# #20 - Furtwangler conducting BPO - Schubert - Symphony No. 9 [1942]



## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

Sorry for the late posting but I've been sort of busy playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut. Wait, that's a filthy excuse. Its not even an excuse. I'll promise to update more frequent, most loyal frequent readers. {Albert}

Continuation of Furtwangler month:










Oh, my, the more I hear of Herr Furtwangler, the more enraptured I am by him. A most troubled man. Socially, politically, personally and most important, musically. His struggle of his music finding acceptance and being taken "seriously" as a composer haunted him for his life. Always considering himself first and foremost as a conductor and composer next. Before conducting, he composed as a boy, said to have written six piano sonatas.

The performance on this disc is from the year 1942 with the ever-talented Berliner Philharmoniker. And considering the situation at the time, it makes sense just how emotionally charged this performance is. Furtwangler at his peak. In my opinion, the 1940s gave us some of the finest records from Herr Furtwangler. The recordings from 1950s show us more of his spirituality. When I mean emotionally charged, I mean it! Boy, oh boy! One is reminded of Tennstedt's finest venture of Schubert 9 available on BBC Legends. Only bettered.

Every note is sparkling with such a dramatic fervour that one wonders how they manage to keep it up for an entire 50 minutes symphony. Never faltering, never lessening in perfection, never losing focus, bettering even the most note-perfect studio recordings.

I've heard many Schubert 9s and they really sometime sound to get lost in the first movement. But not in this case! [As you might have noticed, most of my reviews stick to such calibre of performances.]

Particularly mesmerizing is the First movement, where the timpani sound possesed by a Demon. As if they're very life depends on the intensity of their strikes....!

*Should you buy this performance? Most Certainly and the other Schubert 9s of Furtwangler. *But not from DG, they do a most mediocre job at remastering. If you have the money for it, buy a remastering from one of the Furtwangler societies [A purchasing decision for all purchases of Herr Furtwangler.]


*RECOMMENDED WITH HONORS.*​


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

No update for today yet?


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## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

Albert7;bt3404 said:


> No update for today yet?


Just woke up. Releasing Furtwangler/BPO/Schneiderhan - Beethoven/Violin Concerto.


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