Lucerne Festival Historic Performances: Wilhelm Furtwängler
11/24/2017, 9 Tracks, 1:36:36
Featuring
Wilhelm Furtwängler
Schweizerisches Festspielorchester
Robert Schumann
Ludwig van Beethoven
Did you know?
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Notable Performances
Wilhelm Furtwängler made his debut at the Internationale Musikfestwochen Luzern, now LUCERNE FESTIVAL, in 1944, programming Beethoven's Eroica and Schumann's Fourth Symphony.
Interpretation
Furtwängler's motto was to be 'faithful to the spirit' rather than 'faithful to each note,' a concept he insisted on in his writings and conversations.
Recording & Production
The recording includes Robert Schumann's Manfred Overture, which had opened the concert and was previously missing and presumed lost.
Interpretation
Furtwängler's conducting philosophy emphasized conveying the 'big picture' and the unity of a work, striving to bring the creator's original vision back into focus.
Recording & Production
This double album presents Wilhelm Furtwängler's final performance with the Swiss Festival Orchestra on August 26, 1953, now available for the first time using recovered original radio tapes.
Performer Biography
Wilhelm Furtwängler, the conductor, took a skeptical stance against sound recordings, believing music should be experienced rather than classified.
Historical Context
After his last public engagements in Hitler's Germany in January 1945, Furtwängler traveled to Switzerland to avoid being drafted into the 'Volkssturm,' the territorial army.
