Customer Reviews

Bruckner:Symphony No. 9/Wagner:Tristan Prelude & Liebestod

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Furtwangler's idol of music was Beethoven. But as a composer, Bruckner was his milestone. He tried many large-scale works(especially symphony and choral works) in early years but failed many times. When he was debut with Kaim-Kapelle(now Munchner Philharmoniker) as conductor, he chose Beethoven's Egmont Overture, his 'Adagio' and Bruckner's 9th Symphony. But Furtwangler never conducted this symphony after the World War II. So, this recording is very historical heritage. This recording(for broadcast) was made by RRG in 7 October 1944(Beethovensaal in Berlin). Furtwangler was appeared many times for this 'live for broadcast' recording(Other example is Bruckner's 8th Symphony with Wiener Philharmoniker in 17 Octorber 1944). Furtwangler approached this symphony like a religious hymn. In the opening of first movement, he made very misterious atmosphere like a Beethoven's 9th Symphony. And first fortissimo orchestral tutti, erupt very powerful sound like creation. Furtwangler demanded 'in tempo' and gravity to orchestra. And in last movement, Furtwangler created very solemn surroundings like a catholic mass(you heard frequently in quartet of wagner tuba's passages). Like a Knappertsbusch, Furtwangler interpreted this symphony very seriously. Coupling with symphony-Wagner's Prelude & Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde was recorded live in concert(8-10 November 1942). It's a rare wartime Wagner recording conducted by Furtwangler. Furtwangler performed this work has difficult harmonic progress very 'natural' added tragic and lament. In the climax of Liebestod, I felt so strange catarsis never heard before.

There's no question that this Bruckner Ninth belongs in every serious Bruckner collection...but don't get sucked in by someone trying to get an absurd amount of money for it on the Marketplace! Furtwangler's Ninth was out of print for years, and this M&A pressing is a great remaster, but at the time of this review, there's no need to pay more than, say, $15 for it...esp. with other good inexpensive pressings available, such as the Classica D'Oro release for less than $10...or you can buy the one listed here directly from Music & Arts for $15.

Bruckner 's Ninth Symphony is an universe by itself. The wholeness and boundlessness appears with all its magnificence and cosmic intensity. Anton Bruckner looks at the universe and in this sense you can associate him with Bach. It is hard to intend to classify a musical genius without time like Bruckner, the genius always surmounts the labels. And Wilhelm Fürtwangler ` s level of commitment and incandescent passion is overwhelming. His music possesses power to produce relaxation, conviction, profound harmony and mercurial epic that would seem to emerge from the same nature. This superior level of expression overpasses the human concepts of emotion, sentimentality or romanticism to reach thousand and thousand echelons of greatness and cosmic breath and bliss. The great masters have that privileged virtue to detain the time and connect us immediately with the otherness. The form and its mutations follow mythic patterns and a lot of new sensations. Listening Bruckner is to experience a true cathartic experience.

This historic register dates from October 7th 1944 in Beethovensaal Berlin.

The three major composers more contiguous to Fürtwangler soul were Bruckner, Beethoven and Wagner. And when you listen this Prelude and Liebstood, you will be experiencing for the first time the whole and profound meaning of this work, without hindrances of any kind. I do not know of any other performance that can remain even close to that one. It is a sum of livings, experiences and conjunction of the mythic significance of this impossible dream. Wilhelm impulses the score to cosmic heights and impress it of sublime grandness, passion and eroticism. Listen it carefully and tell me sincerely if you have ever heard a major and expressive and orgasmic climax in the music Fúrtwangler conjugates the human desire and tragic fatalism in accurate proportions, producing an absorbing and indescribable and felt expansiveness. The recording was made 8 and 10 November 1942, Berlin.