Fanfare Reviews
from November/December 1983

Reviews: Radetzky March

RADETZKY MARCH: PRUSSIAN AND AUSTRIAN MARCHES. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Radetzky March) and Wind Orchestra of the Berlin Philharmonic (others) conducted by Herbert von Karajan. DG SPECIAL 2535647-10, $6.98.

J. STRAUSS II: Radetzky March. BEETHOVEN: York March. ANON.: Torgau March. St. Petersburg March. WALCH: The Entry into Paris. J. F. WAGNER: Under the Double Eagle. FUČIK: Florentine March. PIEFKE: Königgrätz March. The Glory of Prussia. SCHRAMMEL: Vienna Forever. ERTL: Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order (Hoch- and Deutschmeister). SEIFERT: Carinthian Songs. HENRION: Fehrbellin Cavalry March. KOMZÁK: Archduke Albrecht March. RADECK: Grenadiers of Fridericus Rex. TEIKE: Old Comrades.

It would seem that Karajan has finally found his niche. This opulent collection of Central European marches is probably the finest bit of conducting I have heard from his rather temperamental baton. One may cavil at the title of the disc, as some of the composers are not German or Austrian by our current thinking. though they were at least a part of the old Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. (Fučik is Czech; Komzák is Hungarian, for example.) In any event these are fine marches, rousingly played and splendidly recorded. You absolutely can't miss with this reissue.

The pressings are first-rate, too. But don't read the absolutely puerile annotations by John Magenis. Whoever he is--and he has written several sets of notes for DG reissues lately--he should be stripped of his typewriter. That warning aside, buy and enjoy this disc.

John Bauman

Copyright © 1983 by Fanfare, Inc. Reprinted by permission from Volume 7, No. 2 (November/December 1983), pages 382-383. This article reviews one of the LPs included in the Deutsche Grammophon 439 690 2-CD set. 

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