It’s amazing how different the Berlin Philharmonic sounds on this 1961 Beethoven Seventh from the one Karajan recorded around the same time for Deutsche Grammophon. Karajan’s enormous string sound, super-sheen polish, and blended sonorities are not to be found in Joseph Keilberth’s reading. Instead, the orchestra sounds more like, well, an orchestra–and a very good one at that. Keilberth also shares none of Karajan’s need to rush things; his rendition takes its time, letting Beethoven’s music unfold and allowing more detail to register.
That said, the first movement could do with more tension than Keilberth musters, but the color and timbre of the playing makes you newly appreciate Beethoven’s inventive scoring (this is certainly so in the Allegretto second movement). As expected, the Berlin strings make lush, beautiful sounds, especially on the low end, but the brass are more prominent (and sound more natural) than for Karajan. Keilberth has no truck with repeats, but his clear, goal-oriented focus requires nothing to be restated, especially in the finale, where the conductor’s measured determination proves you don’t need jack-rabbit speed to make points with this movement.
The coupled Egmont Overture begins stiffly but ends in a stirring triumph, as does the Leonore Overture No. 3, completing the program quite satisfactorily. The sound has less openness and warmth than Karajan’s DG recording, but is well balanced and quite listenable. Keilberth fans and connoisseurs of classic, big-band Beethoven sound should investigate this release. Available on-demand from Arkivmusik.com.
