Herbert von Karajan is amongst the great conductors of our time. He is also one of the most respected and accomplished conductors as well. During his lifetime there were few, if any, who would have said anything differently particularly his peers and critics.

Now, fourteen years after his death, Deutsche Grammophon has released a series of several CD sets referred to as, Karajan | The Collection. To review them all is a serious undertaking because they are somewhat lengthy.

Karajan Forever – The Greatest Classical Hits, is a sampler of sorts. Each one of these “hits,” is a masterpiece, though some are just well know passages of larger works. Even without the artistry of Karajan, the album would probably be something that no classical collection should be without. It spans some of the most well known composers and their unique styles as performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. When you add to the equation that all the performances on the disc are conducted by Karajan himself, you have something very special; something that is matchless.

This set of two discs contains twenty-nine different orchestral compositions with each disc clocking over seventy-six minutes in length. Originally, I had thought I would pick a few tracks that contained some of the better known music, but the title of the set is descritptive enough. It truly is the greatest classical hits. Instead, I think the best way of reviewing this set is in generalities, though it won’t give you the touchy feel of knowing about things individually, it will give you the ability to decide your own thoughts. However, if you want more specific information on a track, please feel free to write and I will do my best to give you my honest and sincere impression.

I have found that in a set containing several recordings, each one is usually considerably different. In this case, while the Berlin Philharmonic was the orchestral body, the venues varies as do the dates recorded and in some cases guest musicians. However, I was simply stunned to find that while there were some differences, mainly in staging, overall ambience and in some cases guest musicians, the performances themselves all had the same feel to them. I mean to say that while there were some differences, the nearly limitless talent and artistry of Karajan minimized their impact to a mere fleeting shadow of unimportance.

The music contained in the set is one of the best examples of recording and mastering I have heard. I could find none of the normal digital artifacts that tend to plague most CDs, even those that have been well done. There seems to be no compression in either the upper treble or lower bass, this applies equally to places where the full orchestra is heard or a single flute. Even the timbre of the music is as close to perfection as I heard, especially given the differences I mentioned earlier between works.

My overall impression of this disc is that its one that will easily be considered a work of art for some time to come. While I won’t claim it compares entirely with some of the higher definition formats when they are done well or some vinyl recordings I have, it is one of the best CD sets I am lucky enough to have in my collection. I can honestly say that this is one of the most worthwhile sets I have heard in sometime and would recommend it to anyone looking a great collection of works.

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Spring: The Four Seasons - Vivaldi
Adagio - Albinoni/Giazotto
Valse from String Serenade - Tchaikovsky
Menuetto - Mozart
Morning Mood - Grieg
Valse Triste - Sibelius
Symphony No. 40 - Mozart
Symphony From The New World - Dvolak
Notre Dame: Intermezzo - Schmidt
Carmen Suite: Prelude I - Bizet
Bolero (excerpt) - Ravel
Sleeping Beauty: Valse - Tchaikovsky
la traviata: Prelude to Act III - Verdi
Symphony Organ: Mastoso - Saint-Saens
Also Sprach Zarathrustra (Intro) - Strauss
Cavekkerua rustivana - Mascagni
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro - Mozart
Swan Lake - Swan Theme - Tchaikovsky
An der schonen: blauen Donau (The Blue Danube) - Strauss
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 - Bach
Thais : Meditation - Massenet
Badinerie - Bach
Baracarolle - Offenbach/Rosenthal
Piano Concerto No 1: Allegro - Tchaikovsky
Symphony No 5: Adagietto - Mahler
Symphonie classique: Finale - Prokofiev
Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Gluck
Nutcracker: Danse de la Fee Dragee - Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker: Valse des fleurs - Tchaikovsky