Hans Knappertsbusch condutcs "Vorspiel" Die Walkure

[DarthPlagueis1990]

Genial, ohne Frage! Aber mit Karajan kann ich mich trozdem mehr anfreunden.

[caxtilla04]

is th... is... is that a nazi cross on his chest?

[askdhg]

@caxtilla04 Of course not! Not in 1963...

[mondieumonvieux]

Kna feels the music like few others. Best Wagner interpreter, hands down. But do not dare diss Toscanini! His Beethoven rages and his Mozart sings.

[caxtilla04]

Knappy rocks!!!

[andresfRC]

Absolutely stunning. Please upload more from this concert. Thank you

[majortom51970]

Amazing performance!

[NoirOrchestre]

a bit too slow i think

[Waldvogel91]

What's with the cross?

[etiterum]

Bayerischer Verdienstorden ?

[ErikWithBrain]

Was bedeutet Verdienstorden?

[RachmaninovDESU]

Knappertsbusch is the fucking boss of the world! He will fuck you up! He will fuck your shit up! He will fuck your momma up! No disrespect to the MASTER!!!

[CzarDodon]

@RachmaninovDESU Change your dealer kid

[irmgardfuerst]

Als 41er Jahrgang und Tochter eines Wr. Philharmonikers habe ich die großen "Alten" alle von Anfang an miterlebt. Angehörige, auch kleine Kinder,durften bei jeder Probe dabei sein. Kna ist mir unvergesslich: Ich kam in den Musikvereinssaal, Bruckner wurde geprobt. Kna hob nur ganz leicht eine Schulter, und der Saal bebte - die Spannung war ungeheuerlich, die sich da von der kleinen Bewegung auf alle übertragen hatte. Danke für diese Aufnahme!!

[SturmUndDrang13]

Awesome!

[stickwagger]

I wonder what he was like as a person?

[deramr]

to stickwagger:

Hans Hotter relates that while backstage at the Vienna State Opera, he bumped into Knappertsbusch who duely turned and gravely pronounced the following:

"Recently, you greeted me and I did not recognize you at first. The next time I fail to recognize you, step in my arse. Great Jochanaan by the way." And went on his way.

[ssballs]

What a treat to see the orchestra in this great piece of music.If this seems slow,i must be wrong.I wonder what the cross was that the Knap was wearing in '63?

[DieKamaKolonne]

Old school, aber eben großartig. Diese Musik ist so lieblich, so ausgewogen.

Der Dirigent ist Weltklasse.

[billyguns2]

Absolutely fabulous in its evocation of the storm; Kna knew how to generate tension and atmosphere, and how! His Wagner performances are very special, especially DUTCHMAN, TRISTAN, WALKURE and PARSIFAL.

[hillwills]

Knappertsbusch was a master - as good as Toscanini on even his best day.

[javierqatar]

I can't understand why Toscanini is regarded as a great conductor. He was a mere time beater... a machine moving an arm. Personally, I hate his conducting. Kna, on the other hand, was a creator, an artist, probably the best Wagner conductor ever... far far away from Toscanini.

[bogdankos]

hi, i feel like i must agree to your opinion regarding toscanini; he was ever so pecise and that was about all. it's no wonder furtwängler and later celibidache hated him deeply. the funny part is that in the bayreuth gallery his picture is placed next to furtwängler's :D. in terms of wagner's music, i think böhm, furtwängler, knappertsbusch, klemperer and sinopoli are quite unbeatable up to this day, each of them great in his own manner.

[javierqatar]

You should add Thielemann nowadays. I heard him conducting Parsifal in Vienna last March, and I think it was my greatest operatic experience so far. Simply amazing!

[bogdankos]

you must be oh so right... i've got some of thielemann's recordings and i remained perplexed. finally somenone who understands how late romantic cords should sound and just doesn't overemphasize the winds... after all a wagner orchestra isn't "la fanfare militaire". i must say that i fell in love with the smooth tremolo of his violins, it brings forth the soul in the music of wagner. tks.

[olga2809]

@ javierqatar

If a conductor seems to do almost nothing, it isn't true that he IS actually doing nothing. Things can be told already at rehearsals so he doesn't feel like being obligated to make these gestures. It's not only the gestures, some conductors are already mesmerizing when they only LOOK at the musicians.

Some conductors prefer to make lots of gestures, others don't. It would be just dull when they would all do the same!

[javierqatar]

Olga, the matter is not if the conductor seems to do nothing. I agree, some conductors are more economic with the gestures, and that doesn't imply that he is actually doing nothing. The matter is with the reading itself: Toscanini makes "plain" readings, with no emphasis, no real interpretaion, you hear just what is written on the score, nothing else. Hence, his readings are COLD, without soul, it is just pure ryhthm, but no heart at all, no feelings arise, no fire... It is very disappointing.

[gaemp]

yes, he was not so beautyful to look at, but you don't know the great work he used to make during reherseals; this was his greatness: rising to perfection, that he asked first from himself.

[javierqatar]

Absolutely, 100% agreed.

[CzarDodon]

@javierqatar the key word in you comment is understand, YOU can't understand, poor you. Personally I admire both, however I have never heard Knappertsbush conduct Verdi, I fear that he would not have Toscanini's versatility, nevertheless Kna's Wagner is sublime and second to none.

[callasnuts]

@javierqatar Please,give the 1941 broadcast of Walküre´s act 1 scene 3 with Melchior and Traubel a chance!

[pinintra]

@javierqatar You are right!!! Kna is a genius, Toscanini, pfui!!!

[lovelymess]

Wow, You know, a lot of conductors try these slow tempi now, but with Knappertsbusch it just sounds so organinc and natural. Beautiful clip. Thanks.

[Tamina4]

Onegin65, thanks a lot. I wish I had had the pleasure to see "Knna" directing, but...