Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (7/29/1951)

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Hans Hopf - Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (7/29/1951)

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (7/29/1951)
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CD Details

Artist: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Hans Hopf
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import, Live
CD Release Date: 2008-03-25
Music Label: Orfeo D'or
Soundtracks:
  1. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Allegro ma non troppo e un poco maestoso
  2. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Molto vivace - Presto
  3. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Adagio molto e cantabile - Andante moderato
  4. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral'), Op. 125: Presto - Rezitativ

Music reviews of Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (7/29/1951)

Music Review: Interesting. Great? Only if you prefer the conductor over the composer
Rating: 3 Stars

I know many people will be angry with me for saying anything less than apotheosizing about this recording, but I will say it anyway.
In my opinion, and I believe many will agree with me, a musical piece is the translation in musical language of a feeling, an emotion or an idea that the composer experienced or had. If you agree to me on this, then you will also agree that a conductor's (or performer's) main purpose is to bring that certain emotion or idea to life. He will most certainly leave his personal "fingerprint" on the rendition, and that fingerprint will be more or less obvious, depending on the conductor. What you prefer is a matter of taste, but I must warn you that Furtwängler conducts in such a way that the final output sounds more like his work than that of the composer.
That being said, this recording of Beethoven's Ninth wonderfully epitomises Furtwängler's art. It is emotionally uplifting without ever being schmaltzy, maudlin or mawkish (this is in and of itself a great accomplishment). But it is rather sloppy at times, highly subjective and therefore ultimately pointless. Why do I say that? Because the composer's intentions are almost completely neglected. The only thing that matters in this recording is the conductor's vision of the work. Now I must say that this vision is quite deep, impressive, incandescent at times. But he interferes so much with the music that it ultimately becomes little more than a self-indulging, albeit poetic interpretation of this great work. While such enterprises may be interesting and even display significant artistic merit, I believe it is unwise to induct such subjective interpretations into the rostrum of the greatest recordings in history (a similar case is the beautiful but excessively self-indulged du Pré/Barenboim reading of Brahms' Cello Sonatas).
Let me show you what I mean. Beethoven is known for his numerous and strict metronome indications. I am aware of the fact that a mere human metronome sitting in front of an orchestra and just executing the composer's instructions makes the music sound listless and trite. Great conductors and performers how to leave their personal mark on the music. They know when and how to take "artistic licence" from the composer's indications to great effect. However Furtwängler takes way too much artistic licence. He completely disregards Beethoven's metronome markings. The introduction of the symphony, marked "Allegro ma non troppo", is played in a kind of "Larghetto" tempo. The Scherzo, marked "Molto vivace" with a 116 bpm metronome marking, is rendered as a type of "Allegro moderato" (I could hardly listen to the Scherzo at first; it took a while to get used to the tempo). Most of the instrumental "Ode to Joy" theme is slowed down from Beethoven's original 80 bpm to about 50-55 bpm, while the famous "Turkish March" (Alla marcia, 84 bpm) is played at an incredible 140 bpm. Furtwängler also makes extensive (I would say excessive) use of rubatos where Beethoven made no such indication.
Therefore, this ceases to be "Beethoven's Ninth". It is a deeply personal rendition of a great musical work. I like it. Furtwängler, probably better than any other conductor since the advent of classical recordings, understood the realms to which music can elevate us. And despite the excentric tempos and numerous alterations of Beethoven's intentions, his reading is so powerful that he somehow makes you suspend disbelief and accept this interpretation as it is. But I take the greatest possible exception to calling such a subjective interpretation "definitive", "ultimate", "the greatest ever". This rendition, while being emotionally uplifting, is a self-gratifying rather than spiritually or intelectually enriching experience. The same is true of most of Furtwängler's work.
Of course, you might say that I have no real arguments to prove the objective aesthetic superiority of other, more "cerebral" recordings. That may be true. My approach to music is by no means the only valid one. However, I think I speak for many people when I say that I have a strong preference for hearing more of the composer's ideas than the conductor's (or performer's) feelings, be they however interesting.
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