Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 9 in D minor Choral, Op. 125 [73:02]
Tilla Briem (soprano); Elisabeth Höngen (alto); Peter Anders (tenor); Rudolph
Watzke (bass); Bruno Kittel Choir
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Wilhelm Furtwängler
rec. live, 22-24 March 1942, Alte Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany
PRISTINE AUDIO XR PASC 250 [73:02]
Wilhelm Furtwängler’s legendary 1942 Berlin performance of Beethoven Choral
Symphony has been available on several labels. I have the performance
on the Archipel Desert Island Collection ARPCD 0002 and on the Société Wilhelm
Furtwängler SWF 891R.
Each restoration engineer will have wanted to improve the sound quality of
previous attempts. On this Pristine Audio release Andrew Rose in September
and October 2010 carried out the XR re-mastering. Yes, there is still some
occasional fuzziness; however, I was particularly impressed by the reduction
in the background hiss. A number of the worst coughing episodes have been
removed and much of the fierceness arising from peak distortion has been effectively
smoothed away. The recording is vastly improved but it’s still not perfect.
I make the appeal to try and listen through the sound quality because this
is a truly great performance of real historic significance.
This 1942 Berlin performance has gained legendary status and is said to be
an example of Furtwängler’s rebellious response to the stresses of working
with the Berlin Philharmonic as cultural propagandists for Hitler’s Third
Reich. Whether this is a true reflection of the situation or not this is certainly
a heartfelt account of astonishing tension from Furtwängler’s tortured soul.
In the opening movement I was struck by the ferocity of the propulsive
climaxes and the sense of torment and anger. The Scherzo is so powerful
and brisk. That overt sense of incredible anguish unleashed in the fortissimos
is practically demonic. Dark foreboding flows from the depths through
the double-basses and cellos. It would be implausible that Furtwängler is
doing anything other than venting his angst through this troubling music.
An eerie sense of calm pervades the slow movement. The beautiful playing of
the woodwind choir and the sonorous strings add to the poetic atmosphere.
In the crowning finale with its famous choral setting of Schiller’s Ode
to Joy the fury returns marked by the vehemence of the drums. Darkling
intimations from the double-basses and cellos send a shiver down the spine.
The entrance of the baritone soloist and Choir comes as a welcome relief.
I found the singing ardently incisive throughout. At the close of the score
the exultation is unalloyed.
For those who want a recording of Furtwängler’s famous 1942 account this is
the best I have heard.
Michael Cookson
For those who want a recording of Furtwängler’s famous 1942 account this is
the best I have heard.