Furtwangler Ninth

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by Rod:
Who is mad here, the Nazis, or Furtwangler (ho ho)? Concerning the music, on this occasion very quick, rushed even, apart from the final rendition of the words 'Freude schone gotter funken' where everything really slows down, thens speeds up again for the final orchestral tutti. I heard Haitink do exactly the same a few weeks back and I don't like it!

The Nazis, Furtwangler, the whole situation and most of all, the performance. First you see the procupations with appearence by the audience and the Nazi Party. I didn't see one of them trying to break from the stern look, they look as if watched. Furtwangler, on the other hand, is about to break into Verzweiflung und Wuth (despair and rage). The chorus and orchestra are not only having to cope with the situation but also with Furtwangler. It's just odd to me. The mechanical audience, demoniac conductor, intense music. IIRC.



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"Wer ein holdes weib errugen..."

[Chaszz]

I think there is a good chance that this is the same performance as the one I posted the first movement of above. It can be seen from these recordings that Furtwangler's tempos were intuitive and meant to express his vision of the piece and his emotions, rather than to follow the metronome markings. Whether this is valid and just to Beethoven is of course open to debate. But once again I think it is good for younger listeners to at least be aware of the options, rather than have 200 years of musical and interpretive history relegated to the dustbin under the rubric of "self-indulgence." I'm glad this thread has attracted interest.

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
I think there is a good chance that this is the same performance as the one I posted the first movement of above.

hmmm... this is... that's why I posted it...


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"Wer ein holdes weib errugen..."

[Peter]

Originally posted by Rod:
Who is mad here, the Nazis, or Furtwangler (ho ho)? Concerning the music, on this occasion very quick, rushed even, apart from the final rendition of the words 'Freude schone gotter funken' where everything really slows down, thens speeds up again for the final orchestral tutti. I heard Haitink do exactly the same a few weeks back and I don't like it!

I agree the closing bars ar taken at a ludicrous pace that amounts to a scramble - even the audience couldn't wait for the end as they start applauding before the final chord! Did Haitink go quite as beserk as this?

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
I agree the closing bars ar taken at a ludicrous pace that amounts to a scramble - even the audience couldn't wait for the end as they start applauding before the final chord! Did Haitink go quite as beserk as this?

Although I agree the pace is ludicrous, it was the slowing down part that annoys me particularly.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[sjwenger]

Nothing to add, but really enjoying this discussion!
- Susan

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