Haydn - Symphony No. 104 in D major, Hob. I:104, "London"

I. Allegro - Allegro [0:00]
II. Andante [7:27]
III. Menuetto (Allegro) & Trio [16:28]
IV. Finale (Spiritoso) [20:53]
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan

[@LouisLeeKH]

It's in fact a brilliant version. I can't understand why there are so many negative comments against Karajan's Haydn.

[@MrThepresident2009]

In my opinion, Karajan is un underrated Haydn's executor!

[@renato45222]

Non soltanto le registrazioni degli anni Cinquanta e Sessanta (soprattutto la 103 e la 104 con i Wiener, registrate per la Decca) ma anche il ciclo completo ("maturo") delle Parigine e delle Londinesi incise negli anni Ottanta per la DG è esemplare, sotto una miriade di profili, dalla timbrica inarrivabile all' afflato poetico haydniano che è riuscito a evidenziare.

[@virabyy6240]

perfect - such a rich music and such a robust interpretation

[@marcoantonio-lj1hw]

una fuerza inusitada una emocion profunda como un presagio...
una composicion sublime
e insuperable interpretacion...
la amalgama perfecta entre
compositor y director...

[@MrGer2295]

Wonderful performance ! Thank you for uploading :)

[@nickconbrio5310]

There was something about the opening two bars that didn't grab me - perhaps, the balance, or the fact that it's an old recording, or lack of separation after the pauses, but this quickly proved to be probably the most faithful reading of all I've heard. Clearly, Karajan uses the B&H score, for every detail is exactly as in that, including a snippet of melody, like an echo, in 2nd Violins (2nd mvmnt., bar 123) that everyone else omits. The Intro. is one of the slowest, as is the Andante, but both are very expressive and powerful. No one is more faithful to the dynamics throughout, and he's about the only conductor to achieve genuine pianissimos. And he avoids the temptation to put in rits., or lark about with pulse in the Trio. This is definitely on a par with Marriner's version, though I prefer the latter's modern recording and depth of string tone. One minus is that I feel Karajan didn't point up rhythms and articulation very well, mainly in the Intro. and Andante, where he went for smooth lines over precision. But we must remember that this was before authentic/period instrument performances with their scratchy, vibrato-less strings and curtailing of last notes of phrases. I didn't like his politics, but I respect anyone with such musical integrity as this demonstrates.

[@user-iz8lu6mj2s]

legato, too much.

[@ferdinangenius]

legato sostenuto is the trademark of KaRAjan.