đđđĨđđđđĄ đđĄđ đđđđđđđđđđđ — đ§đđ đ§đ¨đĨđđ¨đđđĄđ§ đđ¨đđ đđĸđĨ đ§đđ đĻđĸđ¨đ đĸđ đ§đđ đđđĨđđđĄ đŖđđđđđđĨđ đĸđĄđđ
The relationship between đđ˛đŋđ¯đ˛đŋđ đđŧđģ đđŽđŋđŽđˇđŽđģ (1908–1989) and đĻđ˛đŋđ´đļđ đđ˛đšđļđ¯đļđąđŽđ°đĩđ˛ (1912–1996) stands among the most psychologically charged rivalries in twentieth-century conducting history. What began as a professional succession crisis after the Second World War gradually hardened into one of the most famous artistic antagonisms of the modern podium.
At stake was far more than a position. It was, in many ways, a clash of musical philosophies, temperaments, and conceptions of what conducting itself should be.
đ§đđ đŖđĸđĻđ§-đĒđđĨ đŠđđđ¨đ¨đ — đđđĨđđđĄ, 1945
The roots of the conflict lie in the chaotic aftermath of 1945. With Wilhelm Furtwangler under denazification investigation and the Berlin Philharmonic in institutional uncertainty, the young Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache was appointed acting chief conductor (1945–1952).
Celibidache, then in his early thirties, rapidly established authority through:
extraordinarily intense rehearsals
philosophical approach to sound
insistence on live acoustic experience
During these years, đĩđ˛ đ°đŧđģđđļđąđ˛đŋđ˛đą đĩđļđēđđ˛đšđŗ đđĩđ˛ đšđ˛đ´đļđđļđēđŽđđ˛ đĩđ˛đļđŋ đđŧ đđđŋđđđŽđģđ´đšđ˛đŋ’đ đšđ˛đ´đŽđ°đ.
This conviction would later prove explosive.
đ§đđ đđđĨđđđđĄ đđŖđŖđĸđđĄđ§đ đđĄđ§ — 1954–1955
After Furtwangler’s death in November 1954, the Berlin Philharmonic faced the decisive question of succession. In 1955, Herbert von Karajan was elected chief conductor.
For Celibidache, this was nothing less than a personal and artistic betrayal.
đđ đđđ đđĢđŖđđđ§đđ đ§đđ đŖđĸđĻđ§.
Instead, the orchestra chose Karajan — younger, internationally glamorous, and already a major recording figure.
From this moment, the relationship between the two men became openly hostile.
đđđđĻđ đĸđ đ đ¨đĻđđđđ đŖđđđđĸđĻđĸđŖđđđđĻ
The rivalry was intensified by profound aesthetic differences.
Karajan’s Ideal
Karajan pursued:
orchestral perfection
sonic polish
long-term recording legacy
technical control
His Berlin Philharmonic became synonymous with luxurious homogeneity of sound.
Celibidache’s Ideal
Celibidache rejected many of Karajan’s premises. He insisted on:
phenomenology of live sound
extreme rehearsal depth
tempo flexibility based on acoustics
distrust of studio recordings
Most famously, đđ˛đšđļđ¯đļđąđŽđ°đĩđ˛ đąđ˛đģđļđ˛đą đđĩđ˛ đŽđŋđđļđđđļđ° đđŽđšđļđąđļđđ đŧđŗ đŋđ˛đ°đŧđŋđąđļđģđ´đ, calling them at times a distortion of musical reality.
In contrast, Karajan became the most powerful recording conductor in history.
The philosophical gulf could hardly have been wider.
đŖđđĨđĻđĸđĄđđ đđĄđđ đĸđĻđđ§đŦ — đ§đđ đđ¨đ đđĄ đđđ đđĄđĻđđĸđĄ
The conflict was not purely aesthetic; it became deeply personal.
Celibidache, known for his bluntness, made numerous sharp remarks about Karajan over the decades. Among his recurring criticisms were that Karajan’s music-making was:
superficial
overly polished
lacking spiritual depth
Whether exaggerated or not, these comments circulated widely in the musical world and reinforced the image of two irreconcilable podium archetypes.
Karajan, for his part, rarely engaged publicly but maintained complete institutional control in Berlin, which in itself spoke volumes.
đ§đđ đđđĨđđđĄ đŖđđđđđđĨđ đĸđĄđđ — đ§đđ đĻđđđđĄđ§ đđđ§đ§đđđđđđđ
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Berlin Philharmonic remained the symbolic center of the rivalry.
Important realities:
Celibidache never returned to conduct the orchestra after Karajan’s appointment.
Karajan consolidated one of the longest and most powerful chief conductorships in history (1955–1989).
The orchestra’s international identity became inseparable from Karajan’s sonic vision.
For Celibidache, this exclusion remained a lifelong wound.
đ§đđ đđđĨđđđĄ đđŖđđĻđĸđđ đĄđđŠđđĨ đđ¨đđđŦ đđđđđđ.
đđđ§đđĨ đđđĨđđđĨđĻ — đ§đĒđĸ đđđđđđĨđđĄđ§ đđ đŖđđĨđđĻ
As the decades progressed, their careers diverged dramatically.
Karajan built:
the global Berlin Philharmonic brand
vast discography
Salzburg Festival dominance
technological innovations in recording
Celibidache built:
a cult following for live performances
legendary Munich Philharmonic tenure (from 1979)
an almost mystical reputation among devoted listeners
By the 1970s and 1980s, the two conductors represented opposite poles of twentieth-century conducting culture.
đđĄđđđđĸđ§đđĻ đđĄđ đđ¨đĨđđĸđĻđđ§đđđĻ
Several telling episodes illuminate the depth of the divide:
Celibidache was known to refuse discussions comparing him with Karajan, dismissing the premise outright.
He repeatedly emphasized that music exists only in the moment of acoustic realization, implicitly challenging Karajan’s recording empire.
Musicians who worked under both men often described the contrast vividly: Karajan as the sculptor of sound, Celibidache as the philosopher of time.
Despite the rivalry, there is little evidence of direct personal confrontation; the conflict lived largely through institutional decisions, public remarks, and aesthetic opposition.
đđĸđĄđđđ¨đĻđđĸ𥠗 đ đĨđđŠđđđĨđŦ đ§đđđ§ đđđđđĄđđ đđĄ đđĨđ
The turbulent relationship between Karajan and Celibidache was never merely a matter of professional jealousy. It crystallized a deeper twentieth-century question:
đđĻ đ đ¨đĻđđ đđĄ đĸđđđđđ§ đĸđ đŖđđĨđđđđ§đđĸ𥠗
đĸđĨ đ đđđŠđđĄđ, đ¨đĄđĨđđŖđđđ§đđđđ đđŠđđĄđ§?
Karajan answered with the monument of recorded sound.
Celibidache answered with the philosophy of the unrepeatable moment.
Between them stretched one of the most fascinating artistic fault lines in modern musical history — a rivalry that, even today, continues to shape how we think about the very nature of conducting.
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