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Rating: 
Summary: Shameless indulgence
Review: Although this is about as far from an authentic Bach performance as you can get (the performance notes acknowledge this), it is impossible not to like the performance here, especially the Magnificat. File this performance as a big, late Karajan, symphonic Bach performance, and pick up Gardner's version when it comes out as an antidote. The only bad thing about the DVD is the hopelessly pompous performance notes. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: If you like Bach . . . You'll love this!
Review: I found this DVD a delightful treat, and it has become one of my favorites. First and foremost, I am a fan of J.S. Bach, and Herbert Von Karajan. One of the bonus's here is watching the performance of Sophie Ann Mutter with this legendary conductor and the Berlin Philharmonic - in her mid-twenties. Another bonus is watching Mastro Karajan not only in his usual conducting role, but also playing the harpsichord in both pieces. Even though I have never heard the compliment of full orchestra in a Bach concerto before, I don't think Mr. Bach would have minded, and I considered it an exciting departure. The Magnificat was exceptional and if you have some good sub-woofers, you'll pick up the low 50hz organ notes that accompany this piece.The video was excellent as with most of the Sony productions, and the audio was stupendous. This was a live performance and it is about as Deutsche as it can get. Here we have a German conductor, a German violinist, conducting and playing with a German Orchestra for Germans.
Rating:
Summary: If you like Bach . . . You'll love this!
Review: I found this DVD a delightful treat, and it has become one of my favorites. First and foremost, I am a fan of J.S. Bach, and Herbert Von Karajan. One of the bonus's here is watching the performance of Sophie Ann Mutter with this legendary conductor and the Berlin Philharmonic - in her mid-twenties. Another bonus is watching Mastro Karajan not only in his usual conducting role, but also playing the harpsichord in both pieces. Even though I have never heard the compliment of full orchestra in a Bach concerto before, I don't think Mr. Bach would have minded, and I considered it an exciting departure. The Magnificat was exceptional and if you have some good sub-woofers, you'll pick up the low 50hz organ notes that accompany this piece. The video was excellent as with most of the Sony productions, and the audio was stupendous. This was a live performance and it is about as Deutsche as it can get. Here we have a German conductor, a German violinist, conducting and playing with a German Orchestra for Germans.
Rating:
Summary: guilty pleasure
Review: Purists close your eyes and ears for this one. If you are one of those people who need to have 300 year-old music performed on 300 year-old instruments by 300 year-old people (OK, I exaggerate), you will hate this performance. The Berlin Philharmonic at the peak of their "Karajan sound" capabilities throw the full weight of their symphonic splendour at this Bach program. I love it in its own right. Karajan was never known or liked for his baroque conducting, in fact he was despised for his interpretation of the Brandenburg concertos, but this is still a great, great recording, especially with the exceptional Rias Rundfunkchor performing Bach's Magnificat. Real goose-bump stuff. And we need not talk about the untarnished skills of the young Ann-Sophie Mutter playing in perfect harmony with her great menthor's conducting. If you have a Gardiner or a Hernoncourt or a Herrwhege recording of these pieces at home: go ahead, get this one, it's a guilty pleasure, but it works.
As for sound and video quality: all DVDs from this Karajan series are exceptionally good considering that the original material was recorded 20some years ago. They leave nothing to be desired.
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