Furtwangler berlinerphilharmoniker brahms symphonie 2 1952 live. Most of his childhood was spent in munich, where his father taught at the citys ludwig maximilian university. The ninth symphony, conducted by furtwangler at the reconsecration of the bayruth. Furtwangler broadcastsrecordings wilhelmfurtwangler. Recorded at a berlin philharmonic rias broadcast in 20 june 1950, it is, i suggest, the preferred version under furtwangler.
This difficulty arises because theres more to his works than the surface of the score indicates. He one said that sibelius was the last survivor of the great impressionists, of the strausses, the debussys, the. Wilhelm furtwangler the classical composers database musicalics. Arthur honegger wrote of this work, the man who can write a score as rich as this is not to be argued about. When considering historic recordings, the quality of reproduction is a more important factor than is often noted.
Brahmss fourth symphony is regarded as the pinnacle of his symphonic writing. He said that the stuff brahms was writing in the 1890s is extremely old fashioned, he actually said it wasnt much different harmonically from schuberts music from 70. Czech national symphony orchestra creative commons attribution 3. This particular furtwangler recording of brahmss second symphony has long.
Orchestra bells composed by wilhelm furtwangler 18861954. The 9 symphonies box set 5 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. Wilhelm furtwangler sheet music and music books at sheet. Wilhelm furtwangler, berliner philharmoniker the radio. As i really only knew the brahms 4th symphony prior to. Furtwangler conducts brahms complete symphonies, etc. He was given a musical education from an early age, and developed an early love of ludwig van beethoven, a composer with. Beautiful achievement, especially of the brahms 2nd symphony, a recording that it is fashionable to deal by the contempt, despite its actual value.
Emi sent me the brahms symphonies on a three cd set with wilhelm furtwangler. I also have furtwanglers 28 january 1945 performance with the vienna philharmonic as part of uranias 2004 3 cd brahms symphony cycle urn 22. Youll find a wide selection of wilhelm furtwangler sheet music, songbooks, and music books at sheet music plus. The first symphony was actually recorded in the studio in 1942 or 1944, no one seems sure but that performance has had a strange afterlife. Finally confident in his abilities as a symphonist, and less troubled by the looming shadow of beethoven, brahms created a much more spontaneous work that was well. Johannes brahms, wilhelm furtwangler, north german radio orchestra, berlin. Brahms symphony 2 pristine audio pasc585 dd classical.
Brahms is harder to conduct than any other major composer. Classical music has always played a central part in my life, and furtwanglers second symphony combines all the experiences i have had over the years into 82 minutes of pure delight. The radio recordings between 1939 and 1945 with the berliner philharmoniker and wilhelm furtwangler are among classical musics most compelling sound documents. Edwin fischer piano, north german radio orchestra, berlin philharmonic. A conductor has to have this music in his heart in addition to his head. Just to give you an idea of the difference between the two sets, i went back to my ranked furtwangler recordings from the previous page. There is little debate that beethoven is one of the greatest composers, and his music is in no better hands than german born wilhelm furtwangler. Furtwangler, walter and jochum are my three favorite brahms conductors. His father adolf was an archaeologist, his mother a painter. Mozart, johannes brahms, wilhelm furtwangler, berlin philharmonic orchestra. Adagio furtwangler, commercial recordings 194050, vol. This little essay gives us insights into how the maestro understood brahms, and this may be the first english translation. It was greatly admired by my late father when i played it to him about twenty years ago.
This is top ears first comprehensive, and the work featured is one of the towering works of the 19th century symphonic literature brahmss fourth symphony. Furthermore, although i recognise that andrew rose has done wonders in restoring and preserving this terrific performance of the fourth symphony from 1943, for the purposes of general listening the 1948 version on emi is easier on the ear and freer of the bronchial eruptions which mar the december 1943 concert, when the berlin audience sound. Order from your preferred classical music cd store. Furtwangler wrote some very condemning things about late brahms, or at least prima facie they sound condemning.
To me the sound offered on this warner sacd is significantly better than the sound of the 1945 performance on the urania set. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. Click a category to see all compositions of wilhelm furtwangler in that category. Close for 20 years we provide a free and legal service for free sheet music without asking you anything in exchange. The single surviving movement from berlin in january 1945 is however.
Again, yes, almost certainly, it isbecause, for one thing, these are the recordings that have come, more than any other, to define this conductors identity, and his legacythe audio restoration does wonders for the piano concertos in particularthese are the concerts that, so they said later, made life worth living for many berliners. Brahms variations on a theme of haydn is a very old favourite and i have owned it in several incarnations. Furtwangler berlinerphilharmoniker brahms symphonie 2 1952. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.