Beethoven first thought of setting Schiller's Ode to Joy to music
in 1793, but it was only in 1824 that this project was realised in the
form of The Ninth. Bringing the human voice into the symphonic
form in this majestic innovation paved the way for Mahler and Bruckner,
crowned Beethoven's symphonic achievements and provided the European
Union with its future supranational anthem.
Karajan's 1977 interpretation, although an analogue recording, is
preferable to either his 1962 or 1983 performances - a product of
Karajan's great partnership with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Wiener
Singverein - achieving precision, power and grandeur in an impressive
and memorable recording.
Also
included in one of our boxed set recommendations
