Herbert von Karajan's mastery of the opulent idiom of Richard Strauss is everywhere apparent in this recording of Salome, made in 1977-78 in conjunction with the first-ever Salzburg Festival production of the opera, co... more »nducted (as well as directed) by the Salzburg-born maestro. Never has the shimmering, feverish intensity of Strauss's colorful scoring been more tellingly captured on disc, although Karajan's fastidious direction and iron grip on the music are only a part of the reason: a good deal of credit belongs to the Vienna Philharmonic, which was in top form on this outing. As Salome, German soprano Hildegard Behrens makes a strong impression. This was the production that brought her into the international spotlight, where she would remain for a dozen years or so, eventually singing Brünnhilde at Bayreuth and the Met. Although a newcomer, she was a mature artist--40 years old--with a potent instrument. While her approach might lack the hair-raising intensity that Ljuba Welitsch brought to the part (to name another Karajan collaborator, and one of the century's greatest Salomes), it fit Karajan's conception of the role like a glove. José van Dam makes a regal Jochanaan, and Karl-Walter Böhm gives a smarmily spot-on characterization as Herodes. The ensemble work is superb, once again reflecting Karajan's scrupulous attention to detail. The recording, made in the Sofiensaal and engineered by a Decca team that was headed by James Lock, is splendidly balanced and imposing in its impact. --Ted Libbey« less
Herbert von Karajan's mastery of the opulent idiom of Richard Strauss is everywhere apparent in this recording of Salome, made in 1977-78 in conjunction with the first-ever Salzburg Festival production of the opera, conducted (as well as directed) by the Salzburg-born maestro. Never has the shimmering, feverish intensity of Strauss's colorful scoring been more tellingly captured on disc, although Karajan's fastidious direction and iron grip on the music are only a part of the reason: a good deal of credit belongs to the Vienna Philharmonic, which was in top form on this outing. As Salome, German soprano Hildegard Behrens makes a strong impression. This was the production that brought her into the international spotlight, where she would remain for a dozen years or so, eventually singing Brünnhilde at Bayreuth and the Met. Although a newcomer, she was a mature artist--40 years old--with a potent instrument. While her approach might lack the hair-raising intensity that Ljuba Welitsch brought to the part (to name another Karajan collaborator, and one of the century's greatest Salomes), it fit Karajan's conception of the role like a glove. José van Dam makes a regal Jochanaan, and Karl-Walter Böhm gives a smarmily spot-on characterization as Herodes. The ensemble work is superb, once again reflecting Karajan's scrupulous attention to detail. The recording, made in the Sofiensaal and engineered by a Decca team that was headed by James Lock, is splendidly balanced and imposing in its impact. --Ted Libbey
CD Reviews
Ah! Herrlich! Wundervoll!
Jason | 10/08/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After an apparent hiatus from the catalogues, Herbert von Karajan's 1977 recording of "Salome" is back and better than before. The stuffy sound quality of the 1987 remastering has been eliminated, replenishing the recording's essential beauty (and at a more reasonable price). The libretto booklet also includes background on the Salome legend, as well as information about the recording itself.Hildegard Behrens, relatively unknown at the time of the recording, sings the title role with appropriate "youthfulness" and fresh sensuality, like Catherine Malfitano, Teresa Stratas, and Inga Nielsen. Salome is not to be sung like Brunnhilde, nor as a caricatured "madwoman," as certain others have sung it. She is an adolescent dealing with her sexuality on her own terms (Yeah, baby! Yeah!), or perhaps she is trying to fulfill her spiritual needs (A popular interpretation in our more spiritual times.), or perhaps she seeks a sexual and spiritual union with Jochanaan (The best of all possible worlds.)? Is Salome the perfect Tantrist (Tantris? Good God!)? As for the orchestra, Karajan and the Wiener Philharmoniker successfully balance the savagery and sensuality of the score, and therefore of Salome's psyche. They unleash the savagery at appropriate times, with thunderous timpani and horns during Jochanaan's ascent from and descent back into the cistern, and the opening of Salome's final scene with Jochanaan's head. Then there are the moments of sensual langour and tenderness as she dreamily rhapsodizes about Jochanaan. And then her cosmic orgasm, as she transcends Herod's court, Jochanaan's head, the world, the moon, the stars, the universe."
An ode to sensuousness.
Plaza Marcelino | Caracas Venezuela | 10/25/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Generally, late 1970's and 1980's Karajan studio recordings, to my liking at least, must be approached with care and even mistrust. His immense talent not being the subject of discussion, yet as he aged he tended to give a lot more attention to how things were played, how they actually sounded, than to what was being played, somewhat along the lines of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf or Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who also tended to give so much attention to these matters as to sound affected and artificial. Those special qualities (see following paragraph) that so much distinguished his recordings with the Philhamonia Orchestra made during the 1950's for EMI, or his early '60's discs made for Decca, EMI and DG with the Vienna and Berlin orchestras gradually faded along the 1970's and the 1980's.
But not in this recording. This is easily the best conducted Salome in recorded history, and that so in a work that has been particularly lucky in this respect. What we have here is a return in spirit to "das wunder Karajan" of 30 years earlier, to what lay behind the acronym of "Toscawängler" coined by some London critics of the early 1950's when Karajan righfully dazzled audiences all over post-war Europe once the Allied authorities in occupied Germany and Austria allowed him to return to work. That the 70-year old conductor was able to return to his form upon which much of his fame was built is short of miraculous, in a work that so much exhudes the sexual reckoning of youth. Tension along the two hour-long performance never ceases and by the time the final orchestral crashes aurally picture Salome being literally crushed under Herod's soldiers's shields, you breathe in relief. Wow! is most likely what you may be able to utter ...
The recording is based on a Salzburg Festival production for which a formidable cast was assembled. Yet Karajan seemed to view the opera as some kind of extended-length orchestral work with vocal obbligati, as the orchestra is the prime player, indeed the real protagonist. And the VPO gladly picked up the challenge, playing like gods and captured in superb sound that has endured the test of time (the recording dates from 1978!) and puts to shame many a modern disc. Commisioned by HMV to Decca, the latter's engineers no doubt did their best to show their arch-rival EMI colleagues what they could achieve (the producer was Jimmy Lock, the legendary John Culshaw's right hand in many a Decca Vienna recording project).
Featured singers have mostly retired by now, but fortunately for us were caught in their prime, especially Behrens and van Dam. I've seen that others in this site have referred at length to the vocal highlights of this set, so I won't, rather avoiding being repetitive; I agree with all their laudatory comments.
In sum, any newcomer to Salome won't go wrong with this audio-only set. If video is a must, I'd propose the superb Malfitano Berlin performance, a rendition also very well conducted by the much-lamented Giuseppe Sinopoli, yet available only as a VHS tape from Teldec (I don't know if there are plans to issue it in dvd); if video is a must but VHS is a no-no, I'd propose the Covent Garden Peter Hall production available in dvd from Pioneer/Kultur, with Maria Ewing as Salome, conducted by Sir Edward Downes (but don't expect from Sir Edward's remarkable effort Karajan's refinement or Sinopoli's insights). Settle for Malfitano's Covent Garden performance under Dohnányi on a Decca dvd only if that's the only one you can have access to."
Terrific Recording
Jason | 09/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Behrens is not my favorite singer. Karajan's later recording also do not appeal to me in general. For instance, his Fidelio with Dernesch and Vickers was marred by weird sound perspectives and constant manipulation of balance which is very annoying. As a result, I resisted buying this set for a while until now. What I heard amazed me beyond imagination!! It's not the normal "bad Karajan" like his Fidelio. It's not the normal below-the-best standard singing from Hildegard Behrens. This is a sinply great recording, worthy of being in the Great Recordings of the Century series. This is definitely Hildegard Behrens' best opera recording, done when she was at her absolute prime. Here, her beauty of tone and line is simply incredible!! Karajan himself is inspired!! The orchestral playing is simply superb. I simply love the final scene when Salome is singing and the little bells tinkle as she caresses Jochanaan's head!! (??? I'm not sure but they sure sound like little bells or a triangle) The tinkling bells! They are sheer magic! It gives the final scene a "little girl" feel. Like an "innocent" 16-year old girl playing with her "toy" but this "toy" is Jochanaan's head!! After listening to the bells in this recording, I'm sure Richard Strauss meant to give the final scene a "nursery school" kind of atmosphere to emphasize the fact that Salome is an adoloscent teenage girl who is just "coming of age", who is just beginning to discover the world. A girl coming out of "innocence". And Hildegard Behrens sounds just like a 16 year old girl. Her voice is silvery, radiant and cuts across the orchestra like a razor sharp blade. And oh! The beauty of her voice!! I was very surprised since I do not quite like some of her later recordings as much. Now I understand why this recording was so critically acclaimed. Karajan is more "refined" compared to other Salomes but this is a different kind of refinement!! Different from the annoying refinement you get from other Karajan recordings. I like this one. I don't think you should be put off by the less than 5 stars given to this by some reviewers below. This Salome is simply sheer magic! Enjoy it! If you don't want to invest in a first hand copy, buy a second hand!! It costs less and I'm sure you will like this recording."
The Karajan Salome: A Winner!
Rudy Avila | Lennox, Ca United States | 09/21/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 1978 studio recording of Salome is among the finest Salomes commercially available, though it can be argued, and it is, that Ljuba Wellitsch's earlier WWII Era recording is the ultimate, since her chilling portrayal of the heroine is largely considered as the creme de la creme. Other superior Salomes have included the Wagnerian/Strauss diva Birgit Nilsson in the 60's and 70's, whose mastership of the German repertoire is mind-blowing. Hildegard Behrens must have grown up admiring Birgit Nilsson for in this critic's personal opinion, Behrens can suitabely be hailed as the successor to the throne of Birgit Nilsson. Hildegard Behrens sang the same repertoire, including Brunhilde at Bayreuth and Tosca at the Met. Behrens arrived late into the opera scene. In this recording she is already 40. Nevertheless, she packs a punch as Salome, perfectly comforming to the vision of Karajan's interpretation, which this recording is all about. Her voice is light and she sings in such a way that she makes her voice appear grander and bigger than it actually is but it works for Salome, since we must take in mind that Salome is a teenager and so a relatively lyric voice with dramatic force behind it is absolutely perfect for the role. The final scene is so well-done and sends chills down my spine.
Herbert Von Karajan had never recorded or staged Salome, though it was inevitable since his involvement with the Salzburg Festival made use of Strauss operas- Ariadne of Naxos and most notably Der Rosenkavalier. Karajan's version of Salome is classical, not modern. He is evoking the Salome that caused a scandal in its premiere. When it was first performed in 1900 something, at the turn of the century, it rocked Edwardian sensibility. Its theme of necrophilia, sexual frustration and not to mention lascivious dancing and the beheading of the very beloved Biblical/Christian figure of John the Baptist was too much to take in for a work of theatre. It was banned in London and when the opera came out, Strauss got himself into trouble, for very few places outside his native Austria would perform the opera. It was banned at the Met for years and not until the 20's did it make a return. The primal intensity of the piece is quite clear throughout and the performers are convincingly dramatic. They include:
Jose Van Dam as Jochanan/John the Baptist. Van Dam is a supremely talented bass baritone. He has experience in such diverse roles as Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni, King Phillip in Verdi's Don Carlo and here he performs one very credible John the Baptist. His voice is sonorous and he does play the part of the Prophet well. He is mannered and refined in his lyricism as well. To my knowledge, no other baritone has sung the part so well.
Agnes Baltsa as Queen Herodias. She has a dramatically compelling mezzo soprano voice, though at time she may come off as looney, but as the vindictive and mean-spirited queen she is doing a fabulous job. Baltsa is yet another talented singer with many roles to her credit, among them Bizet's Carmen, Cherubino from Nozze Di Figaro and Rosina in Barber of Seville. She has no problem with the German language though it is also very evident she is more comfortable singing in Italian or French. She is not too bad as the Queen however, eventhough there are superior Queen Herodias out there.
All in all, this is a fine recording, the true stars being Karajan himself and his fine interpretation (not to mention the great recording engineering done in Vienna) Jose Van Dam's Jochanan, Agnes Baltsa's Queen, and the star of the show, the soprano Hildegard Behrens. This was the role that made her a star. She would go on to sing Brunhilde and Tosca, her career extending through the 80's and 90's. But if you are looking for other Salomes that are slightly better look for Solti's recording with the incomparable Birgit Nilsson, or the earlier one with Ljuba Wellitsch or the modern and recent one starring Inge Nielsen."
Super Salome!
W. Pender | Cathedral City, CA United States | 11/12/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have this version along with the Solti/Nilsson; Sinopoli/Studer versions. Still not sure which is my favorite, so I guess they all are! I tend to favor the Karajan because it is the one with the most stunning conclusion. The last 10 minutes of the recording leave you breathless. Karajan works magic yet again as the orchestra takes you to the edge of your seat with its sheer eeriness. Ms. Behrens somewhat surprises me as Salome is not the ideal role for her, but she pulls it off beautifully. Definitely check out this recording as you can often get it at a bargain price. It won't disappoint."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1