Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) on Rhythm and Race, in 1963 'Stereo Review' Interview

[The Best of Herbert von Karajan; Deutsche Grammophon 349302 (2004)]

This year is the Centenary of the birth of the renowned Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989). Today AfriClassical received an E-mail from Bob Shingleton of the well-known classical music blog based in the U.K., “On An Overgrown Path”: “Bill, Karajan on black musicians is interesting - http://www.overgrownpath.com/2008/09/karajan-on-boulez-stockhausen-and.html

Regards, Bob”. In a Sept. 30 post entitled “Karajan on the music of today,” the blog reproduces a 1963 interview of the conductor by Herbert Pendergast, in Stereo Review. The clipping from the publication is not entirely legible, but Bob Shingleton quotes an exchange in which Herbert von Karajan laments what he sees as the lack of natural rhythm in musicians of European descent. In a sense this clipping from 45 years ago is a postcard from another era, one in which racial stereotypes were widely accepted.