016]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/Oe7JaDQ.jpg "Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.3 'Polish'... [Japanese SHM-SACD 2016]")
Title: Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.3 ‘Polish’… [Japanese SHM-SACD 2016]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Herbert von Karajan leads the Berliner Philharmoniker in a wonderful performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s unique five movement major key Symphony No. 3 plus Marche Slave & Capriccio Italien. Dispite this SHM-SACD marked as Original Japanese SACD, every performance on this disc, including “Marche Slave” and “Capriccio Italien”, are identical to the featured on the “Karajan Conducts Tchaikovsky” box set.
![Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Tchaikovsky: 6 Symphonies (1979) [Japan 2017]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/YJf1vlS.jpg "Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Tchaikovsky: 6 Symphonies (1979) [Japan 2017]")
Title: Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Tchaikovsky: 6 Symphonies (1979) [Japan 2017]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Herbert von Karajan conducts this performance of Tchaikovsky’s Six Symphonies by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Although Karajan recorded the last three symphonies many times, he did not turn to the first three until the end of the 1970s. No doubt the reason these early symphonies sound so fresh is because the Berlin orchestra was not over-familiar with them – this belied by the sheer refinement of the orchestral playing. Recorded at the Philharmonie between October 1975 and February 1979, Karajan’s Berliner Philharmoniker cycle is presented on three SHM-SACD, mastered from the analogue recordings, transferred & edited in PCM, then converted to DSD.
![Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op.40 (1959) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/sRU5yCG.jpg "Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op.40 (1959) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]")
Title: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op.40 (1959) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Say what you want about the egomaniacal Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan, he was far & away the best postwar interpreter of German composer Richard Strauss’ megalomaniacal Ein Heldenleben. In this 1959 Deutsche Grammophon recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Karajan approaches the work as a portrait painted in sound of the artist as a young world conqueror. Though Karajan draws playing of tremendous fire & daring out of the Berlin musicians & though Deutsche Grammophon captures the performance in immediate stereo sound, the real hero of this Hero’s Life is Karajan himself. He has the measure of the score, knows when to apply pressure & when to pull back, when to let the brass go & when to reign them in, when to let the harmonies bloom & when to cut them off. But more importantly, Karajan believes in the music. Other postwar conductors could give convincing performances of Ein Heldenleben — one thinks, of course, of Fritz Reiner & the Chicago Symphony’s high-powered 1954 RCA recording — but Karajan isn’t performing the work: he’s living it. The sweep & swagger of the opening theme, the imperious power of the battle music, the expansive monumentality of the closing pages: this isn’t an act for Karajan; this is life itself.
Title: Herbert Von Karajan, BBerlin Philharmonic – Sibelius: Symphony No.2, The Swan Of Tuonela, Finlandia (2011)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
The reissue of classical music masterpieces by ESOTERIC has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound, and for using hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) technology to improve sound quality. This series marks the first hybrid SACD release of historical recording selections that have been mainstays of the catalog since their initial release on LP, until the present digital age of CD. These new audio versions feature ESOTERIC’s proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality.
![Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Mozart: Serenade No.13 / Divertiment No.15 (1965/2015) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2015]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/mhAElVI.jpg "Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Mozart: Serenade No.13 / Divertiment No.15 (1965/2015) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2015]")
Title: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Mozart: Serenade No.13 / Divertiment No.15 (1965/2015) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2015]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade #13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German title means “a little serenade,” though it is often rendered more literally but less accurately as “a little night music.” The work is written for an ensemble of 2 violins, viola, & cello with optional double bass, but is often performed by string orchestras. On this release, Herbert von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic for a performance of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik & Divertimento KV 287.
![Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphony No.7 in E major (1972) [Japan 2012]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/1K3JN4m.jpg "Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphony No.7 in E major (1972) [Japan 2012]")
Title: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Bruckner: Symphony No.7 in E major (1972) [Japan 2012]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
The reissue of classical music masterpieces by ESOTERIC has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound, and for using hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) technology to improve sound quality. This series marks the first hybrid SACD release of historical recording selections that have been mainstays of the catalog since their initial release on LP, until the present digital age of CD. These new audio versions feature ESOTERIC’s proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality.
The criterion of re-mastering is to faithfully capture the quality of the original master tapes. ESOTERIC’s flag ship D/A converters, model D-01VU, Rubidium master clock generator model G-0Rb and ESOTERIC MEXCEL interconnect cables and power cords, were all used for this re-mastering session. This combination of highly advanced technology greatly contributed to capturing the high quality sound of the original master tapes.
![Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Beethoven: The Symphonies (1963) [Reissue 2003]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2026/02/20/O29bxJF.jpg "Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Beethoven: The Symphonies (1963) [Reissue 2003]")
Title: Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Beethoven: The Symphonies (1963) [Reissue 2003]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC
Karajan: Beethoven Symphonies (1963) is a set of studio recordings made in 1961 and 1962 by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Herbert von Karajan. It is the second of four cycles of Beethoven’s nine symphonies that von Karajan conducted, and the first of three for the German record label Deutsche Grammophon. The complete set was first released in 1963 in Europe, and as a result the cycle of symphonies is now generally known as the 1963 cycle. The cycle is usually now presented across 5 CDs. It is available in 24 bit/96 kHz high definition sound on 6 hybrid SACDs that also containing a rehearsal session for the ninth symphony.
Herbert von Karajan recorded Ludwig van Beethoven’s complete symphonies four times, first in the 1950s with the Philharmonia Orchestra on EMI, then on three more occasions with the Berlin Philharmonic for Deutsche Grammophon. Karajan’s 1963 cycle with Berlin is highly regarded by fans for its consistent interpretations and energetic and emotional playing. Collectors usually rate this set higher than the 1977 and 1985 recordings, also with Berlin on DG, which have been criticized for being somewhat more mechanical in performance and clinical in sound quality. That said, Karajan’s Beethoven is decidedly a product of the mid-20th century, following conventions that tended toward homogenization of orchestral colors, broad pacing, and an exaggerated sense of the heroic, particularly in the Third, Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth. Before the advent of the movement for period performance practices and the wide use of original 18th and 19th century instruments, Karajan’s recordings were widely accepted as the gold standard for Beethoven, though the historically informed interpretations by John Eliot Gardiner, Roy Goodman, and Christopher Hogwood have, by way of comparison, made most of the mainstream versions of Beethoven seem heavy and stodgy. Listeners who grew up with Karajan’s recordings will appreciate this set, though they are likely to own it already.