Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 "Choral"

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If forced to choose just one recording of the Beethoven 9th Symphony, it would definitely be this one with the war time Berliner Philharmoniker under Wilhelm Furtwängler. It should be kept in mind that Furtwängler had been publically criticising the National Socialist regime for some time and even wrote letters to Goebels trying to dissociate musical life from politics. Members of his orchestra testified that when anybody tried to start orchestral practice with the greeting of 'Heil Hitler' as was decreed compulsory by law, Furtwängler would object and insist that they say 'Guten Morgen' instead. At the inaugural concert as newly appointed chief conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic, he even refused to start the concert until the Nationalist Socialist flag had been taken down: 'take that rag down' he insisted. All of this infuriated the authorities and eventually he fled into Switzerland when he heard that they were out to assasinate him.

Furtwängler's justification for staying in his homeland - after all he was rightly proud of his tradition in the land of Beethoven and Goethe - was that for him playing truly powerful music was by its very nature the greatest possible protest against tyranny. He was merely echoing the Romantic Idealist musical philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer that so influenced the Romantics. Of course this was laughed at after the war as being merely sentimental Romantic drivel.

Then again is it? Listen to this Beethoven 9th, this ode to joy and ultimately to freedom. Furtwängler is playing for his life - litterally. In the Germany of those days to be the chief conductor in Berlin was a position so close to God that when Furtwängler publically criticised the Nazis, even they felt powerless to remove him instantly. But his greatness as an artist and as a conductor was really the only thread that kept him alive - either by being assassinated or merely shipped to oblivion. Not only that but there were constants threats of further Allied bombings, but the orchestra often just kept playing despite the air raid sirens. They would rather have died than have gone without music.

This state of tension produced by living dangerously, on the brink of imminent death produced performance of an electric intensity that have never had their equal. Listen to the recapitulation in the opening movement and it is utterly terrifying. I seriously rarely listen to it because it is that genuinely frightening to listen to. Then listen to the finale and it has an apocalyptic quality, quite different from the more joyous 9th that was recorded later in Bayreuth after the war, but which seems a total embodiment of the sheer terror of the most cataclysmic period of the 20th century.

Remember that this was a man who enjoyed the personal support after the war of Jewish musicians, many of whose lives he saved by ensuring them safe passage out of Germany with a visa. After his concerts there would be queues of people pleading for their help to guarantee safe passage out of Nazi Germany for themselves, friends and relatives - and he always obliged.

The most moving testimony was one that appeared in a book that collected written obituaries after Furtwängler's death. It was written by a Jewish musician, unknown to Furtwängler. He 'disappeared', arrested by the Gestapo. His friends knew of only one contact that they heard would help - Furtwängler. And help he did and he called the authorities professing that this man was a prominent musician of note and 24 hours later he appeared with an exit visa out of Germany on a ship bound for America. The man bitterly decried the claims that Furtwängler - who had literally saved his life - might be a Nazi: 'How dare they!' he proclaimed - 'this man saved my life'. He thought that leaving Germany would have been the easy option where he could make anti-Nazi propaganda broadcasts like Thomas Mann from the safetly of America. No, instead he was bitterly decrying Nazism right under their noses. In any case had he left, he would not have been there for this man to vouch him safe passage to America.

This recording is first and foremost a shattering musical experience but also a document of the 20th century in its darkest hour, a glimmer of hope, a cry for help of the deepest pathos. This is certainly one of the greatest recordings ever made of anything.

This is quite simply the most intense and overwhelming recording of the Ninth I've ever heard. It is a recording of a performance given in Berlin in April of 1942, part of the celebrations associated with Hitler's birthday, although probably not the actual concert of the 20th. We have no choice here but to read into this interpretation Furtwangler's own horrified ambivalence about his position, and that of Germany at this time. It is not just a phenomenal musical document, but a unique historical one as well. Furtwangler was well aware (as were the more musically educated in the audience) that Schiller's original text of the poem was "Ode to Freedom", not "Ode to Joy". This is Classical music as emotional cataclysm...

Listening to Beethoven can be a spiritual experience, how ironic then that the country that gave us Beethoven and so much more also gave us the Nazis. My thoughts listening to this, go to wondering if the Nazis in the audience could really hear the music. I hope not. I'm not sure I can hear the music fully. Possibly only Beethoven himself really heard it. There are moments where I hear it. I persue those moments.

In the first and second movements the Timpani are strikingly different than any other version I've heard. In the second they reach a surprising peak of noise that reminded me of the abstractionist quality of the loudest rock music, and it's a long, drawn out, sustained peak of noise. Beethoven, no doubt, was an abstractionist a la Varése, so this version asks us to consider that this music is indeed abstract even if our perceptions have been dulled to that fact by the years and familiarity. That abstraction is one way to hear it, and the rage that has been mentioned here before is also apparent. One wonders how deliberate it was given the circumstances. One hopes it was deliberate or perhaps even an unplanned, spontaneously deliberate reaction among the musicians. One hopes that the Nazis were not privileged to hear or grasp the meaning, or perhaps the Nazis were forced to deny what the intensity meant in order to preserve their twisted delusions of grandeur. Isn't that spontaneity under pressure part of what Beethoven was about? Our ability to preserver, with dignity, under the worst of oppression? It must have been glorious to hear and see it live.

The 3rd movement starts off achingly slow, again almost abstractly slow. It's very interesting to hear the melodies almost isolated in their delicacy and kindness. Beethoven's inner kindness is a quality that I've always marveled at.

The contrasts between the delicate passages and the intense passages made me think that like life, this music of Beethoven can be intense, or scary or beautiful. Beethoven doesn't just hand us sugar.

Like others I'm not sure that this would be the main version I'll listen to in the future but it's certainly an interesting version, because it probably one kind of extreme and it makes you think. I think this version with perhaps 3 or 4 more would be enough.

An incredible performance on so many levels. A brilliant handling of the Berlin Philhamonic by Furtwangler, proving once again that he has a uncanny control over his orchestras and that he "gets" the 9th.

But there is an undercurrent to this performance that moves this amazing symphony to another height. The sparse liner notes inform you that this recording was the Berlin Philharmonic in 1942. There is no other information about this performance, but it is safe to assume that it was largely witnessed by the elite of Nazi Germany. During 1942, they controlled most of Europe and were peaking in power. It is in this atmosphere of intese nationalism that music by a German composer, performed by a German orchestra with a brilliant German condutor, combined to create a historical record that can not be overlooked.

Not being a musician, it is difficult to tell if there are any musical flaws in it. None are apparent, in fact it sounds unbelievably flawless (I will be interested to hear a musician's perspective on this). What I heard was an engrossing musical performance topped off with the most awe-inspiring 4th movement ever. This part of the performance had me thinking that Beethoven had figured out a way to communicate with God. Historically, Furtwangler's performance is as important as Leni Reifenstahl's cinematic brilliance with films like "Triumph of the Will" and "Olympiad." These works create a duality in beauty, both compelling and terrifying.

An amazing thing has happened to nearly everyone I have played this recording for. Once they know the context of the symphony, even little things as annoying as the audience coughing take on an interesting character.

The recording is not that great, thus the low price tag. Those flaws might be distracting to audio purists. I would categorize this, sound quality wise, as a great version for the car.

Way worth the price.

This just may be the definitive recording...yes, others may sound better due to better recording techniques, but this just has that Something Special...the elite of the Nazi regime in audience?...the peak of Nazi power in 1942?...the powerful Furtwangler performance?...the cough that just may be Adolf's?...and all this at a super price!!! I have several 9th's, and some highly acclaimed ones, but this is THE ONE that I always listen to again & again...keep coming back to... like salmon swimming upstream... You just cannot go wrong here. Strongly Recommended!!!

The Furtwangler 1954 performance is the one that most people have. However, the 1942 performance seems more dynamic, even though the sound quality is horrible. In a sense, however, the horrible sound quality is a good thing: the loud crashes in the first movement are almost painful thus adding to the terror of the movement; the timpani in the second movement are absolutely pounding. In a word, the sound quality makes it exciting and more horrifying. And the Nazis in the audience top it off. I heard that Hitler liked to see the Ninth performed on his birthdays -- perhaps he was in the audience too?

I appreciate the many reviews espousing the tension, dynamics and passions of the performance, but for the uninitiated like myself, hearing coughs, hiss and static on a CD is a disappointment.

If you want a crystal clear version of the Ninth to enjoy at home.. look somewhere else. And if you ever find one let me know.

When you listen to this, the music will change you. I'm serious. This was the first Beethoven symphony I ever listened to, and I will never forget how tall and how often the hair on the back of my neck stood up! This recording is many things. As various reviewers have pointed out, it is a historical treasure and a terrifying psychological and artistic metaphor for a war-torn Germany, with Furtwangler as the brilliant poet.

Though I am a stickler for sound quality, I poured gasoline all over my reservations and lit a match after hearing this for the first time. Furtwangler's Ninth sounds like the wrath of God and evokes not simply the wrongs of Nazi Germany, but the wrongs that humanity has committed against its own kind since the dawn of time. Now focusing on the music itself, I want to point out that Furtwangler, unlike Karajan, has a master's intuition for utilizing percussion effectively, the drums defeaning as they boom out the terrifying death knell that gives this interpretation its unique mood. Listen to Karajan and compare the little toy drums he puts 300 yards from the mike to this recording. The difference is like night and day.

More importantly, Furtwangler has a good grasp for tempo and never lets any one section of the orchestra overpower the others (again, contrast with the string-happpy Karajan). Of this much I'm certain: of the 6 versions of the Ninth I have heard, this far surpasses all of them in emotional impact. What more could you ask for?

...this IS the most powerful, thunderous, and intense performance of Beethoven's Ninth.

Comparisons: Ormandy; Bernstein/NYPO; Karajan/BPO; Munch; Walter; Furtwangler/Bayreuth Fest. Orch.

What I am reviewing is a really poor release, NOT THIS ONE (pressings just include 1 little WF's photo and a nice (clouds) cover, besides track details and date of recording. A disc of such intensity deserves more.

What can I say? Is it a sure bet? Depends on you. The sound is from 1942, dont expect modern standards but works surprisingly well, I think more balanced and with more orchestral details than Bayreuth 1951 performance.

Soloists are very good (but Schwartzkopf not here !!), I don`t find a reason to criticize seriously the cast. But in 51' are at least better.

One big difference is the choir: cristal clear (except in some tuttis), sounds very young and, well, much, much, much better than the horrible choir of 1951.

Another big difference is that here there is berlin Ph: far, far beter playing (no horn blooper in 3rd !).

The conducting is I think far more extreme. 1st mov has such an intensity I thought unthinkable in this work. But there is, to my ears, more tempi contrasts than 1951 (this may be disturbing at first, give a more complete try in a shop). As in the rest of the movements, timpani is truly, truly prominent (which can be hard to accept after repeated listenings). In fact, as I have read, this is NOT a recording to listen several times in a short period of time (it can drive you mad). 1951 is more relaxed but has the bast final bars (speaking of 1st mov) in discography: a perfect crescendo, replaced here but a heavy landscape, totally lacking volume control. The recapitulation is similar: timpani show and plain orchestral sound.

2nd mov is similar to what I said ie more intense than 1951.

3rd mov is even slower than 1951. Yes, it sounds intense and lugubrious, but in spite of not best playing 1951 is better: for instance brass fanfarres are clearly projected in Bayreuth bt not here. At such speeds there is little space between a success and a failure: in 1951 is a success, and here ... well, I dont know, not exactly. Not bad, but there is plenty of room for a more sublime experience.

4th mov begins ideally: with anger, shock: 1951 is more bland. Here contrasts are maximized: eg the fuggato passage before reprise of the joy theme, here is truly dramatic and in 51' it is like a joke. Overall a great, great last mov. But sorry to spoil the review, when tenor sings his solo, his final bars are "heroic" notes that are here MISSING. Why??? Engulfed by choir ??? Not sung ??? A pity, for in 51' they are preserved. So both movs here and in 1951 I think are complemntary to each other. In fact this whole recording should be placed with another WF 9th like 1951.

In general, there is here a more intense experience, but with idiosincracies that may be or may be not for you.