Regularly, for the past few months, I keep receiving newsletters from CD-manufacturers, reminding me that this year we are remembering a great Maestro, offering jubileum-recordings, dvd-documentaries, and you name it.
My first reaction on this, however, is a bit of an uncomfortable feeling. It is, on the one hand, understandable, that cd-producers and sellers, use an anniversary for their marketing strategies. I myself have enjoyed e.g. the 1995 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam, or conducted myself a Dvořák’s commemorative concert in 2004 and remember some more occasions. Nothing against that. What gives me an odd feeling, is that I am facing this time ... no-one less than Herbert von Karajan himself.
Anyone within the classical music business, can confirm that Karajan played an important role in the world of music. I do admit, that in earlier years, when all of Europe still had borders between states, when internet (even a PC at home) was non-existent, still science-fiction, great Maestro’s would usually sound from vinyl LP-records. When broadcasted on German tv, even I was impressed by this mystical Karajan as he conducted the whole concerts from heart. Those were the times, and I was still young.
Time has gone by; I grew older and not only in the field of conducting have I gained experience, but obviously also my knowledge of behind-the-scenes politics in the music business has increased ever since. I will not delve on Karajan’s past during the dark years of the Nazi-era. That indeed is a very black episode – despite some apologetics on his role - especially his, even though allegedly passive membership in the NSDAP-party, so let’s leave it to that. What causes my reservations, in fact, is his role and actions after the war (keeping in mind the former given). Put it this way: his rising star was not completely fuelled by his talent for music only, to put it mildly.
As meanwhile we have entered a new age – where now, unlike before, we do have at least one computer in the house (even 2 in my case), full speed internet, dolby surround systems plus a satelite dish on the roof, thanks to which I am able to see non-stop a dozen of tv channels offering classical concerts, opera-performances at any given time of the day. And yes – even the very same performances - which I used to watch perhaps with awe in those days - are sometimes being aired again. What bothers me now about them - trying, as a professional musician, to shut myself off from possible prejudices – is a suffocating personal cult drooling. The camera focussing just a few times on e.g. a battery of violin-rows (the cunning but kitschy camera effect tries to give you an impression that at least 500 players are sitting in a row. As if a whole army), for the rest you see only Karajan, eyes shut, standing literally in the center of the orchestra (not in front) as if being a god in the middle of the universe creating a megalomaniac world, the spectator supposed to be mesmerised by Karajan's greatness. It's almost as if you are watching a Riefenstahl-type of production "Der Triumf des Maestros". But the director was Karajan himself, who meticulously controlled every detail.
Technically and musically speaking, there is lacking any kind of “echtes Musizieren“ (real music playing) or an intellectual conception felt from the music... Whichever performance you take, it’s a mass-production, highly polished and shiny chromium steel, sterile. As if all has been created by a computer sampled mixer. Not to mention poor taste, in playing Bach’s 6th Brandenburg Concerto’s the viola soloparts as tutti. Today, I can but frown as why on earth have we allowed ourselves to idolise this man and putting him on such a high paedestal, paying him such large sums of money? If you would simply wipe out the man’s political background and - purely for the sake of argument - would judge him solely on his musical craftsmanship, in my opinion he would not even stand much a chance. Nevertheless, he managed to re-design the whole conducting-market - maybe even helped distorting it completely, by creating and exploiting the huge myth bubble on conductors, as he was cunning enough to find the right niche in the market, exploiting or the new CD technology, earning millions.
MS
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