Furtwangler: Brahms Symphony no. 4 (1/6)

Berlin Philharmonic, Wilhelm Furtwangler
Live recording, 1943

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Johannes
• Brahms
• Fourth
• Symphony
• Wilhelm
• Furtwangler
• Berlin
• Philharmonic

[bowedmyhead]

How could he play such music while at the same time the most terrible things ever happened. How could they enjoy?

I will never understand that.

Furtwängler, Karajan, they KNEW - and played on.

[shellac1925]

@bowedmyhead Karajan was able to play on because he was an amoral Nazi.

[kreislerjohannes1]

By which company / under what label was this recording published? What was the exact date and location of the recording? It would be a great help for me if I could get to know this. Thank you.

[shellac1925]

@kreislerjohannes1 It's on multiple labels. As for the exact date, look it up yourself. Could I suggest google?

[trigon8707]

Nobody, but nobody plays Brahms like the Berlin Philharmonic. And Furtwangler allows them to do just that. What brilliand and honest performance!

[xiaopv]

I agree with otterhouse. The sound is fantastic.

[Orchidoclastie]

@bowedmyhead Furtwängler was against the Nazis, and the light and the power of the love message of Brahms' music was a kind of redemption! The question is: what did the Nazis understand to Brahms, so than they could like it (but not the real Brahms, it's incompatible)...

[schlusnus]

When you have B/hoven, Berlin Phil. and Furt in the 40's say no more...70 yrs later still the best,!!

Am always amazed at Germany's brilliance, what composers Brahms B/hoven, wagner, strauss

schubert, wolf, schumann...etc name another country thats contributed more to great music.

Don't forget the wonderful voices !!!!!!!

[DroXDarkFire]

@bowedmyhead So because these things were happening,musicians should stop making music,provoke leaders and politicians,and not enjoy their music? Is that what you were saying? I'm very happy myself that there were people who were able to create such music at such times.

But who am i to judge,right.

[ian1856]

@bowedmyhead Furious? Not in the least. I can assure you: the fury is your own inference and not my intention at all. I might also add, ignorance is never a justification for inappropriate action. If you don't KNOW, then it is your duty to find out. Act appropriately for your own sense of ethics and allow the rest of us to do the same. I, for one, still believe it would be absurd to stop playing beautiful music beautifully, because someone else is doing evil.

[bowedmyhead]

@ian1856

Why so furious??

Trying to learn from history isn´t such a bad idea,is it?

Yes, bad things happen and I should feel a little bit responsible for what I am doing.

And this is what I asked from Furtwängler and what I ask from any living artist, politician or whatever - if I KNOW what is going on in my country - can I still go on?

[ian1856]

@Seb120x Just read your comment after having posted my own. I agree completely. Let's continue to enjoy great art!

[ian1856]

@bowedmyhead I think one could say that at any time in history. There have been atrocities in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia etc., etc. Did you stop listening to music then? Did you do anything to stop what was happening? We are (almost) all on this planet supporting unethical regimes perpetrating all sorts of crimes against humanity. And, yet, here we are listening to great music on YouTube. And why not? F & von K must have raised the vibrational level with their performances.

[videogamehistorian]

@kreislerjohannes1 This was a tape recording made by the RRG (Reichs Rundfubk Geselshaft, later rename RIAS). The recording wad not meant to be released when it was recorded. But the russians captured the tapes and released the Furtwangler recordings on LP. They were then issued several times on LP and on CD. The most recent releases were those of Melodyia (Russia, 15 CDs) and Deutsches Grammophon (2 volumes). Others were issued by Tahra and the Furtwangler Society.

[bowedmyhead]

@Seb120x

You are so right.



[Seb120x]

@bowedmyhead Don't know your nationality. But many in the West have enjoyed the hell out of movies, books, music etc etc, while the government of their country engaged in warfare that directly led to the deaths of thousands of civilians in South American, Southeast Asia, and the Mid East. And enjoyed music, film, etc while countless millions died of preventable disease and malnutrition in Africa. My point is not that specific actions should/should not be taken. Rather, this behavior is not rare.