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Santa lurks around the corner, so Pia and Henry have already mounted their one-horse open sleigh to travel to England, France, and Italy, where they collected some musical gems from the Baroque era for this week’s Christmas special of SpinOnClassicalMusic. Compositions by Handel, Charpentier, the two "Ellis" (that is, Corelli and Locatelli), and the world-famous composer Anonymous set the tone for the hosts to start philosophizing about the logistics of Christmas present distribution ("How do the gifts get from Amazon to the Christ Child?"), wondering about the longevity of certain monarchs and Leontyne Price, and discussing the most appealing Christmas traditions, such as the infamously terrifying Krampus in Austria—of whom even the Vienna Big City Child Choir is probably afraid. So pour yourself some mulled wine, lean back, relax, and listen!
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In this week’s episode of your favorite classical music podcast, Pia and Henry wrap up our little series on Karajan-conducted orchestras by shining a spotlight on the German-speaking ensembles that are often overlooked in the maestro’s oeuvre. The hosts discover that Karajan’s journey with these orchestras stretched mainly throughout the age of mono recordings. Henry’s notorious antipathy for that kind of sonic experience leads to the inclusion of two non-Karajan but stereo tracks. The episode kicks off with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra playing Saint-Saëns under the baton of Georges Prêtre, setting a Romantic tone. It continues with the slow movement of Brahms’s Violin Concerto in a rare rendition by the Lucerne Festival Orchestra together with Herbert von Karajan and Nathan Milstein (sorry, Henry—it’s in mono). Returning to a slow pace, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen lets Alice Sara Ott shine in the Adagio of Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor. Herbert von Karajan takes the stage once again in a recording of Beethoven’s Eroica with the Prussian State Orchestra, where Pia reveals a shocking error in Spotify’s metadata that simply cannot go uncorrected. So put on your headphones and dive into the best of the rest! And remember—for two of these tracks, even one loudspeaker is enough. Enjoy!
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This week, Pia, Henry, and Nicolai take a trip to Italy—metaphorically, of course - to explore the fascinating and somewhat puzzling world of Italian orchestras. Unlike other nations’ famous ensembles, many of Italy’s orchestras trace their origins back to RAI, the national broadcasting station, making their story unique. But that’s not all: We uncover the mysterious IWM catalog system and finally clear up the origin of an alleged original conductor’s baton by Verdi, now housed in the Karajan Archive. And, as Nicolai aptly concludes, this might just be our most complex episode on orchestras yet. So get ready for this week’s handpicked playlist and another entertaining show on Spotify! 🎧 Tune in now to Spin On Classical Music and, as always, don’t forget to add the Spin On Classical Music Playlist Show to your Spotify library!
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As you might have noticed, Pia, Henry, and Nicolai had to skip last week’s episode, as Pia was busy traveling along the East Coast of the USA, diving into American archives and uncovering fascinating historical secrets and stories. On this occasion, and to continue our little series on the world’s most famous orchestras, this week’s episode focuses on the legendary so-called “Big Five.” From the LA Philharmonic to the New York Philharmonic, with stops in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, we’re unpacking iconic recordings featuring Welser-Möst, Abbado, Muti, and—of course—Herbert von Karajan. Get ready for this week’s handpicked playlist and another entertaining show on Spotify! And, as always, don’t forget to add the Spin On Classical Music Playlist Show to your Spotify library!
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Henry’s back from Paris, suitcase bursting with fresh stories and insights from his trip! This week, we’re diving into the heart of French music culture with the Orchestre de Paris, following up on our last episode’s deep dive into the London Symphony Orchestra. Pia’s taking the lead as we explore what makes this orchestra so iconic—and both she and Henry can’t help but notice how Herbert von Karajan’s collaboration with them was pretty limited. Henry jokes that Karajan was probably just too famous (and busy!) by then. After all, the Orchestre de Paris is relatively young, founded only in 1967. But despite that short history, there’s no shortage of breathtaking recordings! Pia’s handpicked four gems for this episode, starting with Karajan’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, to Klaus Mäkelä’s take on The Firebird, and rounding it all out with Paavo Järvi’s vibrant recording of La Valse. Get ready for a little sonic trip to France, straight to Paris, the city of love, passion, and endless inspiration! And, as always, don’t forget to add the Spin On Classical Music Playlist Show to your Spotify library!
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Thank goodness, this week things are back to normal. And just in time for the weekend, Pia, Henry, and Nicolai are serving up a new episode of Spin On Classical Music. Three years after the end of World War II, and about a year after Karajan's conducting ban was lifted by the Allied forces, Herbert von Karajan and Walter Legge met, laying the foundation for a decade of fruitful and now-legendary collaboration between Karajan and the Philharmonia Orchestra, which Legge had founded shortly before, in 1945. Karajan had immense respect for Legge’s deep understanding of music, and Pia shares just how grateful he was to receive the invitation by reading an original letter Karajan sent to his friend Walter. From their first concert to their final recording in 1960, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Herbert von Karajan reached new heights, and their recordings from this period remain unparalleled, often technically remarkable as well. Of course, Pia has once again curated a handpicked Spotify playlist for this episode. And as a special treat, we stumbled upon a surprise: at the end of the episode, Pia reads out a letter from King Charles (then Prince Charles), written to mark the Philharmonia Orchestra's 40th anniversary in 1985. A royal finale you won’t want to miss! Tune in to this week’s episode of Spin On Classical Music, and be sure to add us to your Spotify library!
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Water, fire, air—and what other element has the Creator, nature, or whatever higher force you believe in, blessed us with in the miraculous world we live in? That's right: money! Just kidding—it’s Friday after all. Today, on Spin On Classical Music, we’re talking about the final element: Earth. The dust, the ashes. We’ll explore how this element has earned its place in the eternal cycle of life and made its mark on classical music. From Gustav Mahler’s "Lied von der Erde" to Joseph Haydn’s "Creation" and Igor Stravinsky’s "Rite of Spring", the earth often takes on a dark, brutal, and powerful presence in music, as Pia points out. In his usual style, Henry steps in with hard facts, bringing a dose of realism to what had been a spiritual and contemplative discussion, grounding everyone by quantifying and rationalizing everything that had been said. Surprisingly, just before everything becomes too rational, Henry spices up the conversation with some mind-blowing 'facts' about Salzburg’s local mountain, the Untersberg. In this spirit: Tune in to this week’s episode of Spin On Classical Music, and be sure to add us to your Spotify library!
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Friends, let’s be honest – when was the last time you ever really thought about the 'element' of air? In the past two episodes, we’ve explored the elements of "water" and then "fire" together. So Pia thought, okay, what about air? After all, classical music has delved into all the essential elements of existence. And so the discussion begins. Air. Tempi. Storm. Air pressure. What happens underwater? Why do mountaineers take weeks to climb a mountain? What does air have to do with thunderstorms? How much air is there, anyway? How many people could this planet theoretically supply with air? What would a vacuum cleaner be called? And why is Bach’s 'Air' even called 'Air'? So many questions... and some intuitive answers can be found in this episode of Spin On Classical Music. Pia has once again handpicked a collection of captivating tracks on Spotify to complement this week’s discussion. Don’t miss out – tune in, and don’t forget to add us to your Spotify library for more intriguing musical journeys.
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In this week's episode of Spin On Classical Music, we’re keeping our promise! Last week, we dove deep into the element of water, exploring its profound significance to all existence. Now, it's time to explore the opposite element – fire – and its remarkable presence in classical music. Once again, Pia has carefully curated a selection of stunning tracks on Spotify to accompany this week’s discussion. Don’t miss out! Click to listen, and be sure to add us to your Spotify library for more fascinating musical explorations.
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Fully recharged after their vacation, Pia, Henry, and Nicolai kick off the next season of Spin on Classical Music. What starts as a simple question—how many raindrops are there on Earth?—turns into a fascinating discussion full of mind-blowing insights. From meteor showers billions of years ago to the endless water cycle, water is a universal element of life. So, it’s no surprise that composers like Wagner, Haydn, Saint-Saëns, Burgmüller (Who on Earth is Friedrich Burgmüller?), and Debussy captured its essence in music. Tune into Episode 70, and just a little reminder: Spin On Classical Music is no longer a podcast—it's now a Spotify playlist! So don’t forget to add it to your Spotify library!
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Henry started our summer special series, and he's here to close it with more personal treasures from Karajan's life.
In this final episode, Henry presents a truly unique and somewhat macabre set of artifacts: Karajan's death mask and death hands, originally cast in plaster at his deathbed and later in bronze. Ever wondered why Karajan broke some of his batons, or how big his hands really were? Well, here’s your chance to find out in this final, slightly eerie, but undeniably fascinating episode. Fittingly, Henry has chosen Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera" (A Masked Ball) for this episode's Spotify track - a perfect nod to the maestro's final "performance?"
Enjoy this last summer special episode, and remember, our regular season of Spin On Classical Music resumes next Friday on September 13. Thank you for watching the six special video episodes during this year's summer break. We look forward to kicking off the 2024/2025 season next week!
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Once you get Nicolai F. Böhlefeld out of his musty sound studio, it's hard to get him back in.
In his second appearance, Nicolai presents another intriguing item from Karajan's past: his bicycle from the Ulm era. While last week's episode featured an artistically significant item, this time it's something as mundane as a bicycle. But don't let its simplicity fool you—there's a fascinating story behind it. What exactly makes this bicycle so special, and what interesting facts can one learn about a bicycle? Nicolai, or as some might say, "Nicolai F. Böhlefeld," reveals all in this visually captivating episode.
This week's Spotify track is Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro," once again conducted by Karajan, but this time with the iconic Vienna Philharmonic.
Enjoy the ride, and don't forget, our regular season kicks off again on September 13!
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Today, Nicolai steps in front of the camera for the first time.
Our sound engineer and resident man-behind-the-scenes takes this opportunity to present to the eagerly awaiting world an unusual artifact from Karajan's artistic career: his director's chair. As not only an audio expert but also a studied musicologist and musician, Nicolai offers fascinating insights into the chair's history and its role in Karajans life, if not to say in last century’s history. He pairs this episode with a fitting piece: Act III of Puccini's "Tosca," performed by Karajan, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the famous José Carreras.
Get ready for some facts and a great soundtrack, and mark your calendars for our return on September 13!
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Join us for another fascinating video episode on Spotify!
Pia returns in this episode to showcase some of the many honors and titles Karajan received throughout his life. From the honorary doctorate from Waseda University to the honorary citizenship of Salzburg, these awards are significant mementos of their time, yet mere relics of the material world. Pia's pick for this episode's music is Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2.
Dive into these prestigious accolades and remember, we'll be back with our regular programming on September 13!
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Welcome back! This week, Pia answers one of the most frequent questions we get at the Karajan Institute: Are there any scores with Karajan's handwritten notes?
And so, for the very first time in broader public, she presents a rare Mussorgsky’s "Boris Godunov" score with Karajan’s annotations, sharing an amusing story about Mariss Jansons’ eagerness to get his hands on it. Pia concludes this episode of course with the "Boris Godunov" recording by Karajan, recorded together with the legendary Vienna Philharmonic.
Enjoy the episode and already mark your calendars for our regular season starting September 13, 2024!
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Welcome to the first of our special summer break episodes!
While we usually keep things audio-only, this summer, we've dusted off the video camera for you. Join Henry as he kicks off the series with some quirky, personal, and perhaps even a bit odd memorabilia from the Karajan Archive. From childhood photos to official documents and bizarre keepsakes like baby hair and teeth, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the private life of Herbert von Karajan. Don't miss this emotional rollercoaster through a legendary life, accompanied by Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik," conducted by Karajan himself with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Enjoy the ride!
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In this week's episode of Spin On Classical Music, we are not only concluding our series on solo instruments and instrument groups in an orchestra, but we are also wrapping up the entire season 2023/2024! This marks our final episode before Pia, Henry and Nicolai take a six-week summer vacation break. However, Spin On Classical Music won’t be disappearing completely from Spotify during that time as the three hosts have pre-produced six special episodes for you to enjoy over the summer.
These upcoming episodes are particularly special because, unlike our usual format, we will be turning this talk & music podcast into a video & music podcast for the upcoming six episodes. To find out what makes these video episodes worth watching, tune in every Friday until we return with regular episodes on September, 13th.
But before we go, this last regular episode of Spin On Classical Music focuses on the violin, concluding our series on solo instruments. Pia has curated a delightful selection of violin concertos by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, and Bach. We also discuss notable violinists such as Christian Ferras and Anne-Sophie Mutter (as some of you might already have noticed one of Henry's absolutely favourite's...) and uncover a hidden secret of so-called concertmasters.
Long story short, join this last regular Episode Spin On Classical Music for this summer on Spotify and don't forget to hit the plus button to add the podcast playlist to your library. Thanks everyone for listening, we'll be back in September! Talk to you soon!
Your friendly hosts Henry, Pia & Nicolai
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In this episode of the Spin On Classical Music, the Podcast Playlist Show on Spotify, hosts Henry Ladewig and Pia Bernauer, alongside their trusty sidekick and sound engineer Nicolai F. Böhlefeld, delve into the grandeur of Verdi's Requiem. Celebrating Deutsche Grammophon's fresh re-release of Herbert von Karajan's iconic studio recording, now also remixed in Dolby Atmos, the team introduces listeners to this phenomenal work. Join us as we play selected tracks from the new album on Spotify, explore why many consider this requiem Verdi's best opera, and enjoy Pia's expert insights and background information. As always, expect personal anecdotes, heartfelt discussions, and Nicolai's impeccable timing to press the play button right in time. Don't miss this immersive journey into Verdi's Big Mass!
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Join hosts Henry Ladewig and Pia Bernauer in this week's episode of Spin On Classical Music as they honor the legacy of Herbert von Karajan. Titled "Maestro Karajan: A Tribute in Melody," this episode delves into the enduring impact Karajan has left on the world of classical music.
In commemoration of Karajan's passing in July 1989, we explore the stories behind the memorial concerts held in his honor over the years. Celebrate his achievements and discover how his influence continues to resonate through these special performances.
Tune in for an inspiring journey through Karajan's remarkable legacy, enriched with touching anecdotes and timeless music. Listen now on Spotify and pay tribute to the Maestro with us.
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Welcome back to Spin On Classical Music, your go-to podcast for diving deep into the enchanting world of classical compositions! This week, hosts Pia Bernauer and Henry Ladewig guide us through a mesmerizing journey in the episode titled "Dancing Fingers: The Magic of Piano Concertos."
Produced by the Karajan Institute Salzburg, our podcast not only features a carefully curated Spotify tracklist but also delves into the intricate details of the compositions, musicians, and fascinating stories behind the music. This week, we shine a spotlight on the brilliance of piano concertos, with a special focus on Herbert von Karajan's collaborations.
Join us as we explore the exquisite melodies of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 and Concerto No. 25, along with the emotional depth of Schumann's Piano Concerto Op. 54. Discover the historical context, the genius of the composers, and the unique interpretations brought to life by Karajan's masterful direction.
Tune in for an episode filled with captivating insights and beautiful music, perfect for both seasoned classical music lovers and new listeners alike. Don't miss out on this week's magical musical adventure!
Listen now on Spotify and let the dancing fingers of piano concertos enchant you!
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