Karajan's first complete recorded cycle of the Beethoven Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic. These legendary interpretations were made in 1961/62 in Berlin's Church of Jesus Christ, at Dahlem, and were the world's first orchestral production in stereo quality. It was one of the most ambitious and successful projects in recording history.

Herbert von Karajan was a superstar, the most successful and influential conductor of the twentieth century, who could work wonders with musical sounds. Fellow musicians/composers described him in such glowing terms as "King of classical music" (Yehudi Menuhin); "one of the greatest geniuses of his time" (Rolf Liebermann), and "le grand maître" (Leonard Bernstein).

The Beethoven Symphonies held a central position in Karajan's repertoire. In the opinion of many, this, the first of three complete recordings with the Berlin Philharmonic under his direction, remains unsurpassed. Audiences were simply captivated by the expressiveness and wonderful sound of his interpretations, by the perfection of the orchestra and their faultless musicality and sensibility.