Berlin Philharmonic Archive
Wilhelm Furtwängler: SCHUMANN: Cello Concerto; TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, “Pathetique” – Berlin Philharmonic – Pristine Audio
SCHUMANN: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129; TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 “Pathetique” – Tibor de Machula, cello/ Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ Wilhelm Furtwaengler – Pristine Audio PASC 545, 71:33 [www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Andrew Rose and Pristine resuscitate two appearances by Wilhelm Furtwaengler with “his wife,” the Berlin Philharmonic, the first from the War years (28 October 1942) in the music of Schumann, the Cello Concerto in A minor with first principal Tibor de Machula (1912-1982). The work, composed in a two- week period in 1850, originally meant to be a “concert piece,” but Schumann fashioned one of his many late-period structures that employs opening materials in a variety of forms. True to a “Konzertstueck,” the piece dissolves the three-movements into an ongoing, single movement that saves the traditional cadenza for the final movement. The orchestration of this concerto proves relatively transparent, with the cello’s luxuriating in the soft ambience of plucked strings and woodwinds in the Langsam second movement, a moment of glowing intimacy. Furtwaengler lures some true grumblings for the transition to the last movement, Sehr lebhaft, a martial and energetic gesture with elements of a scherzo. Machula exhibits any number of suave moves as […]
SIBELIUS: Symphony Nos. 5, 6, & 7 – Philharmonia Orchestra/ Herbert von Karajan – Praga Digitals
The last three of the Sibelius symphonies vibrate with a clarity and intensity peculiarly Karajan’s. SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82; Symphony No. 6 in d minor, Op. 104; Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 105 – Philharmonia Orchestra/ Herbert von Karajan – Praga Digitals PRD 250 355, 77:30 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: At the behest of EMI music producer Walter Legge (1906-1979), Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) received a kind of political/artistic reprieve in 1946, his having been banned from musical activities in Vienna by the Soviet occupation for Karajan’s participation in Nazi cultural life. Legge wished to see his recently formed Philharmonia Orchestra of London enjoy a honing process under such musical directors as Karajan, Dobrowen, and Susskind. The Sibelius symphonies recorded here date from 1955 and 1960 (E-flat Symphony), respectively, celebrating the better of ten and fourteen years’ association between Karajan and the most superb British orchestra ensemble after the formation of Beecham’s Royal Philharmonic. Karajan certainly adds to the pantheon of great Sibelius interpreter, but we must ponder why the Symphony No. 3 in C, Op. 52 never received from him its due in terms of live or recorded performance. […]
Editorial for February, 2018
John Adams is one of the USA’s most important musical voices. In his works, Minimalism is combined with imaginative orchestration and a jazz-inflected spirit to create a cosmos full of energy and colour. During the 2016/2017 season, John Adams accompanied the Berliner Philharmoniker as their Composer in Residence. The orchestra gave acclaimed concert performances of both well-known works and exciting new discoveries – and these are now available in an exclusive edition on CD and Blu-ray. This box set includes 4 CDs of this music, along with a 2 Blu-ray discs of the performances. The Blu-ray discs also include a documentary and an interview with Adams. [metaslider id=64299] This exceptional offering is sponsored by Naxos and Audiophile Audition. All that is required to enter the drawing is to fill out the promotional form here: Register To Win More information may be found at the Berliner Philharmoniker page for The John Adams Edition. AUDIOPHILE AUDITION began as a local program in San Francisco and then in 1985 as a weekly national radio series hosted by John Sunier, and aired for 13½ years on up to 200 public radio and commercial stations. In September 1998 its web site for program […]
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 in c minor – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ Wilhelm Furtwängler – Praga
Superb, eminent readings of Bruckner’s darkest symphony under Furtwängler return with striking authority. BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 in c minor – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ Wilhelm Furtwängler – Praga Digitals PRD/DSD 350 133 (2 CDs) 77:04; 76:55 (1/5/18) [Distr. Harmonia mundi/PIAS] *****: This review is dedicated to the Spirit of John Sunier Conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler referred to Anton Bruckner’s 1884-87 Symphony No. 8 (rev. 1889) as “a battle of demons,” given its alternating, apocalyptic darkness and moments of transcendent light. In several respects, the gigantic music parallels the Richard Strauss symphonic poem Death and Transfiguration, considering the motion of the first movement – a series of groping, perhaps abortive, kernels of melodic tissue that consistently avoid the tonic minor – to conclude in the minor key with exhausted, repetitive tropes in the violas. Bruckner himself confessed that the music captures the feeling of one “on his deathbed, while opposite him the clock ticks away as his life comes to an end.” This enervation from Death’s annunciation—Todesverkuendigung—comes, however, after a course of epic periods in which moments of supreme, mortal struggle occur, well in the spirit of Matthew Arnold’s clashing armies on a darkling plain. Because Furtwängler leads his […]
Streams and Podcasts for 5 November 2017
Szymon Goldberg had a long and multi-faceted career as violinist, conductor, teacher… a life touching every decade of the 1900s. He was distinguished as a concertizing soloist for many years, as well as being a concertmaster for the Berlin Philharmonic under Furtwangler, whilst concurrently playing in string trios and quartets. He was an active conductor throughout his musical life. Gary Lemco, host of The Music Treasury, will take a closer look at Goldberg’s life, presenting recordings of Goldberg on the violin, featuring composition by Bach, Handel, Dvorak, and Beethoven (culminating with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto). The show can be heard on 5 November 2017, between 19:00 and 21:00, PDT. In addition to being a radio show, it is also presented as streaming broadcast: kzsulive.stanford.edu
Editorial for November, 2017
While the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra has presented recordings of Beethoven symphonies in the past, Sir Simon Rattle is now following the footsteps of Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado in recording the complete cycle of the Beethoven Symphonies. Rattle has been the principal conductor and artistic director of the orchestra since 2002, with his tenure drawing to a close next year. The recordings of the symphonies were originally released as CDs in 2015, to great positive recognition. Now these recordings have been produced on vinyl, to the delight of audiophile purists. Along with Sir Thomas Rattle conducting, the Ninth has the soloists Annette Dasch, Eva Vogel, Christian Eisner, and Dimitry Ivashchenko, supported by the Berlin Radio Choir lead by Simon Halsey. This extraordinary box set of 10 vinyl albums is being sponsored promotionally by the publisher, Naxos of America, as well as Audiophile Audition. All you need to do to enter the drawing is to fill out the form found here: Register To Win Please visit our sponsor’s site for more information, as well as audio samples: Naxos Beethoven – Berlin Philharmonic. AUDIOPHILE AUDITION began as a local program in San Francisco and then in 1985 as a weekly national radio series […]
BEETHOVEN: Coriolan Ov.; Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major “Eroica” – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Berlin Philharmonic Orch./ W. Furtwaengler – Pristine Audio
BEETHOVEN: Coriolan Overture, Op. 62; Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica” – Vienna Philharmonic Orch. (Op. 55)/ Berlin Philharmonic Orch. (Op. 62)/ Wilhelm Furtwaengler – Pristine Audio PASC 488, 62:07 [avail. in various formats from www.pristineclassical.com] *****: Great performances in the best sound by the great Futwaengler from the World War II era. Given the extensive commentary and analytical documentation regarding these two wartime performances by Furtwaengler – the Coriolan (27-30 June 1943) and the Eroica (19-20 December 1944) – especially from John Ardoin, I can hardly shed new light upon these recordings. What they do testify to, given their ferocity and intensity, asserts that Furtwaengler’s greatest, humanistic, creative powers emerged at precisely the wrong moment in cultural history, while surrounded by the nadir of political regimes. Perhaps it doesn’t so much surprise us that Furtwaengler meant to suppress legally any document of the occasion, when the Urania label (in 1953) brought out this performance of the Eroica. The terrific tension that suffuses every measure – even more concentrated in the Marche funebre – gives us the impression of an Atlas whose shoulders bear the weight of the world, at least its aesthetic if not its moral, character. […]
Wilhelm Furtwaengler conducts First Viennese School = MOZART: Marriage of Figaro Ov.; Sym. No. 40; HAYDN: Sym. No. 88 – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Berlin Philharmonic Orch. – Praga Digitals
In restored sound, classic Wilhelm Furtwaengler restorations embrace his Mozart and Haydn. Wilhelm Furtwaengler conducts First Viennese School = MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro Ov., K. 492; Sym. No. 40 in g, K. 550; HAYDN: Sym. No. 88 in G Major; Sym. No. 94 in G Major, “Surprise” – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Berlin Philharmonic Orch./ Wilhelm Furtwaengler – Praga Digitals PRD 350126, 73:18 (9/30/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: In my younger days, with my having read Bruno Walter’s Of Music and Music-Making, I became convinced that anyone – over the age of 50 – who could render Mozart’s 1788 Fortieth Symphony properly had discovered one of the great secrets of the artistic universe. Listening to Praga’s restoration of Wilhelm Furtwaengler’s recording (7-8 December 1948 & 17 February 1949) with the Vienna Philharmonic, I am impressed with the intensity and willful drive of his vision, especially its tragically serene majesty, which moves not at all slowly or lugubriously, but with an urgent, relentless power. The “digression” into f-sharp minor in the course of the first movement provides but one of a number of agogic or harmonic ventures that indicate that below a controlled surface, dark rustlings of Dionysos prevail. The […]
Audio News for September 2, 2016
Rotel Introduces New 14 Series Integrated Amplifiers and CD Player – For listeners who appreciate the look and feel of retro high-quality separate components including serious loudspeakers, as long as they can still plug in, Rotel is targeting you with its new 14 Series amplifiers and – courageously so – a CD player. “Stereo playback is enjoying a renaissance, particularly among younger people,” Doug Henderson, president of Rotel’s distributor, the B&W Group, said. Connection options include Bluetooth with AptX, standard analog and phono inputs, two each of coaxial and optical inputs, USB for PC and iOS which supports high-resolution playback of 32-bit/384kHz PCM, as well as DSD and DSD 2X. The three new 14 Series models will debut in October. The A14 integrated amplifier (80 watts per channel and high resolution) will retail for $1,300, the A12 (60 watts) $900, and the CD14 CD $600. Grado’s New Deluxe Cartridges an Audiophile’s Dream – After two years of research, development and a lot of listening, Brooklyn-based Grado is releasing its new Statement Series2 [sic] line of deluxe audiophile phono cartridges. Housed in Australian Jarrah wood, a eucalyptus species renowned for its versatility, durability and strength, and featuring “a fixed coil design […]
MAX REGER: Comp. Works for Clarinet & Piano – Robert Oberaigner, clar./Michael Schöch, p. – MD&G Scenes
Another nice addition to the growing Reger renaissance. MAX REGER “Complete works for Clarinet and Piano” = MAX REGER: Sonata No.1 in A-flat major, Op.49/1; Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp minor, Op. 49/2; Sonata in B-flat major, Op.107; Tarantella; Album Leaf – Robert Oberaigner, clarinet/Michael Schöch, p. – MD&G Scene MDG 903 1963-6, 79:33 (8/05/16) [Distr. by E1] ****: This is the third album of Max Reger’s complete music for clarinet and piano I have seen and heard these past six months. Clearly the somewhat obscure and somewhat irascible early twentieth century German composer is having a bit of a Renaissance; including recent releases of his choral and organ output and some very rare orchestral music. This is good because Reger was a very fine and somewhat daring composer whose main barriers to further renown were his own criticism of his works; hiding and sequestering them in some cases for years and that documented prickly personality. Interestingly, his clarinet music was always among his best known output; of those many works, the two sonatas written as the opus forty-nine pair are the best known and most often performed. This is for good reason. Those two works are masterpieces of swirling […]
SCHUBERT: Complete Symphonies, Masses & opera Alfonso und Estrella – Soloists/Berlin Philharmonic/ Nicolaus Harnoncourt – Berlin Phil. – (8 SACDs + 1 Blu-ray stereo only)
FRANZ SCHUBERT: Symphonies, Masses and Alfonso und Estrella (TrackLists below) – Berlin Philharmonic Orch./Nikolaus Harnoncourt – Berlin Phil. BPHR 15006 [Distr. by Naxos] – The set contains 8 CDs, and identical content on one Blu-ray audio disc in 2.0 PCM + Bonus video: Nikolaus Harnoncourt in conversation [in German w/ English subtitles] (38 min) HD 1080P 16×9 – Region free – TT: 613:30 (6/5/15) ****: For Schubert completists – all the symphonies, two masses and a rather unknown complete opera . This is a ‘monster’ set of all the Schubert Symphonies, along with Schubert’s final two masses, plus there is a a rare recording of the opera Alfonso und Estrella. This massive set contains 8 SACDs, 1 Blu-ray audio disc that has all the music from the SACDs in DTS-HD MA 2.0. That disc also contains a video interview with conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt. [$123 on Amazon…Ed.] If you want to download the music, the set gives you a code to download FLAC files in 24/48 for any digital devices you own that can support the format. The performances were recorded between 2003 and 2006. I listened to everything contained in the set over several days, and found the performances consistent […]
LUTOSLAWSKI: Piano Concerto; Symphony No. 2 – Krystian Zimmerman, piano – Berlin Philharmonic/Simon Rattle – DGG
A brilliant modern piano concerto from a Polish master.
Martha Argerich & Claudio Abbado: The Complete Concerto Recordings (PROKOFIEV, CHOPIN, RAVEL, LISZT, TCHAIKOVSKY, BEETHOVEN, MOZART – Martha Argerich, p. / Claudio Abbado cond. – DGG (5 CDs)
DGG compiles the musical testament, achieved in forty-five years, of the beginning and ending of a beautiful friendship.
Audio News for March 10, 2015
Simon Rattle Also Appointed Music Director of LSO; Latest Sonos Update is a Leap Forward; DTS Challenges Sonos in Wireless Music; Sony Electronics U.S. Shutting Down Most Standalone Stores; How to Improve Your Voice on Audio Chats
Die 12 Cellisten der Berliner Philharmoniker – 1978-2010 (8 CDs – album list follows) – Warner Classics
A wonderful package of eight previous albums by the best (and probaby only) dozen cellists in the world.
Hilary Hahn, violin, in program of VON WEBER, SHOSTAKOVICH, BACH & DVORAK, with Berlin Philharmonic (2011)
A fine performance by Ms. Hahn, but the recording is not a recent one.
Siegfried Borries = DVORAK: Sonatina in G Major; Three Romantic Pieces; BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major; SCHUBERT: Violin Sonata in A Major – Siegfried Borries, v./ Michael Raucheisen, p. – MeloClassic
Selected recitals from wartime studios highlight Siegrfried Borries, concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic and Prussian State Orchestra.
Audio News for November 4, 2014
New Martin-Logan Flagship Speaker; Classical News; Supreme Court Verdict on Klinghoffer: Not Guilty; Is the Berlin Philharmonic Still the Tops?; Panasonic “4K” UHD TVs Now Capable of Receiving Netflix UHD Programming
Conductor Erich Roehn = Works of BRUCH, BEETHOVEN, VIVALDI & SCHUBERT – MeloClassic
A collection of wartime studio recordings attests to Erich Roehn’s versatility in various ensembles.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5 – Berlin Philharmonic Orch./ Jascha Horenstein – Pristine Audio
Pristine resurrects a powerful reading of the Mahler Fifth by Jascha Horenstein, mesmerizing in all respects.
Karajan and His Soloists I = Works of Schumann, Mozart, Beethoven, Franck, Brahms, Leimer – Warner Classics set (8 CDs)
Warner revives a major portion of the Herbert von Karajan EMI legacy in vivid, remastered sound.
ROBERT SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 1 “Spring”; Symphony No. 2 in C; Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish”; Symphony No. 4 + video extras – Berlin Philharmonic/ Sir Simon Rattle – Berlin Philharmonic Recordings (Blu-ray video & Pure Audio + CDs)
************ MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH *************
All four Schumann Symphonies in both Blu-ray video and separate audio.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
