Karl Bohm is my favourite conductor. His interpretation has a philosophical falvour that does not exist in other very famous conductors such as: Bernstein, Karajan or even Solti. If you want to buy a Mozart Symphonies CD the first choice by many is Bohm. The same can upply to Strauss's tone poems and Wagner's Operas. His Beethoven is among the greatest!
Yes, I do appreciate Bohm as I do Furtwangler, Tintner, Reiner, and Knappertsbusch.
*If a man wants God to hear his prayer quickly, then before he prays for anything else, even his own soul, when he stands and stretches out his hands towards God, he must pray with all his heart for his enemies. Through this action God will hear everything that he asks* -Abba Zeno-
*Protagoras: "Truth is subjective. What is true for you, and what is true for me, is true for me. Your opinion is true by virtue of its being your opinion."
*Socrates: "My opinion is: Truth is absolute, not opinion, and that you are in absolute error. Since this is my opinion, then according to your philosophy you must grant that it is true."
"Improvisational Art": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSxVO3EoCRM
Karl Böhm to me is the epitome of Germanic music making.I think of him as the ultimate teacher of how to interpret Beethoven,Brahms,Strauss,Wagner and Mozart.He is also brilliant at Bruckner.From every orchestra he conducts he extracts a beautiful,warm and deep sound.Listen to his Beethoven's 7th 2. movement:Allegretto with the mighty Wiener Philharmoniker.A great number of conductors conducted this piece with this wonderful orchestra ranging from Bernstein to Abbado,Karajan to Rattle.Did anyone sounded this emotional,this humane?No-at least to my ears-.He was very Germanic but that did not mean he was a dull kapellmeister like Sawallisch or Masur who is free of anything out of routine and who always under-emphasises contrasts in music.Böhm's music is always as climatic as it gets.
Unfortunately we today do not have conductors who can come even close to Böhm's quality on core repertoire.
His interpretation of Beethoven sixth symphony made it, for me, the greatest symphony ever. It has a simple theme but, i believe, simplicity is the best of cuning.
I have Karl Böhm's Strauss opera cycles, recorded, largely, live in Vienna and Salzburg. Can't be without them. I agree with you about his Beethoven, it is wonderful. I have a special fondness for his Beethoven Four.
It seems that he had a special empathy for the neglected symphonies of Beethoven.His fourth is the best by any major conductor so is his 8th.
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