elrondsch (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

They are playing from notes. How else would you explain their eyes))) They all are looking down forward)

gspaulsson (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I know he had the idea of setting Schiller's Ode early, and even wrote one and scrapped it, but I don't think he actually started writing musical ideas down until much later, and certainly not for the first 3 movements. His "dry run" for the 9th was the Choral Fantasy, which was written just after the 5th (and is frankly a bit of a mess). It has one theme similar to the Ode, but he hadn't put the tune and the words together yet. The tune was still undeveloped and lacked the grandeur.

gspaulsson (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The Berlin Philharmonic always plays standard repertoire without music, and Karajan always conducts from memory. But what's the big deal? So do all soloists (except Richter).

gspaulsson (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I would say that Beethoven's first definitely romantic/middle period piece was the Pathetique (1797), and that the first revolutionary symphony was #1 (1800), with his first Scherzo (albeit still labelled Menuetto) and starting on a secondary dominant discord, unheard of. I don't think there was any epiphany, rather an inevitable evolution. Anyway, Mozart's last 3 symphonies (plus a few others, like the Haffner) are better than Beethoven's first 2

KayferProductions (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

There are some stands if you look carefully.

usernamefmyass (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This, like all Videos of Karajan conducting the Beethoven Symphonies, are not taped in one piece. Its done like a Movie - Scene by Scene. And the audio was even performed independent from the shooting. Than all was put together in the end. I think this explains it.

princevasili83 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

correction to the next comment: at 21:05, i believe i see a page turn.

princevasili83 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

my God vyre, you're right!!!! NO STANDS! they memorized this entire symphony.... but wait, at 16:13, i think i spot a stand in the middle upper right of the section. But where are the others????? wait, at 31:13, between movements, it looks like the violist in the background leans forward to turn a page. perhaps they are positioned really low just out of camera sight for video effects. if not, i'm amazed! great leader-follower skills. maybe Karajan was apart of that Party...

Joebzzz (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

SO GREAT

draconian99 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

i totally agree with you, but what you said is not exactly brief.