Bombs Away

British critic and author Norman Lebrecht really, really doesn’t like Herbert von Karajan, one of the most renowned orchestra and opera conductors of the 20th century. Mr. Lebrecht assigns all sorts of blame on Karajan for ruining the classical music recording industry and holds back no pejoratives in the process.

At the 100-year anniversary mark for Karajan’s birth Mr. Lebrecht, who is known for his carpet bombing rhetoric on perceived evils of the classical music business, has launched yet another salvo in a recent article in the British paper, The Independent.

Calling Karajan an autocratic opportunist who capitalized on anything and anyone – including the Nazi party – to advance his career and pocketbook, Mr. Lebrecht concludes that while Karajan was a “brilliant organizer,” he “crushed independence and creativity” in the world of classical music.

Mention Norman Lebrecht’s name and you are bound to inspire great admiration or great loathing, depending on which topic being discussed.

He has strongly criticized bloggers and the classical music blogging community. “Classical blogs are spreading but their nutritional value is lower than a bag of crisps,” Lebrecht writes.

In any case, his latest article on Karajan does provide for some entertaining reading.

Other Resources:

• YouTube: Karajan conducting Beethoven
• NY Times: British Critic’s Book Withdrawn
• Drew McManus: Norman Lebrecht is Absolutely Correct
• Adaptistration: Drew McManus and Norman Lebrecht debate the recent NY Phil Korean tour