This pair of Beethoven works is from Pristine who specialise in the
restoration and re-mastering of historic recordings. Restoration engineer
Mark Obert-Thorn has carried out the XR re-mastering and refers to the
Violin Concerto as “among the most elusive of the
conductor’s performances on CD”. For those interested in such
technical things these recordings have been transferred from 1970s monaural
Heliodor LP pressings. The
Violin Concerto was first issued on
Deutsche Grammophon LPM 18855 and the
Große Fuge on LPM 18859.
Both were recorded in Berlin in the years in the decade after the
end of the Second World War, The Berlin born maestro left an audio legacy,
predominantly from live performances, that is cherished by devotees
everywhere and in recent years is being disseminated to a much larger
audience. He is inextricably linked with the Berlin Philharmonic owing to a
long association that dates back to 1917. Succeeding Arthur Nikisch,
Furtwängler became the principal conductor in 1922 at the age of 36
until his death in 1954. That tenure was interrupted between 1945 and 1947.
Blacklisted by the Nazis and fearing arrest Furtwängler had fled to
Switzerland a few months before the end of the war. After the end of
hostilities in Europe there was the extremely short lived tenure of Russian
Leo Borchard who was shot by mistake during confusion at a Berlin
check-point. Next came the Romanian Sergiu Celibidache who in effect became
an interim; keeping the seat warm until Furtwängler was allowed to
resume the reins. After the ordeals of his successful de-Nazification in
December 1946 Furtwängler was cleared to return. Extremely popular with
the majority of the players he began conducting concerts in May 1947
returning officially as the orchestra’s principal in 1950.
The Berlin Philharmonic has a great tradition of performing
Beethoven’s music - it runs like lifeblood through its veins. They
made a large number of recordings over the years especially under Karajan.
According to Vogt’s list in Annemarie Kleinert’s book
‘
Music at its Best:
The Berlin
Philharmonic’
published by Books on Demand (2009),
Beethoven’s music accounts for nearly ten percent of all concerts
between 1945 and 2000.
Beethoven had to rush to complete his
Violin Concerto in time
for its premiere given by soloist Franz Clement in 1806 Vienna. It has
become one of the best loved violin concertos. Furtwängler was clearly
fond of it as he recorded it on five occasions, three of which were with the
Berlin Philharmonic as given in the concert discography in John Hunt’s
book ‘The Furtwängler Sound’ 6th edition
(1999).
On Pristine PASC 271 there is a live recording given by
orchestra leader Erich Röhn on Wednesday 12 January 1944. It was the
last concert he would conduct at the Alte Philharmonie, Berlin; just
seventeen days later the hall was destroyed in a six hour Allied bombing
raid. There is also a live recording from 30 September 1947 of
Furtwängler conducting the Berlin Philharmonic with Yehudi Menuhin. He
then thirty-one.
In the case of the present CD the sweet singing tone of Vienna-born
soloist Wolfgang Schneiderhan is appealing and clear as a bell. Less
attractive is the rather dry and congested orchestral sound. This becomes
most noticeable in the
forte passages. There’s clean, decisive
playing from Schneiderhan who evinces considerable concentration and
appealing intonation. The lyrical
Larghetto is played with real
tenderness and an undertow of reflection. This is followed by the
Rondo-Finale, here so vibrant and joyous.
Beethoven’s
Große Fuge was originally written in 1825 as
the
finale to the
Quartet in B flat major, Op 130. In 1827 he had
the
Große Fuge published separately as his Op. 133.
Furtwängler
is here heard performing a version arranged for string orchestra. There are
a
number of arrangements and we are not told which version he is using. I know
that
Furtwängler prepared his own and one might assume that is the one he is
playing.
Although the
Große Fuge was written as long ago as 1825 the
music
still has a near contemporary feel. From my experience with its sense of
unremitting
introspection the writing can present some thorny listening challenges.
Furtwängler’s
Berlin strings, playing with imposing intensity, reveal a dark and often
unsettling
side. The players adeptly overcome the considerable technical difficulties
that
push the score’s unconventional rhythms and dense harmonies to the
limit.
Although listenable it comes as no surprise that the sixty year old sound is
somewhat
arid and congested.
Both Beethoven works were recorded live at the Titania Palast, a
Berlin cinema. The reason for the choice of a cinema in which to hold their
concerts is an interesting one. After the home of the BPO the Alte
Philharmonie on Bernburger Straße was destroyed the orchestra was
forced to use a variety of temporary venues. Miraculously the Titania Palast
cinema in another part of Berlin remained relatively unscathed throughout
the Allied bombing and later through the Russian ground bombardment, and
became their principal concert hall for number of years. On a visit to
Berlin in September 2012 I noticed that the Titania Palast was still there;
now serving as a multiplex cinema.
Pristine Audio has done splendid work with these Beethoven transfers
which should prove vital listening for Furtwängler admirers. The
ear soon adjusts to a sound that does not distract too much. This issue
captures the essence of those live performances.
Michael Cookson
Masterwork Index:
Beethoven
Violin
Concerto
Further Reading
‘Music at its Best: The Berlin Philharmonic, from
Karajan to Rattle’
by Annemarie Kleinert
Published by Books on Demand (2009)
ISBN: 978-3-83706-361-5
Annemarie Vogt’s list of most played composers, pg.154
‘The Furtwängler Sound’ 6th edition
discography with concert register
compiled by John Hunt
Published John Hunt (1999)
ISBN: 978-1-901395-97-6.
