Maestro Karajan at the podium

More than 40 years after his death, Herbert von Karajan remains the gold standard, the quintessential maestro among maestros. But “Der Chef,” as the musicians of the Berlin Phil called him, was not only a legendary conductor—he was also a gifted instrumentalist, a mentor who brought immense talents to broader renown, and a technological enthusiast who helped pioneer new and better recording methods. Discover a few of his most emblematic recordings in this playlist, or take a deeper dive with this page devoted to the one and only Karajanthis page devoted to the one and only Karajan…