The Art of Wilhelm Furtwängler

[Que]

Great discovery Bill!  

I will be getting that, although I have the essential LvB already on Tahra. Tahra also used the original RIAS tapes BTW, so take the "being first" claim by Audite with a pinch of salt. (And I don't understand what the comparion with "shellac" has to do with it - these are all recordings from the post-shellac era.. ) But I believe Tahra did not issue all of it, and certainly not for that price!

Q

[Bogey]

I am also still interested in dabbling into the Melodiya as well.  Just need to sit down, see what I have, and go from there.  Sounds that jwinter found them better than the M&A, so repeats may not factor in in the end.

[Coopmv]

Can someone recommend some Furtwangler's recordings on the Naxos Historical label?  I just realized I ordered close 30 of these CD's from MDT but there were no Furtwangler's CD's in my two previous orders ...

[Que]

I do not believe this is entirely accurate.  In 2004 Archipel released a recording of the April 1942 performance.  You are correct however that all of the film clips feature the music from the March performance.  Here is what Fogel said about the recording in Fanfare:

"I have listened to the Beethoven 9th on Archipel (ARPCD 0270) which claims to be a first release of a Furtwangler Beethoven Ninth, from April 19, 1942. It appears to be exactly what it claims to be.

I compared it directly with the known wartime performance from a few weeks earlier (March 22-24, 1942), and it is definitely a different performance. But its interpretive outlines are so similar, its force personality so strongly individual, that there can be no doubt it is Furtwangler.

This is the special performance that was given in honor of Hitler's birthday. It is followed by a radio announcement identifying the performers.

Is it worth owning? That depends on the degree of your interest in Furtwangler. In many ways, the sound here is similar to that of the more famous wartime recording, although there is a level of hiss and noise that distracts in soft passages. But the sound has actually more color and bite than the other 1942 performance, though a bit more distortion, particularly in softer passages.

The performance has the same ferocity as the earlier wartime one, except even more so. The final coda is an outburst the likes of which I have never encountered -- it is crazed, almost completely out of control. It must have stunned the audience, because there is a surprising silence before the applause start.

The soloists are for the most part different, only bass Rudolf Watzke is the same. Erna Berger here sings much more beautifully than Tilla Briem ; Helge Rosvaenge is the equal of Peter Anders. The mezzo here is Gertrude Pitzinger, but one hardly remembers the mezzo.

I think serious Furtwangler collectors will want this because of its huge importance as an event in the conductor's life. Michael Tanner's notes discuss the occasion -- how after many years of managing to avoid the Hitler birthday concert, Furtwangler was forced by Goebbels to conduct this one. This is one of the things that has been held against Furtwangler by those who would judge him guilty for his staying in Germany. Without wishing to get into that here -- and I don't -- the fact is that this concert was clearly an event of strong, even overpowering, emotions for the conductor (I hear anger in the conducting, but perhaps that's me), and it makes this performance unique."

I always thought Archipel a pirate's label, but the transfer from this private off-the-air recording on "Decelith" 78 rpm discs has been expertly done by Christian Zwarg, producer of his own label Truesound Transfers. The original radio recording must have been of good quality - a full, detailed soundframe with ample depth. But the sound - as has come to us here - has two drawbacks: it is rather distant, has lack of presence, and there is distortion, tonal instability - the woodwinds and the upper strings shake and shiver. Fogel, quoted above, acknowledges this but also notes that the sound has color and bite. It has, but certainly not more so than the '44 recording, as he also states. Judging from this comment Fogel has probably never heard the transfer on Melodiya of the '44.

As to the performance: I find it more straight forward, straight laced, than the '44 performance. The '44 performance is IMO emotionally more intense and engaging, and it has more flexibility by means of Furtwängler's famous use of rubato, the '42 has much more moments of "abruptness". Fogel finds the '42 even more ferocious. I don't know, in its abruptness and straightness it is harder pressed in the climaxes, but the timings confirm my impression: except for the 3rd movement, it's actually slower than the '44 performance.

All in all, I find this performance less inspired than the '44, which admittedly is emotionally too heavy, but at the same time displays to greater extent Furtwängler's sensitivities, including his use of rubato. And it has clear disadvantages in terms of sound, though an expert job as been done on that. Primarily for Furtwängler enthusiasts and completists, for others the '54 Lucerne and the '44 performances should take priority.

Q

[Drasko]

There is an hour long segment on todays CD review on BBC radio 3 devoted to Furtwangler Audite box, plenty of excerpts and McGregor and Cowan are pretty sane hosts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m0cqq

starts about hour into the programe, real player (or alternative) needed.

[Harpo]

Warning: not about his recordings.
Does anyone have an opinion about this film? It is about an American officer vainly trying to prove that Furtwangler was a member of the Nazi party. It doesn't really deal with his music (his talent is a "given"), but does deal with the interface of art and politics.

[MishaK]

Warning: not about his recordings.
Does anyone have an opinion about this film? It is about an American officer vainly trying to prove that Furtwangler was a member of the Nazi party. It doesn't really deal with his music (his talent is a "given"), but does deal with the interface of art and politics.

As I said in the Movies about music and musicians thread on the General forum:

Taking Sides was interesting, but more for its legal and moral issues than for the musical aspects (notwithstanding the fine contributions from Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin). Here at least Keitel's character admits that he doesn't 'get' what makes Furtwängler Furtwängler. That being said, the movie doesn't really help the viewer 'get' it either. Stellan Skarsgard's expressionless portrayal of Furtwängler I found pretty flat and unconvincing. What the movie does very well is give a very realistic portrayal of the opportunistic atmosphere of occupied Germany with all the German supplicants in Keitel's office claiming that they appreciated the martyrs of Operation Valkyrie etc. and going out of their way to acknowledge Keitel's secretary who is an offspring of one of the conspirators. It's a simultaneously hilarious and scary window into spineless human psyche.

[Bogey]

Recently found this in a used shop.  A set of interesting recordings here.  In fact the cd is titled: Wilhelm Furtwängler Conducts Concert Performances of Unusual Repertoire



•  Nocturnes, for female chorus & orchestra, L. 91 Fêtes
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra May, 1951

•  Mouvement symphonique No. 3, for orchestra, H83
Composed by Arthur Honegger
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Feb., 1952

•  Rhapsodie espagnole, for orchestra (or 2 pianos)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Oct., 1951.

•  Metamorphosen, study for 23 solo strings, o.Op. 142 (TrV 290, AV 142)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Oct., 1947.

[ccar]

Wilhelm Furtwangler died exactly 55 years- ago, on 30 November 1954.

I still remember vividly the impression of listening to him (on record) for the first time. The sonics could not compare to my "new" DG HI-FI Karajan LPs. But there was something truly special in those old sounding recordings I never had experienced before.  And even today I can't really explain what it is. Over the years I played those Karajan's less and less. But I continued to listen to Furtwangler, searching for the same hypnotic magic he injected in his performances.

"En hommage", I am listening to one of his recordings while reading some of his 1948 interviews. And there is a small passage I can't resist to (freely) translate:

" It was not the 'technique' of a Mozart or Beethoven (or later a Paganini or Liszt) that startled their contemporaries. It was, in each time, the character the technique expressed, which was intimately related to their message. But latter the technique turned into an ability, without any organic connection to the character it should serve – something you can acquire at will by any appropriate training. And it is this emancipation of the technique that troubles the interpretation:it shouldn't be the question of technique; but the dependence of the musical technique on the spirit of the music itself."            Wilhelm Furtwangler


   

[Drasko]

Could anyone having this release tell me the name of restoration engineer and restoration date, or production date, or whatever is given?
I'm asking because I chanced upon older Melodiya CD release which I never knew existed and which gives 1993 as production date and V. Parfionova as restoration engineer, so I'm curious if it's the same transfer or they did another for the recent release.

[George]

You may wish to PM Que if you don't get a response, Drasko, as I believe he may have that CD.

[Renfield]

Drasko, there is a chance I have this in a stack of unripped discs somewhere.

I will investigate.

[Que]

You may wish to PM Que if you don't get a response, Drasko, as I believe he may have that CD.

Alas, I have the transfer on Opus Kura, which was taken from an early postwar Melodiya LP BTW. I can safely reccomened that Opus Kura issue, but sofar my expierences with the new Melodiya CD issues have been as good.

Q

[aurelius]

A DVD titled "Great Conductors of the Third Reich" (Bel Canto Society #BCSD0052), features a number of conductors from the Nazi period, including excerpts of Furtwangler conducting Beethoven's 9th (19/4/42) & Die Meistersinger Overture (Feb.1942). Other conductors featured are Max von Schillings,Leo Blech,Karl Bohm, Herbert von Karajan, Hans Knappertsbusch, & Clemens Krauss. The B&W film is patchy in parts, but worth having, if just for historical reasons.
Furtwangler's art must also extend to his compositions. His three Symphonies, Piano Concerto, Te deum, Violin Sonatas & Piano Quintet are available on Cd. If you like Bruckner & Mahler and big romantic works, these will fill the bill. His mastery of orchestral writing can not be disputed. To give you an idea, the 3rd symphony is the shortest at 65', the 2nd at 82' the longest, the Piano concerto at 62', Violin Sonata no2 at 48' & Piano Quintette at 66'
I first became aware of Furtwangler the composer, when I saw his Symphony no2 listed in the Deutsche Grammophon catalogue in the 1950's, and this recording with Furtwangler as conductor & the Berlin Philharmonic, is, for me the definitive interpretation. It has been re-issued on Deutsche Grammophon CD #457 722-2 & includes Schumann's 4th Symphony.
Aurelius.

[ccar]

Could anyone having this release tell me the name of restoration engineer and restoration date, or production date, or whatever is given?
I'm asking because I chanced upon older Melodiya CD release which I never knew existed and which gives 1993 as production date and V. Parfionova as restoration engineer, so I'm curious if it's the same transfer or they did another for the recent release.

The Bruckner 5th notes refer "Remastering by V.Parfionova". There is no clear date for the remastering. The inside notes (for the all Melodyia edition) are signed P.Gruenberg and dated 1993. The actual Melodyia edition is dated 2006.

[Mandryka]

Comments much appreciated on the Hansen/Furtwangler Beethoven PC4, before I buy. How is the sound? How is the performance? What is the best transfer?

You know the sort of thing.

[Drasko]

The Bruckner 5th notes refer "Remastering by V.Parfionova". There is no clear date for the remastering. The inside notes (for the all Melodyia edition) are signed P.Gruenberg and dated 1993. The actual Melodyia edition is dated 2006.

Thank you. I think it's relatively safe guess that it is the same transfer on both releases.

[ccar]

Comments much appreciated on the Hansen/Furtwangler Beethoven PC4, before I buy. How is the sound? How is the performance? What is the best transfer?

You know the sort of thing.

There is some low frequency distortion but for a 1943 live recording the sound is quite reasonable. You get most of the piano colors and the orchestra is more behind but still present. I prefer the Melodiya edition - the sound is more vivid and less filtered.

For me, this is an impressive reading - both from Hansen and Furtwangler. But don't expect a dreamy poetic Beethoven. Copying the famous Yudina saying this is indeed a "war performance". You almost feel the fire coming from the piano and the orchestra. 

You may get the feeling in youtube but the sound there is lousy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHzmXjq-JI&feature=related

[RJR]

Furtwangler seems to be very popular here. Are any of you familiar with Peter Gutmann's website? He wrote a fairly lengthy essay on Furtwangler (his favorite conductor). You will learn to your dismay, I hope, that some members of the U. S. Military Command that took over Germany after the end of the war were particularly nasty with Herr Furtwangler and many other German musicians, scientists, scholars, regardless if they were collaborators or not-seizing their houses, their possessions, prohibiting them to work, etc. 

[Que]

Thanks, Que for the Stokowski leads.  Speaking of which, I believe you rec. this one to me many moons back:

Installment #7


Beethoven Symphony No. 4
Recorded live in Berlin, 1943

As David pointed out on his 4th Symphony thread, this one gets is underrated probably due to it getting buried by the 3rd and 5th that envelope it.  However, when given to the likes of Furtwängler, the passion he infuses into it reminds you that it holds its own with LvB's iconic symphonies.  I also have this on the Music a& Arts label (which I am spinning now), but the Melodia above is allowed to breathe a bit more and there seems to be less noise reduction.  Also, Que, can you check something for me.  The M&A has the 4th being recorded on June 27 and 30th, while the Melodia just notes the 27th.  The timings are about the same and the only difference is that they probably transferred a few more seconds here and there.

I think you have hit upon something interesting, Bill! I was not aware of this before, BTW.

Quoting John Ardoin's "The Furtwängler Record":
There has been some confusion surrounding the 1943 performances. They derive from two sources: a studio performance an a broadcast performance with audience. The DG LP issue is of the complete performance with an audience, while Melodiya issued a hybrid version consisting of the first movements drawn from the live performances and the last two from the studio session. It was not until 1988, when many of the Furtwängler master tapes were returned from Russia, that the complete live performance could finally be heard, issued on CD by DG. Of the two it is this one that is of greater interest and authority.

From Opus Kura's website, who issued - according to them - the broadcast version:
Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 on CD OPK7002 was recorded for broadcast in the old Philharmonic hall on June 28 or 30th, 1943. Two or more copy tapes were probably created; U.S. VOX bought one of the tapes and issued it on LP in 1952 (PL7210). At least one tape was taken (along with many other RRG tapes) to the Soviet Union, and issued on Melodiya LP after 1956; their first publication was on the blue torch label GOCT 5289-56. Deutsche Grammophon acquired yet another copy tape which they published on LP in 1962 (LPM 18817). Melodiya then stopped manufacturing LPs of the broadcast performance and instead issued a hybrid version made from a broadcast performance of the 1st and 2nd movements and live recordings of the 3rd and 4th movements.

A complete live recording was eventually issued around 1973. The black label LP and later CD (MEL CD 1000719) which sold predominantly in Japan, were from such a source. This live performance was also included among the tapes the Russians returned to Sender Freies Berlin in 1987 , and first published by DG in 1989. The DG tape has been frequently re-issued in Japan on Polidor CDs (most recently on POCG-9485). There appears to have been no reissue of the broadcast performance since it was published by Turnabout LP (from the VOX tape) in 1971 (TV 4344).

So there are three versions roaming around: a live one, a broadcast version recorded without an audience and a hybrid version. Opus Kura is well informed on the topic of Melodiya issues, so I take their word for it that Melodiya issued all three versions and that Opus Kura issued a transfer of the LP issue of the broadcast version.

Melodiya indicates that they used the live version for the CD issue - dated the 27th. Hopefully comparing timings might help to figure out what's what.

OPUS KURA  1. 11'14" 2. 12'11" 3. 5'40" 4. 7'00"

MELODIYA 1. 11'03" 2. 11'49" 3. 5'29" 4. 6'49"

All timings are different and Melodiya's timings all below Opus Kura, which might indicate that indeed the 1st one is the broadcast recording and the 2nd the live one - since Furtwängler live timings are in my experince generally quicker. Bill, could you post the M&A timings? If they indicate two dates, it might be the hybrid version?

I'm glad you brought it up. Because ever since I got the Melodiya I had the feeling that it was different from the Opus Kura both aurally and as a performance but I couldn't figure out why because I thought it was the same performance (Opus Kura doesn't give a date on the CD itself). Now I know why! I'll have to check the individual movements.

Q