Karajan Concerts in Great Britain
Herbert von Karajan performed a total of 67 concerts in Great Britain; 52 in
London, 14 in Edinburgh and 1 in Oxford. The Edinburgh concerts were all
performed at the Usher Hall as part of various Edinburgh Festivals. Prior to
1952 the London concerts were at the Royal Albert Hall. After that year all the
concerts, except one, were at the Royal Festival Hall. The exception was the
1973 “Fanfare for Europe” concert which was held at the Albert Hall. The
concert in Oxford was at the Sheldonian Theatre by way of a thank you for the
Honorary Doctorate of Music Karajan had received from Oxford University
on 21st June 1978.
Royal Festival Hall
1948 11th April London
Note: First appearance in London
Beethoven Symphony No 5 Philharmonia
Schumann Piano Concerto Philharmonia (Lipatti)
Strauss [Richard] Don Juan Philharmonia
1949 25th November London 
Click to see Concert Programme
Beethoven Symphony No 9 Philharmonia (Schwarzkopf,Watson,W.Ludwig,Christoff with BBC Chorus)
1949 2nd December London
Note: This was a revised programme.
Lipatti was originally scheduled to play Bartok Piano Concerto No 3.
Ravel Bolero Philharmonia
Strauss [Richard] Till Eulenspiegel Philharmonia
Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 Philharmonia
1952 6th May London
Beethoven Symphony No 7 Philharmonia
Mozart Divertimento No 15 Philharmonia
Strauss [Richard] Don Juan Philharmonia
1952 9th May London Click to see Concert Programme
Brahms Symphony No 1 Philharmonia
Handel Water Music Philharmonia
Stravinsky Jeu de cartes Philharmonia
1953 22nd June London Click to see Concert Programme
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Philharmonia
Beethoven Symphony No 3 Philharmonia
Mozart Symphony No 35 Philharmonia
1953 1st September Edinburgh Click to see Concert Programme
Note: First appearance at the Edinburgh Festival
Beethoven Symphony No 7 Philharmonia
Britten Frank Bridge Variations Philharmonia
Debussy La Mer Philharmonia
1953 2nd September Edinburgh
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Philharmonia
Beethoven Violin Concerto Philharmonia (Menuhin)
Handel Water Music Philharmonia
1953 4th September Edinburgh Click to see Concert Programme
Mozart Divertimento No 15 Philharmonia
Ravel Rapsodie espagnole Philharmonia
Tchaikovsky Symphony No 5 Philharmonia
1953 20th November London
Beethoven Symphony No 6 Philharmonia
Britten Frank Bridge Variations Philharmonia
Sibelius Symphony No 5 Philharmonia
1954 24th June London
Beethoven Symphony No 5 Philharmonia
Mozart Sinfonia wind concertante Philharmonia (Sutcliffe,Walton,James,Brain.)
Ravel Rapsodie espagnole Philharmonia
1954 29th June London
Brahms Symphony No 1 Philharmonia
Debussy La Mer Philharmonia
Vaughan Williams Tallis Fantasia Philharmonia
1954 6th September Edinburgh
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique Philharmonia
Schumann Piano Concerto Philharmonia (Arrau)
Wagner Tristan Prelude & Liebestod Philharmonia
1954 7th September Edinburgh Click to see Concert Programme
Beethoven Egmont Overture Philharmonia
Beethoven Symphony No 3 Philharmonia
Beethoven Symphony No 4 Philharmonia
1954 8th September Edinburgh Click to see Concert Programme
Brahms Symphony No 1 Philharmonia
Mozart Symphony No 35 Philharmonia
Strauss [Richard] Till Eulenspiegel Philharmonia
1954 15th October London
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique Philharmonia
Mozart Piano Concerto No 22 Philharmonia (E. Fischer)
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition Philharmonia
1955 1st May London Click to see Concert Programme
Mozart Symphony No 35 Philharmonia
Sibelius Symphony No 4 Philharmonia
Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 Philharmonia
1955 14th October London Click to see Concert Programme
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Philharmonia
Sibelius Symphony No 5 Philharmonia
Vaughan Williams Tallis Fantasia Philharmonia
1955 18th October London Click to see Concert Programme
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique Philharmonia
Britten Frank Bridge Variations Philharmonia
Ravel Rapsodie espagnole Philharmonia
1956 6th February London
Note: Final concert of the Mozart bi-centenary tour
Mozart Piano Concerto No 20 Philharmonia (Haskil)
Mozart Symphony No 35 Philharmonia
Mozart Symphony No 41 Philharmonia
1956 20th June London
Beethoven Symphony No 2 Philharmonia
Brahms Symphony No 4 Philharmonia
Strauss [Richard] Four Last Songs Philharmonia (Schwarzkopf) 
Click to hear short extract.
1958 12th January London Click to see Concert Programme
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 2 Philharmonia
Brahms Haydn Variations Philharmonia
Prokofiev Symphony No 5 Philharmonia
1958 5th November London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: First concert with B.P.O. in London
Beethoven Coriolan Overture B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 3 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 6 B.P.O.
Wagner Meistersinger Overture B.P.O. Note: Played as an encore
1958 6th November London Click to see Concert Programme
Brahms Symphony No 1 B.P.O.
Mozart Symphony No 35 B.P.O.
Wagner Tristan Prelude & Liebestod B.P.O.
Wagner Tannhauser Overture B.P.O. Note: Played as an encore
1959 7th March London Click to see Concert Programme
Dvorak Symphony No 9 Philharmonia
Ravel Daphnis et Chloe Philharmonia
Strauss [Richard] Don Juan Philharmonia
1960 1st April London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Final public appearance with Philharmonia
Bach Suite No 2 Philharmonia
Schumann Symphony No 4 Philharmonia
Strauss [Richard] Death & Transfiguration Philharmonia
1961 14th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Beethoven Cycle
Beethoven Symphony No 1 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 4 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 7 B.P.O.
1961 15th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Beethoven Cycle
Beethoven Symphony No 2 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 3 B.P.O.
1961 16th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Beethoven Cycle
Beethoven Symphony No 5 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 6 B.P.O.
1961 17th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Beethoven Cycle
Beethoven Symphony No 8 B.P.O. Note: Recorded
Beethoven Symphony No 9 B.P.O. (Lipp,Ludwig,Wunderlich,Crass with Philharmonia Chorus)
1961 25th August Edinburgh Click to see Concert Programme
Brahms Symphony No 1 B.P.O.
Mozart Symphony No 39 B.P.O.
Webern Six Pieces B.P.O.
1961 26th August Edinburgh Click to see Concert Programme
Bach Suite No 2 B.P.O.
Strauss [Richard] Ein Heldenleben B.P.O. (Schwalbe)
Stravinsky Symphony in C B.P.O.
1962 6th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Bruckner Symphony No 7 V.P.O.
Mozart Symphony No 41 V.P.O.
1962 7th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Locatelli Concerto grosso op 4 No 10 V.P.O.
Mozart Symphony No 40 V.P.O.
Strauss [Richard] Also sprach Zarathustra V.P.O.
Strauss [Josef] Delirien Waltz V.P.O. Note: Played as an encore
1962 1st November London Click to see Concert Programme
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra B.P.O.
Brahms Symphony No 3 B.P.O.
Brahms Tragic Overture B.P.O.
1962 2nd November London Click to see Concert Programme
Bach Suite No 2 B.P.O.
Mozart Symphony No 29 B.P.O.
Strauss [Richard] Ein Heldenleben B.P.O. (Schwalbe)
1963 24th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: 150 Years of the Royal Philharmonic Society
Beethoven Symphony No 1 V.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 9 V.P.O. (Janowitz,Rossl-Majdan,Dermota,Wiener with Philharmonia Chorus)
1964 31st January London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Brahms Cycle
Brahms Piano Concerto No 2 B.P.O. (Anda)
Brahms Symphony No 4 B.P.O.
1964 1st February London
Note: Brahms Cycle
Brahms Symphony No 2 B.P.O.
Brahms Symphony No 3 B.P.O.
1964 3rd February London
Note: Brahms Cycle
Brahms Symphony No 1 B.P.O.
Brahms Violin Concerto B.P.O. (Ferras)
1965 3rd April London Click to see Concert Programme
Bruckner Symphony No 8 V.P.O. Note: Recorded
Mozart Symphony No 29 V.P.O.
1965 5th April London
Dvorak Symphony No 8 V.P.O.
Haydn Symphony No 104 V.P.O.
Strauss [Richard] Don Juan V.P.O.
1967 11th May London Click to see Concert Programme
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique B.P.O.
Mozart Divertimento No 15 B.P.O.
1967 12th May London
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 6 B.P.O.
Ravel Bolero B.P.O.
Ravel Pavane B.P.O.
Schumann Symphony No 4 B.P.O.
1967 3rd September Edinburgh
Mozart Divertimento No 15 B.P.O.
Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 B.P.O.
1967 4th September Edinburgh
Beethoven Symphony No 5 B.P.O.
Handel Concerto grosso op 6 No 12 B.P.O.
Stravinsky Symphony in C B.P.O.
1967 5th September Edinburgh
Bach Magnificat B.P.O. (Donath,Veasey,Tear,Souzay with Edinburgh Festival Chorus)
Brahms Symphony No 1 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1969 4th June London
Mozart Concerto for 3 pianos B.P.O. (Eschenbach,Frantz,Karajan.) Note: Recorded
Prokofiev Symphony No 5 B.P.O.
1969 6th June London
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 1 B.P.O.
Bruckner Symphony No 7 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1972 15th May London Click to see Concert Programme
Mozart Divertimento No15 B.P.O.
Stravinsky The Rite of Spring B.P.O.
1972 16th May London Click to see Concert Programme
Beethoven Symphony No 6 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Strauss [Richard] Ein Heldenleben B.P.O. (Schwalbe) Click to hear short extract.
1972 3rd September Edinburgh
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 3 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 3 B.P.O.
Berg Three Pieces B.P.O.
1972 4th September Edinburgh
Mahler Das Lied von der Erde B.P.O. (Ludwig,Kollo.)
1972 5th September Edinburgh
Brahms Symphony No 2 B.P.O.
Stravinsky Apollon musagete B.P.O.
1973 4th January London
Note: BBC Winter Proms Fanfare for Europe
Beethoven Symphony No 4 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Beethoven Symphony No 5 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1974 17th June London
Note: Brahms Cycle
Brahms Symphony No 2 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Brahms Symphony No 4 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1974 18th June London
Note: Brahms Cycle
Brahms Symphony No 1 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Brahms Symphony No 3 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1976 12th May London
Note: 25th Anniversary of the Royal Festival Hall.
Before the concert Karajan asked for one minute’s silence for Rudolf Kempe who had died on 11th May.
Beethoven Symphony No 8 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Strauss [Richard] Ein Heldenleben B.P.O. (Brandis) Click to hear short extract.
1977 13th June London Click to see Concert Programme
Mahler Symphony No 6 B.P.O.
1977 15th June London
Beethoven Symphony No 5 B.P.O.
Beethoven Symphony No 6 B.P.O.
1979 18th June London Click to see Concert Programme
Beethoven Triple Concerto B.P.O. (Zeltser,Mutter,Ma.)
Strauss [Richard] Also sprach Zarathustra B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1979 19th June London
Bruckner Symphony No 8 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1981 27th May London Click to see Concert Programme
Bruckner Symphony No 5 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1981 28th May Oxford Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Concert given in Sheldonian theatre
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 2 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Mozart Violin Concerto No 3 B.P.O. (Mutter) Click to hear short extract.
Strauss [Richard] Metamorphosen B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1985 27th April London Click to see Concert Programme
Beethoven Symphony No 4 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Strauss [Richard] Ein Heldenleben B.P.O. (Spierer) Click to hear short extract.
1987 10th June London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: The musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic played the entire concert
in casual dress as their formal concert attire had been delayed by strike action!
Click to hear the public announcement.
Brahms Symphony No 2 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Brahms Symphony No 4 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
1988 6th October London Click to see Concert Programme
Note: Final appearance in London. This concert was also affected by industrial action, but this time in France, resulting in the start of the concert being delayed.
Click to hear arrival on concert platform.
Brahms Symphony No 1 B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.
Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht B.P.O. Click to hear short extract.