We are approaching an important milestone in the legacy of Herbert von Karajan. April 5, 2008 will mark the 100th anniversary of his birth. There will be concerts all around the world to celebrate the occasion and the major record companies are planning some commemorative releases. There will also be some new books including mine.

Herbert von Karajan: the Maestro as Superstar will be available in stores, at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble,  and elsewhere in early December. This is a revised and enlarged edition of the book I first published in 1975. It includes a complete Discography and a Videography.

Karajan made most of his recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, a large number for EMI and a smaller number for Decca. Many of his films have been released by Sony. To date I only have some details from DG and Sony but I would be very surprised if EMI and Decca don’t have plans too.

DG is preparing to release at least 20 DVDs, most of them with the Berlin Philharmonic. Among them will be the Brahms Symphonies (1973), Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Brahms’ German Requiem and Tchaikovsky’s Symphonies 4-6. DVDs with the Vienna Philharmonic will include live performances of Bruckner’s Eighth and Ninth Symphonies. Wagner’s Das Rheingold will be released – the only part of the legendary Karajan-Schneider-Siemssen Ring cycle originally produced at the Salzburg Easter Festival to be captured on film. From La Scala comes Cav and Pag with Jon Vickers. A number of shorter pieces will be included in a 2-DVD compilation.

DG will also repackage a large number of Karajan CDs and release for the first time a live performance of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov from the 1965 Salzburg Festival.

Sony has not announced specific titles but they have revealed that they intend to try to improve the sound quality on their Karajan DVDs by playing the original tapes back in the Berlin Philharmonie and re-recording them.

Unitel has announced that it will release a film directed by Robert Dornhelm to honor Karajan based on previously unpublished interviews with Karajan, his family and colleagues and rehearsals.

I will pass on more information as it becomes available. Other websites with Karajan 100th anniversary information include the official website of the Eliette und Herbert von Karajan Institut, and http://www.karajan.co.uk/.

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