Is this 1947 performance the best of Herbert von Karajan's recordings of Beethoven's Ninth? One could make that argument. After all, Karajan's 1983 Ninth is abhorrent in its narcissism, & his 1977 Ninth is abominable in its egotism. & while his 1963 Ninth is at best the acme of Karajan's super-refined mature style, & his 1955 Ninth is at best the epitome of Karajan's almost impulsive youthful style, they can't compare to the only Ninth Karajan recorded that actually has a spark of humanity