Herbert von Karajan(1908-1989)

It is an unfortunate aspect of the present day that there are those who cannot necessarily see and appreciate pure greatness when it stares them in the face. The excuse usually given is that some people could not forgive, let alone understand, why he joined the Nazi Party. However, Karajan never was an active party member. He did it to get a job. More unfortunate is that Karajan's marvelous legacy is unparalleled. Aside from its sheer breadth, the "rightness" of practically everything should be obvious upon the most cursory listening. One can depend on a consistently high level of musicality, tempo, phrase, light and shade in everything Karajan touched. His mastery of the music was inexplicable, memorizing virtually everything note for note-to the degree that it can be compared to knowing where every grain of sand is in a building. His ability to transmit his consummate musicianship through his motions, critical ear and carefully chosen words are virtually unmatched. Can anyone listen to his 1960 recording of Sibelius' Second Symphony and remain less than convinced the ultimate has been achieved? Can anyone watch his late performance of Wagner's Lieberstod with Jessye Norman, and not feel moved to tears. Can anyone listen to his Brahms Fisrt Symphony for 1959 and not be aware of its dramatic intensity and extraordinary beauty?

Karajan was the greatest conductor of modern times. There is no parallel at all; no one of his degree of ability, knowledge and musicality; no one who was utterly one with his music making. It is time to put aside biases from another era that had utterly nothing to do with the real Karajan. It is time to move on from WWII, and realize that Karajan might not have been a perfect human being, but who is? His legacy is one of the greater gifts to our culture, and his spirit remains string in the music he made.