Symphony 9
This is the second of Herbert von Karajan's three versions of this  symphony for Deutsche Grammophon, and it's a very nice one. Karajan always did  well by the orchestral portions of this symphony, playing them sort of like  proto-Bruckner. In the finale, as in his 1963 recording, he seems to prefer a  very light, backward-balanced choral sound that will not appeal to those who  believe that Beethoven meant the words to be heard. That reservation aside, this  performance can be recommended as typical of Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic  Orchestra in top form.--David Hurwitz