Wilhelm Furtwängler

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 9 in C major ("The Great"), D. 944
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

2. Rosamunde, Fürstin von Cypern, incidental music, D. 797 (Op. 26)
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

Wilhelm Furtwängler, Music, Franz Schubert, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Berliner Philharmoniker, Classical, Classical Music, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Incidental Music for Orchestra, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic
Strauss: Four Last Songs; Wagner" Excerpts from Tristan und Isolde & Götterdämmerung
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Strauss: Four Last Songs; Wagner" Excerpts from Tristan und Isolde & Götterdämmerung

    Manufacturer: Testament UK
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000O59Z0C
    Release Date: 2007-06-12

    Tracks:

    1. I. Beim Schlafengehen
    2. II. September
    3. III. Fruhling
    4. IV. Im Abendrot
    5. Prelude
    6. Mild Und Leise Wie Er Lachelt
    7. Dawn And Siegfried's Rhine Journey
    8. Starke Scheite Schichtet Mir Dort
    Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Forget the coughing this emotional reading is RAW!!!!
    • A Moving Performance of Beethoven's 9th
    • A word of caution for newcomers
    • Very passionate
    • The 9th to Own!!
    		 Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf

    Manufacturer: EMI Classics
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    4. Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
    5. Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy

    ASIN: B00000GCA7
    Release Date: 1999-01-12

    Tracks:

    1. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125 'Choral': Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
    2. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125 'Choral': Molto vivace
    3. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125 'Choral': Adagio molto e cantabile - Andante moderato - Adagio
    4. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125 'Choral': Presto - Allegro ma non troppo - Allegro Assai - Allegro assai vivace - alla marcia - Andante maestoso - Allegro - Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato - Allegro ma non tanto - Poco adagio - Prestissimo

    Amazon.com essential recording

    No single performance will ever tell us everything we need to know about a masterpiece like the Beethoven Ninth, but this one comes close. The inspired intensity of everyone involved--at the postwar reopening of the Bayreuth Festival in 1951--comes across very vividly in this new transfer. Just hear the way Furtwángler evokes the atmosphere of chaos coalescing into order at the opening of the first movement and you can tell a superior musical and spiritual consciousness is at work. Except for the poor first horn, whose bloopers are the main detriment, the orchestra, soloists, and chorus (recorded clearly but at a heavenly distance) all hold up their parts extremely well. The solo singers are particularly convincing. This is a very special recording, recognized as a classic when it was first issued and still indispensable. --Leslie Gerber

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Forget the coughing this emotional reading is RAW!!!!.......2007-06-05

    That's right...you will be treated to a few momentos of respiratory ailments in the crowd, and if you can look past the sometimes flat and muddled mono mix of the recording, and I highly recommend that you do, then this recording will knock you off of your feet. I am a child of modern acoustic flair, being quite fond of the capabilities of SACD recordings, and at first the mono mix left me a bit cold. But within a matter of minutes that all faded into utter inconsequence as I became possessed by this transcendent reading of the ninth. There are a few flubs here and there and a few points during the third movement momentarily dispell the magic. BUT and I stress that explicitly...I have yet to hear a ninth with as much raw power and energy as this one. I've listened to some passages from more modern, polished versions of this symphony and despite their vastly superior sonics they completely pale in comparison to the visceral impact of this reading. You would be missing out on something quite special if you were to pass this one up in favor of better sonics. Trust me the mono makes no difference whatsoever...this reading is absolutely inspired.

    5 out of 5 stars A Moving Performance of Beethoven's 9th.......2007-03-10

    This is an historically significant performance. The re-opening of the Bayreuther Festspiele in '51 was an occasion of great joy for music lovers in Germany, for whom the Festspiele was (and still is) a beloved annual event. My own grandmother was a regular attendee of that era, so having this recording is personally very meaningful to me. Certainly there is not a more appropriate piece of music for celebrations on a grand scale than Beethoven's 9th symphony. And that's exactly what this very exuberant performance is: it's a grand celebration. It is not without flaws though, notably the problem with the first horn mentioned by another reviewer. And of course, it's no SACD studio recording, it's mono and it's live, so there is noise. But this really doesn't matter: it's a tremendously moving performance that vividly captures the joy of the occasion. And also it's Furtwängler conducting, who many consider the foremost interpreter of Beethoven's symphonies in the modern era. So this CD is really a must-have for lovers of Beethoven's symphonies. This one along with the Furtwängler Performs Beethoven cycle put out by Magic & Arts.

    2 out of 5 stars A word of caution for newcomers.......2007-01-29

    PLEASE NOTE: I am reviewing this recording as an *audiophile* and as someone immersed in *historically informed performance*. If either or both of these things puts you in a decidedly different aesthetic camp from mine, then *disregard* the rating I have given it. I do not mean to offend those who love this recording.

    I will not argue with those who think this is "magnificent" or "passionate," but I think it is misleading, and even a disservice to people browsing for a recording of this symphony, to call this "essential" and "indispensable" (Amazon) or "the 9th to own" (below). It is a remarkable recording, but I think it would be a shame if someone knew this symphony only or primarily from this recording.

    As everyone mentions, this was an historic occasion: the reopening of the Bayreuth Festival, and for some a symbol of Germany's cultural rebirth after the war. It was the last time Furtwängler was at Bayreuth. If one contemplates these things while listening to this recording, it is indeed easy to be swept up by it. I respectfully suggest that knowledge of its context has prompted some to attribute to it a sort of mystical greatness that it really does not possess.

    EMI has done what seems like a very respectable job remastering this recording, and it probably sounds as good as it ever will. The peculiar acoustic properties of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus and orchestra pit also give it an interesting character. But this is a live, mono recording from 1951. What makes it special is the sensation of "listening back in time." The recorded sound itself, jumbled and indistinct, cannot even be compared to what can be achieved with modern recording techniques.

    As for the performance, Furtwängler may be considered by many to be without peer for his insight into this music, but this is simply not my Beethoven; nor, I believe, is it Beethoven's Beethoven. Furtwängler's "insight" borders on unlistenable in the third movement: 19'32". For me, this kills the performance all on its own. Parts of it actually sound as though they are being played in "slow motion," and sometimes it seems that Furtwängler has slipped into his own private meditation and forgotten he is leading a performance. The cringe-inducing brass section, however heartfelt their efforts, does not help matters.

    Collectors and those with an historical interest in the political, social and artistic events surrounding this recording will want to own it, but I think this would be a poor choice for one's first or only recording, legendary though it is.

    I highly recommend John Eliot Gardiner's version on Archiv for an articulate, driven, and, in its own way, every bit as passionate alternative to lumbering late Romantic interpretations.

    3 out of 5 stars Very passionate.......2007-01-29

    This recording is famous beacuse of its sense of event. Musically speaking, it is out of control and very passionate. But it will sweep you away with fiery intensity. Do be aware of the horn bloopers. If you are looking for a standard Symphony No. 9, this is probably not the recording for you. I would personally recommend Fricsay and the Berlin Philharmonic as the best over all recording.

    5 out of 5 stars The 9th to Own!!.......2006-07-12

    I would not hesitate in any way to recomend this incredible interpretation of Beethoven's final work to any listener or any musician. Aside from the wonderful job in remastering we have one of the more interesting accounts of this work ever done.

    The opening movement has a very great sense of hushed intensity in the strings...and once the first thematic bits of material are introduced the whole performance never lets up. Sadly, there are some very bad horn moments throughout but what is here is all Furtwangler who outshines Szell...Karajan, and Klemperer put together...sadly too few people realize how fine Bohm was and if you need a Stereo version go to the last reading Bohm did of the 9th on DG.
    Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Hey this set was $60 for almost 20 years!
    • The BEST Tristan to date. Furtwangler's magic!
    • I don't have 10 stars!
    • A Great Reading... A Great Recording!
    • Twilight of the god and goddess
    		 Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

    Manufacturer: EMI Classics
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    5. Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti

    ASIN: B00005NW0D
    Release Date: 2001-09-11

    Tracks:

    1. Act I: Prld - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    2. Act I, Scene 1: Westwarts Schweift Der Blick
    3. Act I, Scene 1: Brangane, Du? Sag - Wo Sind Wir?
    4. Act I, Scene 1: O Weh! Ach! Ach, Des Ubels, Das Ich Geahnt!
    5. Act I, Scene 2: Frisch Weht Der Wind Der Heimat Zu - Rudolf Schock
    6. Act I, Scene 2: Mir Erkoren, Mir Verloren
    7. Act I, Scene 2: Hab Acht, Tristan! Botschaft Von Isolde - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    8. Act I, Scene 2: Darf Ich Die Antwort Sagen? - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    9. Act I, Scene 3: Weh, Ach Wehe! Dies Zu Dulden!
    10. Act I, Scene 3: Wie Lachend Sie Mir Lieder Singen
    11. Act I, Scene 3: Von Seinem Lager Blickt' Er Her
    12. Act I, Scene 3: O Wunder! Wo Hatt' Ich Die Augen?
    13. Act I, Scene 3: Da Friede, Suhn' Und Freundschaft
    14. Act I, Scene 3: O Susse, Traute! Teure! Holde! Goldne Herrin! - Blanche Thebom
    15. Act I, Scene 3: Ungeminnt Den Hehrsten Mann
    16. Act I, Scene 3: Kennst Du Der Mutter Kusnte Night?
    17. Act I, Scene 4: Auf! Auf! Ihr Frauen! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    18. Act I, Scene 4: Herrn Tristan Bringe Meinen Gruss
    19. Act I, Scene 4: Nun Leb Wohl, Brangane!
    20. Act I, Scene 5: Langsam - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    21. Act I, Scene 5: Begehrt, Herrin, Was Ihr Wunscht
    22. Act I, Scene 5: Da Du So Sittsam, Mein Herr Tristan
    23. Act I, Scene 5: Nun Will Ich Des Eides Walten

    Tracks:

    1. Act I, Scene 5: War Morold Dir So Wert
    2. Act I, Scene 5: Ho! He! Ha! Am Obermast Die Segel Ein!
    3. Act I, Scene 5: Du Horst Den Rut?
    4. Act I, Scene 5: Auf Das Tau! Anker Los!
    5. Act I, Scene 5: Tristan!...Isolde!
    6. Act I, Scene 5: Was Traumte Mir Von Tristans Ehre?
    7. Act I, Scene 5: Schnell, Den Mantel, Den Konigsschmuck!
    8. Act II: Prld - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    9. Act II, Scene 1: Horst Du Sie Noch?
    10. Act II, Scene 1: Der Deiner Harrt - O Hor Mein Warren!
    11. Act II, Scene 1: O Lass Die Warnende Zunde
    12. Act II, Scene 1: Und Musste Der Minne Tuckischer Trank
    13. Act II, Scene 2: Isolde! Geliebte!...Tristan! Geliebter!
    14. Act II, Scene 2: Das Licht! Das Licht!
    15. Act II, Scene 2: Der Tag! Der Tag!
    16. Act II, Scene 2: O Eitler Tagesknecht!
    17. Act II, Scene 2: In Deiner Hand Dne Sussen Tod
    18. Act II, Scene 2: O Nun Maren Wir Nacht-Geweihte! - Ludwig Suthaus
    19. Act II, Scene 2: O Sink Hernieder, Nacht Der Liebe
    20. Act II, Scene 2: Einsam, Wachend In Der Nacht - Blanche Thebom
    21. Act II, Scene 2: Lausch, Geliebter!
    22. Act II, Scene 2: Unsre Liebe? Tristans Liebe? - Ludwig Suthaus

    Tracks:

    1. Act II, Scene 2: Doch Unsre Liebe
    2. Act II, Scene 2: So Sturben Wir, Un Ungetrennt
    3. Act II, Scene 2: Habet Acht! Habet Acht!
    4. Act II, Scene 2: O Ew'ge Nacht, Susse nacht!
    5. Act II, Scene 3: Rette Dich, Tristan! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    6. Act II, Scene 3: Tatest Du's Wirklich? - Josef Greindl
    7. Act II, Scene 3: Wozu Die Dienste Ohne Zahl - Josef Greindl
    8. Act II, Scene 3: Dies Wunderhehre Weib - Josef Greindl
    9. Act II, Scene 3: Nun, Da Durch Solchen Besitz Mein Herz - Josef Greindl
    10. Act II, Scene 3: O Konig, Das Kann Ich dir Nicht Sagen - Ludwig Suthaus
    11. Act II, Scene 3: Wohin Nun Tristan Scheidet, Willst Du, Isold', Ihm Folgen? - Ludwig Suthaus
    12. Act II, Scene 3: Als Fur Ein Fremdes Land - Kirstan Flagstad
    13. Act II, Scene 3: Verrater! Ha! Zur Rache, Konig! - Ludwig Suthaus
    14. Act III: Prld - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    15. Act III, Scene 1: Shepherd's Pipe Song - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    16. Act III, Scene 1: Kurwenal! He! Sag, Kurwenal! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    17. Act III, Scene 1: Od' Und Leer Das Meer!.../Shepherd's Pipe Song/Die Alte Weise - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    18. Act III, Scene 1: Wo Du Bist? In Frieden, Sicher Und Frei! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    19. Act III, Scene 1: Dunkt Dich Das? Ich Weiss Es Anders - Ludwig Suthaus
    20. Act III, Scene 1: Isolde Noch Im Reich Der Sonne - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

    Tracks:

    1. Act III, Scene 1: Noch Iosch Das Licht Nicht Aus - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    2. Act III, Scene 1: Mein Kurwenal, Du Trauter Freund! - Ludwig Suthaus
    3. Act III, Scene 1: Shepherd's Pipe Song/Noch Ist Kein Schiff Zu Sehn! - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    4. Act III, Scene 1: Nein! Ach Nein! So Heisst Sie Nicht! - Ludwig Suthaus
    5. Act III, Scene 1: Der Trank! Der Trank! Der Furchtbare Trank! - Ludwig Suthaus
    6. Act III, Scene 1: Mein Herre! Tristan! Schrecklicher Zauber! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    7. Act III, Scene 1: Das Schiff? Siehst Du's Noch Nicht? - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    8. Act III, Scene 1: Wie Sie Selig, Hehr Und Milde - Ludwig Suthaus
    9. Act III, Scene 1: Shepherd's Pipe Song/O Wonne! Freude! Ha! Das Schiff! - Wilhelm Furtwangler
    10. Act III, Scene 2: O Diese Sonne! Ha, Diesser Tag!
    11. Act III, Scene 2: Ich Bin's, Ich Bin's Sussester Freund!
    12. Act III, Scene 2: Die Wunde? Wo? Lass Sie Mich Heilen!
    13. Act III, Scene 3: Kurwenal! Hor! Ein Zweites Schiff - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    14. Act III, Scene 3: Tot Denn Alles! Alles Tot! - Josef Greindl
    15. Act III, Scene 3: Sie Wacht! Sie Lebt! Isolde! - Josef Greindl
    16. Act III, Scene 3: Mild Und Leise Wir Er Lachelt
    17. Act III, Scene 3: Heller Schallend, Mich Umwallend

    Amazon.com essential recording

    It's not surprising that this sublime performance of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde has remained on the market for so long: Wilhelm Furtwängler's reading of the tale with Ludwig Suthaus, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Kirsten Flagstad is probably definitive. The conductor is peerless at achieving a strong sense of direction throughout the epic length. Carlos Kleiber's controversial version with the Dresden State Orchestra might boast orchestral fireworks (abetted by modern recording technology), but if you're looking for a Tristan in which the singing takes center stage, this is the recording to buy. Newly remastered with Abbey Road Technology as part of EMI's Great Recordings of the Century series. --Joshua Cody

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Hey this set was $60 for almost 20 years!.......2007-06-04

    I listened to it at the library in the 80s, but you couldn't turn it up very loud. I'll bet this issue will suppress sales of all other performances!

    5 out of 5 stars The BEST Tristan to date. Furtwangler's magic!.......2007-02-05

    This is the best version of Tristan I have EVER heard. The sound quality is good but the performances are just thrilling. The duets are stunning. If you buy one Tristan make it this one. For those of us who do not speak German read up on the plot first and then enjoy. Fantastic.

    5 out of 5 stars I don't have 10 stars!.......2007-01-20

    The maximum! The very best version of all times

    5 out of 5 stars A Great Reading... A Great Recording!.......2006-11-22

    It's hard to imagine that anything can be better. So don't try. This is the best-recorded version of this amazing opera I have ever heard. A truly unmatched achievement in sound direction and vocal virtuosity.
    "Classic" or "Legendary" recordings turn off some people due to the fact that they never know what kind of sound quality they will receive. Let me tell you as an audiophile, conductor, composer, musician and long time music listener: This is not what you think! It is a wonderfully clear, bold and warm recording with great dynamic influx and solid resonance that will fill any room on a good set of speakers. There is no better way to enjoy this great masterpiece! Bravo EMI! Bravo Furtwangler! This is without a doubt one of the 20th century's greatest sound recordings!

    5 out of 5 stars Twilight of the god and goddess.......2006-06-29

    Certainly one of the greatest opera recordings ever, if not the greatest. It hardly matters that this Tristan and Isolde was recorded circa 1950; this true classic, remastered, its glory intact, is a musical marvel for the ages that is nearly outside of time in its magnificence. Conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler (my all-time favorite conductor name--so Germanic!), was at the height of his conducting powers here, just as the great, legendary soprano Kirsten Flagstad, who also soars. Does she ever! Flagstad is known of course for her 1930s Metropolitan Opera Wagner performances, as well as appearances at Covent Garden in the late 1940s. Isolde was perhaps her greatest role. Usually she was paired with Lauritz Melchior (reportedly replaced at the last minute here by the sublime Ludwig Suthaus as Tristan due to Melchior's illness). Flagstad gave us her greatest Isolde at the twilight of her career. The entire cast and recording crew deserve great praise. Furtwangler delivers no less than the penultimate Tristan and Isolde. Aged and ill he may have been in faltering physical health, but his spirit was obviously never more vibrant. Together he and Flastad created a musical treasure that will live on forever. Five stars? More like a thousand!
    Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Only Furtwangler can beat Furtwangler
    • Response to S. Bauer re: "Unclear When This Opera Was Recorded," February 2006
    • Superb voices which are hard to find
    • Very good
    • Unclear when this opera was recorded
    		 Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527

    Manufacturer: Gala
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000001XNW
    Release Date: 2000-06-06

    Tracks:

    1. Ouverture
    2. Act One: Nr. 1 Introduzione: 'Notte e giorno faticar' (Donna Anna, Don Giovanni)
    3. Act One: Nr. 2: Recitativo accompagnato e Duetto: 'Ma qual mai s'offre, oh dei' (Donna Anna, Don Ottavio)
    4. Act One: Recitativo: 'Orsu, spicciati presto' (Don Giovanni)
    5. Act One: Nr. 3 Aria: 'Ah! chi mi dice mai' (Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni)
    6. Act One: Nr. 4 Aria: 'Madamina, il catalogo e questo'
    7. Act One: Nr. 5 Coro: 'Giovinette che fate all'amore'
    8. Act One: Recitativo: 'Manco male e partita' (Don Giovanni)
    9. Act One: Nr. 6 Aria: 'Ho capito, signor si!'
    10. Act One: Recitativo: 'Alfin siam liberati' (Don Giovanni)
    11. Act One: Nr. 7 Duettino: 'La ci darem la mano' (Don Giovanni)
    12. Act One: Nr. 8 Aria: 'Ah, fuggi il traditor' (Donna Elvira)
    13. Act One: Recitativo: 'Mi par ch'oggi il demonio si diverta' (Don Giovanni, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna)
    14. Act One: Nr. 9 Quartetto: 'Non ti fidar, o misera' (Donna Elvira, Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni)
    15. Act One: Nr. 10 Recitativo accompagnato ed aria: 'Don ottavio, son morta!'
    16. Act One: 'Or sai chi l'onore' (Donna Anna)
    17. Act One: Nr. 10a Aria: 'Dalla sua pace' (KV 540 A - Wien 1788) (Don Ottavio)
    18. Act One: Recitativo: 'lo deggo ad ogni patto' (Don Giovanni)
    19. Act One: Nr. 11 Aria: 'Fin ch'an dal vino' (Don Giovanni)
    20. Act One: Recitativo: 'Masetto: senti un po!'
    21. Act One: Nr. 12 Aria: 'Batti, batti, o bel masetto'

    Tracks:

    1. Act One: Recitativo: 'Guard un po' (Don Giovanni)
    2. Act One: Nr. 13 Finale: 'Presto presto pria ch'ei venga' (Don Giovanni)
    3. Act One: 'Bisogna aver coraggio' (Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, Don Giovanni)
    4. Act One: 'Riposate, vezzose ragazze!' (Don Giovanni, Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio)
    5. Act Two: Nr. 14 Duetto: 'Eh via, buffone' (Don Giovanni)
    6. Act Two: Nr. 15 Terzetto: 'Ah! taci, ingiusto core' (Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni)
    7. Act Two: Nr. 16 Canzonetta: 'Deh, vieni alla finestra' (Don Giovanni)
    8. Act Two: Nr. 17 Aria: 'Meta di voi qua vadano' (Don Giovanni)
    9. Act Two: Nr. 18 Aria: 'Vedrai, carino'
    10. Act Two: Recitativo: 'Di molte faci il lume' (Donna Elvira)
    11. Act Two: Nr. 19 Aria: 'Sola, sola, in buio loco' (Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna)
    12. Act Two: Nr. 20 Aria: 'Ah, pieta, signori miei'
    13. Act Two: Nr. 21a Aria: 'Il mio tesoro intanto' (Don Ottavio)
    14. Act Two: Nr. 21b Recitativo accompagnato ed Aria: 'In quali eccessi, o numi' 'Mi tradi quel'alma ingrata' (KV 540 C - Wien 1788) (Donna Elvira)
    15. Act Two: Recitativo: 'Ah, ah, ah, ah, questa e buona' (Don Giovanni)
    16. Act Two: Nr. 22 Duetto: 'O statua gentilissima' (Don Giovanni)

    Tracks:

    1. Act Two: Recitativo: 'Calmatevi, idol mio' (Don Ottavio, Donna Anna)
    2. Act Two: Nr. 23 Rondo: 'Non mi dir, bell'idol mio' (Donna Anna)
    3. Act Two: Nr. 24 Finale: 'Gia la mensa e preparata' (Don Giovanni)
    4. Act Two: 'Don Giovanni, a cenar teco m'invitasti' (Don Giovanni)
    5. Act Two: 'Ah! dove e il perfido' (Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio)
    6. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 2 Arie: 'Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja'
    7. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 3 Arie: 'Dies Bildnis ist bezauberend schon'
    8. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 4 Rezitativ und Arie: 'O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn!'
    9. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 7 Duett: Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen'
    10. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 8 Finale: 'Erster Aufzug: Wie strark ist nicht dein Zauberton'
    11. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 10 Arie mit Chor: 'O Isis und Osiris'
    12. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 14 Arie: 'Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen'
    13. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 15 Arie: 'In diesen heil'gen Hallen'
    14. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 17 Arie: 'Ach, ich fuhl's, es ist verschwunden'
    15. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 20 Arie: 'Ein Madchen oder Weibchen wunscht Papageno sich,
    16. Die Zauberflote: Arias And Scenes: Nr. 21c Finale: Zweiter Aufzug: 'Wir wandeln durch des Tones Macht'

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Only Furtwangler can beat Furtwangler.......2007-05-04

    Despite the 'historical' sound effect of this live recording, this is a 'must-own' for Mozart lovers.
    I agree that Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's Donna Elvira in this live recording is probably the best of her various recordings of this role, including the famous Giulini version. Just listen to her solo arias and the duets, and you will see the audience were so right in applauding as they did.
    Elisabeth Gruemmer was a superb Donna Anna, not to be eclipsed by the later Giulini version by Joan Sutherland.
    Cesare Siepi was only around 30 years old in this recording. He is the greatest Giovanni on record, both on stage and in recordings. I entirely agree with one earlier reviewer on Eberhard Waechter's Don G in Giulini's version: boorish. Eventhough Waechter led brilliantly in the ensembles.
    My only slight reservation is for Anton Dermota's Don Ottavio here. His Dalla pace sua hardly sounded comfortable, though he sang all the notes alright.
    One final point - it appears that this Furtwangler version is the Viennese version, not the Prague version.


    5 out of 5 stars Response to S. Bauer re: "Unclear When This Opera Was Recorded," February 2006.......2006-09-02

    The 6.8.1951 date which you question on page 5 of the booklet accompanying this superior performance of "Don Giovanni" refers to "Die Zauberflote," recorded on CD 3, tracks 6 - 16.

    The credits listed on the inside back of the CD case include "Salzburg, 27.7.1953" for Don Giovanni, and "Salzburg, 1951" for Die Zauberflote.

    Your recording IS the acclaimed Don Giovanni, 1953 can't-live-without version! Enjoy it more now!

    5 out of 5 stars Superb voices which are hard to find.......2006-08-19

    The conductor is the number one for Mozart Operas, the 2 Elisabeths sound beautiful in their own distinctive voices, Erna Berger at 51 years old still has a very young voice. Siepi is the number one Don. Edelman and Dermota are wonderful. The sound is the only thing that could be improved but we have to realize that it is a live performance from 1951.

    5 out of 5 stars Very good.......2006-04-17

    I have bought this cd opera and I listened it yesterday evening.
    I live in Ceneda of Vittorio Veneto (Italy) where Da Ponte was born.
    I have other two version (Solti director and Muti director) but this is the best.
    Very good the director and very good the interpreters.
    I have talked with many italian teacher's classical music; they said me that this edition (Furtwaengler director in Salzburg 1953) is the best in every time.

    4 out of 5 stars Unclear when this opera was recorded.......2006-02-06

    Can I anyone answer this? On the front cover of this CD box it says "1953". On the back cover, and in the booklet, however, it says "1951". In the booklet, on p. 5, it says "6.8.1951". Now are all the Amazon reviewers wrong, taking this recording for the 1953 recording, or is it actually a 1951 recording? If so, perhaps Amazon should also have an editorial note clarifying this.
    Thank you.
    Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Furtwangler's Beethoven
    • Amazing! Outstanding! Essential!
    • Glorious
    • Remastering an old recording
    • Just Get It
    		 Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore

    Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Furtwangler Conducts Brahms - Complete Symphonies, etc / North German RSO, Berlin PO
    2. Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf
    3. Beethoven: Symphony No.9 'choral', 'egmont' Overture
    4. Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
    5. Wagner: Extracts from the operas

    ASIN: B00001W09Z
    Release Date: 2006-01-01

    Tracks:

    1. Beethoven Symphonies

    Tracks:

    1. Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: I. Allegro Con Brio

    Amazon.com essential recording

    These may be the most gripping performances of Beethoven's symphonies you'll ever hear. No, not necessarily the most enjoyable or even the most accurate, but gripping--to say the least. In these wartime performances of Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9, Wilhelm Furtwängler is at his most expressive, angry self. Conducting six of the world's greatest symphonies for audiences in Nazi Germany, Furtwängler has an inner turmoil that seems to shoot straight through his baton. He drives the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics to the edge of disaster, but miraculously they keep up--rising to the occasion. The Eroica and the Ninth are particularly emotion-filled; the latter features the great Bruno Kittel Choir and the BPO in fine form, but they--like everyone else here--are overshadowed by the conductor's bipolar mood swings and furious pacings. Brace yourself. These are shocking, awesome, thought-provoking performances that--thanks to a great remastering--have never sounded better. --Jason Verlinde

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Furtwangler's Beethoven.......2007-04-14

    This set belongs next to Schnabel's piano sonatas and the Busch's string quartets as one of the great Beethoven sets in recorded history. There certainly is no better monetary value for Furtwangler's Beethoven. The 3rd, 4th, and 9th are especially definitive. Compared to Furtwangler's later performances, these are tighter, more intense, and faster-paced. It is mainly in the 6th and 7th that you miss the warmer Furtwangler of his later recordings.

    No. 3 is intense, concentrated, and perfectly proportioned. I differ with some who consider the 12/8/52 to be Furtwangler's greatest 3rd. While the sound of that one is fantastic, to my ear it is just the slightest bit more slack in concentration when compared to the '44. In any case, these are easily the two best recordings of the work available, and they are both essential. Listen to the '52 for beauty of sound and phrases lengthened to their max, but the '44 would still be my desert island 3rd.

    No. 4 is simply the greatest performance on record, giving a whole new level of emotional depth to this symphony.

    No. 5 is for many Furtwangler's best. It is certainly well-played and perfectly proportioned. There are several Furtwangler recordings of No. 5 that are deserving of attention, and choosing between them is a matter of strong debate. For me, the two that arise above all others are the 5/23/54 and 5/25/47. The '54 is simply astounding. It is a perfect performance in fantastic sound for its time. It really knocks you out of your chair. This is the recording for people who want to know what all the fuss was about Furtwangler's Beethoven. (How on Earth did the man conduct like this just 6 months before his death?) The '47 is also special for its edge-of-your-seat spontanaity. While not as good in sound quality as the '54, it is more fleet and rhythmically free. The rousing coda of the finale has to be heard to be believed - Furtwangler at his most magical. There is also a deleted DG recording two days later in better sound, but not quite as inspired. The '44 is still a great performance, but for me Furtwangler reached greater heights in these two later recordings.

    No. 6 is one that perhaps misses some of the warmth of Furtwangler's later recordings. It is still a great one, particularly in the storm, and the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is magnificent. You really get the sense of the storm slowly subsiding and sunshine peering through the clouds in the final movement. Like the 5th's with which they are paired, the 5/23/54 and 5/25/47 are the performances that show Furtwangler at his best. The '54 is pretty definitive and in great sound.

    No. 7 is exciting and dramatic. Though it has much to recommend it (listen to the beautiful tempo fluctuations in the scherzo), I sometimes miss the more patient pacing of Furtwangler's later recordings. The '53 DG recording is probably his best, with excellent tempo transitions and a rousing conclusion to the finale. The sound is also very present and clean for the period. The '50 EMI recording is not far behind.

    No. 9 is simply the greatest orchestral recording ever made of anything. Yes, some will say it is too intense, but what else do you want with this symphony? You simply cannot go back to other interpretations after hearing this one. Only the '51 Bayreuth performance comes close. That one is a good alternative for hearing cleaner sound and some strong brass playing. The '54 Lucerne is by far the best-sounding. However, it does not have the same intensity as the other two. By comparison, it almost sounds tired. Of course this is all relative: The '54 Lucerne still puts every other recorded version after Furtwangler in the shade. And then there is also the '37, which is dimly recorded but still exhibiting Furtwangler's unique intensity.

    And let us not forget the overtures, particularly the '43 Coriolan. Along with the '42 9th, this is also one of the greatest orchestral recordings ever made. Astounding drama and concentration. Unfortunately, Furtwangler's definitive '47 Egmont on DG is not presently available.

    In short, run out and grab this set while also complementing it with a few of Furtwangler's later recordings. My desert island choices for Furtwangler's Beethoven symphonies would be:

    3rd: '44 and 12/8/52, 4th: '43, 5th & 6th: 5/25/47 and 5/23/54, 7th: '53, 9th: '42 and '51

    5 out of 5 stars Amazing! Outstanding! Essential!.......2007-04-12

    This set collects some of the greatest and awesome Beethoven interpretations in world history. Their classical status is unmatched: at the conductor's rostrum, we have Wilhelm Furtwängler at the height of his exceptional understanding of Beethoven's music. The context of the recordings is WWII, mainly in the wartime Germany (of course, Vienna belonged to Germany after the 1938 "Anschluss", but I choose to see Vienna as the capital of Austria). Like some other great artists and intellectuals, Furtwängler decided to stay in Germany during the Second World War. But unlike disgusting opportunists like von Karajan, he never joined the Nazi party - in fact, he even refused to shake Hitler's hand.

    Of course, Furtwängler's impeccable moral contributes to his greatness. Just listen to his magnificent ninth, with its humanist message. It's a breathtaking performance that should move everyone to tears.

    Here are the recordings dates of the performances in this box:

    Symphony 3: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, 19-20 December, 1944.
    Symphony 4: Berlin Philharmonic, 27-30 June, 1943.
    Symphony 5: Berlin Philharmonic, 27-30 June, 1943.
    Symphony 6: Berlin Philharmonic, 20-22 March, 1944.
    Symphony 7: Berlin Philharmonic, 31 October-3 November, 1943.
    Symphony 9: Berlin Philharmonic, 22-24 March 1942. (Solists are Tilla Briem, Peter Anders, Elisabeth Höngen, and Rudolf Watzke.)

    Music & Arts' remasterings (made by Maggi Payne) are very good. Of course, what we have here are old mono, live recordings, so don't expect HiFi quality. But what you can expect are recordings of the century, essential for any music collection.

    Strongly and warmly recommended!

    5 out of 5 stars Glorious.......2007-02-10

    Impossible to put into mere words the effect of these tremendous performances: they are glorious, powerful, sublime. True these are
    (excellently remastered) mono recordings of live performances more than 50 years old, so there is some noise and some harmonic distortions also. But the music and the performances completely and thoroughly transcend this, even on the finest audio equipment. Your Beethoven collection is simply not complete unless you have this one, and also the Bayreuther 9th from 1951 (also available on EMI classics). Indeed, once you have these, you may find you don't want to listen to any other cycles of these symphonies that you may have, however fine and technically perfect they may be.

    1 out of 5 stars Remastering an old recording.......2007-01-09

    If you want to experience how Beethoven was played 40 years ago, then buy this CD set. But beware of sound quality and some technical glitches. In addition, audience noise can be distracting.

    5 out of 5 stars Just Get It.......2006-09-22

    ...even if this is the only CD of Beethoven's Orchestral Works you ever buy.
    Even though they are in mono, old, noisy, with pitch variations at places (but still remarkably good transfers), for many of the works here it's safe to say that you have not really heard them unless you have experienced these recordings.
    Four of the works (4,5,6,7) are great performances, but there are other great ones out there as well.
    However, the recordings of the ninth (BPO Mar'42) and third (VPO Dec'44)symphonies as well as the Coriolan and Leonore III overtures are definitive and unique, and each of them is by itself worth the price of the whole set. The only downside to getting them is that it might become hard to be attentive to most other recordings afterwards.
    Wagner: Extracts from the operas
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • The best collection of Wagner excerpts from Furtwangler
    • This deserves 5 stars, plus!
    • Sublimity for the Ages
    • Wondrous Wagner
    		 Wagner: Extracts from the operas

    Manufacturer: EMI Classics
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore
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    4. Furtwängler conducts Wagner
    5. Wagner: Orchestral Music

    ASIN: B00064N8RM
    Release Date: 2005-01-11

    Tracks:

    1. Overture
    2. Prelude To Act 1
    3. Ride Of The Valkyries (Act 3)
    4. Prelude: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
    5. Siegfried's Funeral March (Act 3)
    6. Brunnhilde's Immolation (Act 3) - Kirsten Flagstad

    Tracks:

    1. Overture
    2. Prelude to Act 1 - Berliner Philharmoniker
    3. Liebestod (Death Of Isolde) - Berliner Philharmoniker
    4. Prelude To Act 1
    5. Prelude To Act 3
    6. Dance Of The Apprentices (Act 3)
    7. Prelude To Act 1 - Berliner Philharmoniker
    8. Good Friday Music (Act 3) - Berliner Philharmoniker

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars The best collection of Wagner excerpts from Furtwangler.......2005-12-16

    In the post-war era Furtwangler left us two Ring cycles from Italy (both very scrapy in execution), a classic Tristan from London, and a somewhat disappointing (to me, at least) Die Walkure from Vienna. Those represent the bulk of his Wagner conducting, since he didn't record many excerpts. This classic EMI set gathers together two hours wroth from 1938 to 1954. Other reviewers have extolled the 2004 remastering, which I compared to the original 1993 "References" release. I didn't hear a revelatory transformation, but it's helpful to have any sonic improvement, particularly in the muzzy early recordings from Berlin.

    The Gramophone declared that these excerpts validated Furtwangler's position as the greatest of all Wagner conductors. In their musical depth and emotional wisdom it's hard to disagree, although newcomers may find the tempos too braod, and the orchestral execution is never razor sharp--Furtwangler showed little interest in that.

    I think the touchstones would be the opening Tannhauser Over. from 1952, which is in the best sound, and the Tristan Prelude from 1938, which is in the worst. Both draw us into Furtwangler's hypnotic way with Wagner, weaving a complete emotional experience that overarches mere details and passing events. I find it easy to listen past the dated sound; these are readings to sink into for a lifetime. (My only reservation is that Flagstad's Immolation scene from Gotterdammerung, recorded in 1952 when she and Furtwangler made their famous Tristan, seems grand without much regard for specific words or emotions.)

    By now the Furtwangler canon has been scoured for more Wagner, and there is a live postwar collection in comparable sound from Testament that serves as the natural mate to these priceless studio recordings. Every scattered performance has been catalogued in the late John Ardoin's invaluable book, "The Furtwangler Record."

    5 out of 5 stars This deserves 5 stars, plus!.......2005-08-21

    Wilhelm Furtwangler's recordings of Wagner Overtures and Preludes, refurbished by EMI and released in January, 2005, is so good it deserves more than five stars! "How?" you may ask, "can recordings made in the late 1930s, late 1940s/early '50s sound this good?" EMI's engineers have worked marvels, both in restoring the sound so that it is nearly modern, and in equalizing volume levels so the listener doesn't have to adjust volume up and down between tracks, sometimes a problem with compilation discs when different recording locales and orchestras were used.

    The performances are all first rate: Furtwangler uses subtle liberties of tempo and nuance - his trademark as a conductor - to produce works of freshness and beauty. Three different orchestras are used: the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and Philharmonia:all sound uniformly excellent. Kirsten Flagstad sings Brunnhilde's Immolation scene with great intensity, and in this track, the Philharmonia is in no way inferior to either Berlin or Vienna Philharmonic.

    I had to keep reminding myself listening to Disc 1, Track 1,the TANNHAUSER Overture, that this was made in the era before stereo. From the first bars, this strikes me as very fresh and celebratory, and I'm not a huge Wagner fan: I prefer Overtures and Preludes over complete operas. My advice to anyone, even if you don't think you care for Wagner, is to invest in this: grab it before it goes out of circulation - for under $15.00 you can't go wrong.

    5 out of 5 stars Sublimity for the Ages.......2005-07-24

    In a strange way, one almost needs to have known these recordings in their previous incarnations to appreciate the miraculous transparency that EMI engineers have achieved in this latest transfer. Having long treasured these performances on LP and their first CD transfer (1993), I was stunned by the immediacy, power, and splendor of the sound. What a jaw-dropping revelation! Who ever dreamt of tracing so many more threads in these complex orchestral tapestries via these classic interpretations?

    As for the performances themselves, there are none better -- and there never will be. The only equally sublime Wagner excerpts are also in monophonic sound: check out the superb set of Stokowski's Wagner with the 1920s-40s Philadelphia Orchestra on Andante. Both conductors give us a kind of musicmaking that no one before or since has touched in this repertoire. And within the technical limitations of the times, the recordings admirably capture Wagner's sumptuous sound.

    No, the decibel level will not knock you out of your seat. If you want that kind of displacement, you must naturally seek a more recent recording. But grandeur is not merely a function of decibels, and on this recording and Stokowski's you will hear a level of rapport with Wagner's deepest impulses, a grandeur of conception, and a quality of orchestral execution that come through loud and clear as they do nowhere else. Remember, many musicians playing in these recordings studied under Wagner's contemporaries (indeed, in the earliest recordings of both conductors, we are probably even hearing a few people who were children or teenagers during Wagner's final years). As a result, these players absorbed the spirit of the age with their every formative breath. Through these recordings, they effortlessly project intangible qualities to which no later generations can ever lay claim.

    My own personal favorites here are the *Lohengrin* Prelude (boasting some of the most ethereal high-string sonorities ever recorded, courtesy of the Vienna Philharmonic -- a pure and perfect evocation of spiritual light descending from on high), the *Tristan* selections, Flagstad's grandly voiced Immolation Scene, and the incomparable *Parsifal* Prelude. *Parsifal* has never been my favorite Wagner opera, but its Prelude easily ranks among the chief glories of music. Never has it sounded more ravishing than it does here, with Furtwängler's patient and probing baton guiding Berlin's flawless execution (oh, those shimmering string tremolos!).

    These are just a few personal high points. In reality, nothing falls below superb here -- and the new transfers put us closer to the music than ever before (to mix in a bit of Richard Strauss, Salome has dropped another sonic veil; will the engineers find a way to make her drop still another in the next decade?!). If you want a direct route to the heart of Wagner, this EMI anthology and Andante's five-disc Stokowski set are the royal road to Wagner's kingdom of bliss. I urge you to make the journey.

    5 out of 5 stars Wondrous Wagner.......2005-06-09

    In this era of limited edition, out-of-print and rapidly disappearing classical CDs, sometimes it is better to wait and see instead of immediately buying a given title. Case in point, these famous Furtwangler recordings of Wagner extracts from the Operas, which have been available for years as a costly import in the EMI "References" series. I struggled off and on for some time about whether or not to buy it, knowing that these are among the very best Wagner performances ever committed to disc (despite their mono sound), but not wanting to pay an arm and a leg for them either. Well now with this inexpensively priced reissue in EMI's "Historical" Series, I can get the best of both worlds. Furtwangler's renditions, made with both the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics between 1949 and 1954, are absolutely fantastic. This is the conductor at his very best, and there are few rivals in this material, even in stereo. In particular, the Tannhauser Overture, Lohengrin Prelude, and Tristan and Parsifal selections are magical. For price and performance, this CD is without peer.
    Furtwangler Conducts Brahms - Complete Symphonies, etc / North German RSO, Berlin PO
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Unsurpassably great
    • The best Brahms cycle I have heard so far
    • Furtwangler's best Brahms symphony recordings
    • Simply Mandatory For Brahms Lovers
    • Anything but dull
    		 Furtwangler Conducts Brahms - Complete Symphonies, etc / North German RSO, Berlin PO

    Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
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    Similar Items:
    1. Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore
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    3. Recordings 1942-1944, Vol. 1
    4. EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer
    5. Leon Fleisher Plays Brahms

    ASIN: B00002062I
    Release Date: 1999-11-16

    Tracks:

    1. Symphony No. 1 In C, Op. 68: I Un poco sostenuto - Allegro
    2. Symphony No. 1 In C, Op. 68: II Andante sostenuto
    3. Symphony No. 1 In C, Op. 68: III Un poco allegretto y grazioso
    4. Symphony No. 1 In C, Op. 68: IV Adagio piu andante - Allegro non troppo ma con brio
    5. Symphony No. 1 In C, Op. 68: Adagio piu andante - Allegro non troppo ma con brio

    Tracks:

    1. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: I Allegro non troppo
    2. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: II Adagio non troppo
    3. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: III Allegretto grazioso
    4. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: IV Allegro con spirito
    5. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F, OP. 90: I Allegro con brio
    6. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F, OP. 90: II Andante
    7. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F, OP. 90: III Poco allegretto
    8. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F, OP. 90: IV Allegro

    Tracks:

    1. Symphony No. 4 In E, Op. 98: I Allegro non troppo
    2. Symphony No. 4 In E, Op. 98: II Andante moderato
    3. Symphony No. 4 In E, Op. 98: III Allegro giocoso
    4. Symphony No. 4 In E, Op. 98: IV Allegro energico e passionato
    5. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Haydn Variations

    Tracks:

    1. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: I Allegro non troppo
    2. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: II Allegro appasionato
    3. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: III Andante
    4. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: IV Allegretto grazioso
    5. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Chorale St. Antoni: Andante
    6. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. I Poco piu animato
    7. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. II Piu vivace
    8. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. III Con moto
    9. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. IV Andante con moto
    10. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. V Vivace
    11. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. VI Vivace
    12. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. VII Grazioso
    13. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Var. VIII Presto non troppo
    14. Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A: Finale. Andante

    Amazon.com essential recording

    What a bonanza: some of the most searching interpretations ever made of symphonic cornerstones, from a now bygone era of performance, here beautifully remastered by Music & Arts and packaged into a bargain set. Wilhelm Furtwängler's dynamic, always-evolving--and often unpredictable--visions of a classic score could overwhelm listeners with their paradoxical aura of the inevitable, wresting away the easy, dull comfort of familiarity. This is most dramatically the case with the conductor's performances of Beethoven. They still move and shake us free of lazy assumptions about this music with all the power of artistic truth. Furtwängler came relatively late to Brahms (like so many of the composer's most abiding admirers) but identified deeply with Brahms's dark strain of melancholy and self-consciousness. The Furtwängler trademarks are all here--palpable molding of tempos and dynamics to concentrate drama, oracular moments of insight, and an astonishingly compelling, organic sense of the whole.

    Perhaps the most viscerally thrilling account here is of the First Symphony, from 1951, which, as John Ardoin brilliantly describes it in The Furtwängler Record, has the "magnificent rawness of a Michelangelo." But, when you think you've reached an untoppable high at its conclusion, listen to the finale from Furtwängler's final wartime concert in Berlin, 1945 (the only extant movement on disc), included in this set. The symphonies presented here are a far cry from the stuffy, pedantic, anachronistic Brahms served up by so many lesser lights. Furtwängler grasps and conveys the subtly layered ambiguities in these scores, the blending--particularly in the Second's Adagio (1945) and the final measures of the Third (1943)--of deep shadow with serene sunlight. His Brahms Four from 1943 at times verges on the terrifying; ultimately it passes beyond tragedy into new wisdom as Furtwängler scoops, caresses, sculpts, and simply builds musical contours. The set also includes two interpretations of the Haydn Variations (1943 and 1951) and the legendary 1942 Second Piano Concerto featuring Edwin Fischer as soloist--a touchstone of musical partnership. There's a varying level of background hiss and distortion throughout the set, but in general this is an extraordinary CD transfer. And in Furtwängler's presence, any distracting artifacts of the recorded sound soon fade into insignificance. This is a must not only for listeners serious about Brahms but for anyone intrigued by the art of musical interpretation. --Thomas May

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Unsurpassably great.......2005-06-01

    In a sense, Furtwangler's best Brahms recordings, collected here, are even more impressive than his Beethoven. Beethoven is almost foolproof, and even in a mediocre performance he will come across intact, but botch Brahms and a tedious soup is all that remains. Compared to Furtwangler's Brahms, all other versions seem not interpreted but merely played through. Under Furtwangler's baton, Brahms emerges as a tragic artist of Shakespearean proportions, with the unbelievable 1945 performance of the last movement of the First--as another listener points out, it stands with his 1942 Ninth among his greatest achievements on record--and the complete performance of the Fourth as particular standouts. As others have noted, the Third isn't quite up to par--personally I prefer the version in the EMI box, which has a terrifically dynamic first movement--but all in all these are performances to render almost all others insignificant. Nowhere else does Furtwangler better exemplify his uncanny ability to find the living core of a piece of music and bring it out whole. This is visionary artistry of the highest order, to which all discussion of conductorial eccentricity is irrelevant, and it will make a Brahms lover of anyone who encounters it fully. A completely extraordinary set of recordings, and a must.

    5 out of 5 stars The best Brahms cycle I have heard so far.......2005-04-18

    The Furtwangler cycle of Brahms is comething special indeed. The sound leaves much to be desired, but trust me, after you hear the performances you will never want to hear Brahms any other way (no matter how good the sound is)!! This cycle is raw, uninhibited, fierce, probing, tragic but above all powerful. Take the finle of the 4th symphony as an example. It is played at a faster pace of any other recording I have heard of the piece. At the end the variations played on strings are almost a little sloppy. But playing them at that tempo gives the overall movement such great power, spontaniety and drive that it does'nt matter. These performances are should be the gold standard for all others. No other brahms cycle comes ever close.

    5 out of 5 stars Furtwangler's best Brahms symphony recordings.......2005-03-02

    ...all in one set! I'm not going to jump on "madamemusico's" one-star review too much, since she has certainly gotten her share of well-earned unhelpful votes, but I don't know what the hell the argument that Brahms is a "classicist" has to do with anything. The way I look at it, Brahms may have been a classicist with regard to form, but he had heart and soul of a romantic, so I don't understand what precludes his symphonies from being played as full-blooded romantic music. Just admit you don't like Furtwangler, and don't taint the ratings here with personal biases. 'Nuff said on that subject.

    "Brahms music is boring and his orchestration is too thick," is one of my least favorite of the countless cliches' about romantic era composers and their music. When I worked at a record store several years ago, I was playing a really good and exciting recording of a Mendelssohn symphony, and a lady came in and, after listening to it for a few minutes, she asked, "What is this? It's really good." "Mendelssohn's (I think it was the 3rd) Symphony," I responded. "Really?!" she said, surprised; "I thought Mendelssohn was boring." "That's because you've never heard any GOOD Mendelssohn," I said. She bought the CD. I am not a big Mendelssohn fan, but the point of this anecdote is that you frequently get the same kinds of opinions about Brahms, based on cliches' about his music that preclude people from giving it serious consideration: "Oh yeah, Brahms; thick and boring. Not my cup of tea." Then you hear some GOOD Brahms, and you are a fan for life.

    I would not pretend that this is the only Brahms set you should have. The sound quality is variable, and Furtwangler's style is unique, but if you have any interest in Brahms' symphonies, and you have some more modern recordings that you like, then you really need to have this one; esp. since you can probably get an inexpensive copy on the Marketplace.

    I have listened to many of Furtwangler's numerous Brahms recordings, and there is no question in my mind that M&A have assembled the best ones here. Part of the magic of Furtwangler's Brahms is that, despite the weight of the sound that he gets from these great orchestras, plenty of detail can be heard, and surprisingly little apology needs to be made for the sound, even though these recordings are from widely different sources.

    Brahms recorded multiple good Brahms' Firsts, but this one from 1951 with Schmidt-Isserstedt's wonderful Hamburg orchestra is my favorite, and it has the best sound of any Furtwangler Brahms recording. The Tahra release of the First has slightly better sound than the M&A, but not enough to diminish the appeal of this set. The wartime Second might have the most thrilling account of the wonderful finale ever recorded. The Third, recorded in the last few months of Furtwangler's life is deeply ruminative, and is the most idiosyncratic of all of the readings here in that much of it is very slow, but it is easily the best of his Thirds, and I find it to be a uniquely satisfying reading. It has often been commented on the Brahms' music has an autumnal feel to it, and it seems to me that this is particularly explicit in the Third, with its luminous woodwind coloring, esp. the clarinet parts: the third was the last of the Brahms symphonies that I fell in love with-- courtesy of the Szell recording--and there is a palpable feeling of deep autumnal reflection in Furtwangler's reading, esp. in his achingly beautiful account of the third movement; and in the closing bars of the quiet coda, you can almost see the last autumn leaves slowly wafting down to the earth. The wartime Fourth is one of the most overtly tragic readings you will ever hear, with an amazing forward thrust to the finale; again, this is easily Furtwangler's best reading.

    The fact that there are later Furtwangler Brahms recordings with somewhat better sound is not really a factor, such is the quality of the performances assembed in this M&A set. If you have this set you don't really need any other of Furtwangler Brahms symphony recordings. The EMI References set is good, but those performances are all runners-up to all of those in this set.

    5 out of 5 stars Simply Mandatory For Brahms Lovers.......2004-05-25

    I feel that this set belongs in EVERY collection. It has great CD transfers, sensational conducting and WONDERFUL Brahms!

    Sym. #1: This 1951 Hamburg with the North German Radio is, to my mind, the finest Brahms 1st on record. It is also on Tahra FURT 1054/7, but this M&A transfer is distinctly SUPERIOR: the Tahra has lots of extra hiss and a midrange that sounds rather hollow. However, you MUST have that Tahra set because it contains Furtwangler's majestic 1954 Lucerne Beethoven 9th in its best transfer. The only Furtwangler 1st to rival this Hamburg is the 1952 Berlin Phil. (deleted DG 415662-2). More mellow and less dramatic, it and this Hamburg are sonically just about the best of ALL Furtwangler recordings.

    Sym. #2: The 1945 Vienna Phil. here is also available on 6-disc DG set 474030. They are close in sound quality, but I would give the edge to M&A. Incidentally, you must have the DG set for its 1944 Vienna Phil. Bruckner 8th in a finest-ever transfer. This Brahms 2nd is VERY dramatic, but the lesser 1948 with the London Phil. (Dutton) has grown on me of late - if it were the only Furtwangler available, most of us would be raving about it! My favorite Furtwangler Brahms 2nd remains the more reflective, less hectic 7 May 1952 Berlin Phil. account (mine is on an Electrola Da Capo LP).

    Sym. #3: This 1954 Berlin is the best of 3 Thirds - it was also on DG 423572-2 (deleted) in sound that was the same as this M&A (the DG was coupled with my favorite Furtwangler account of the Schubert 8th from 1952). He isn't as persuasive in the 3rd, but the closing pages have a lovely autumnal, valedictory quality.

    Sym. #4: This dynamic 4th from 1943 is his best, and this is its best-ever transfer.

    2nd Piano Concerto: The 1942 live sound is congested (it's the only poor sound in this set). The transfer on DG 471294-2 is somewhat better, but both are pretty bad.

    Haydn Variations: This 1951 Hamburg and the Berlin 1950 (DG) are my two favorites: both have excellent sound.

    Brilliant as these are, there are accounts by other conductors that I also cherish. Some are foils that help to appreciate the greatness of Furtwangler's readings, and a few of them offer insights that are different and perhaps equally valid. In the 1st, Abendroth is stunning (his best: the live 1955 Berlin Radio on Tahra 145/146). If there were no Furtwangler Brahms 1st, this would be my favorite. I am also quite taken with the 1953 Schuricht/Suisse Romande on Archiphon 2.1 - its coupling is a Beethoven "Missa Solemnis" with Stader, Calveti, Haefliger & Rehfuss. Since Furtwangler never recorded the latter, you might want to try it this excellent Schuricht.

    For the 2nd, my other favorites are Schuricht/VPO (London LP) and Fritz Busch (EMI). The Max Fiedler and Walter Damrosch 2nds (on different Biddulph CDs) are weirdly hypnotic - a trip back to the past. In the 3rd, I love Kna (Tahra), Schuricht (Greenhill), and Mengelberg (Naxos). For the 4th, three worth hearing are Abendroth (Arlecchino), Busch (Dante LYS), and Schuricht (Ades).

    Edwin Fischer isn't my top choice in the 2nd Concerto, despite the lovely slow mvt. I prefer Curzon with Kna/VPO on a Decca LP. And for the Haydn Variations, I also like the pokey Kna/VPO (Decca) and the Schuricht (Ades).

    But make no mistake: if my house were on fire and I could keep only one Brahms set, it would be this Furtwangler. If I could grab two, the old Weingartner (deleted EMI) would come along for contrast. As Fielding once observed, "what is a jewel without its foil?"

    5 out of 5 stars Anything but dull.......2003-10-02

    Many (perhaps most) people see Brahms as being particularly dull. This set, without any doubt, completely destroys this myth. Just listen to the 1945 recording of the finale to the First symphony, and you will hear one of the most inspiring, most desperately intense recordings of orchestral music you are ever likely to hear (on this score, it is rivalled only by Furtwangler's titanic 1942 recording of Beethoven's Ninth symphony). The main reason why I greatly admire Furtwangler's conducting is that he almost always conveyed a complete understanding of what the music really means; he was a master of the lost art of reading inbetween the lines. This is in great evidence here. The marvelous 1951 Hamburg recordings of the First symphony and the Haydn variations have such a warm, personal sound, and are both intense and noble. The Second symphony has been refered to as Brahms' Pastoral symphony. Furtwangler realises, just as with Beethoven's Pastoral symphony, that this music is not un-dramatic to the point of being comatose, but rather is a thrilling symphony to the wonders of nature, very beautiful, but with a spiritual side as well. The first three movements of the Third symphony are incredible. How could he get that sound out of an orchesta? I cannot describe it in words; you just have to listen to it. The finale of the Third symphony is, from an interpretive standpoint, mildly dissapointing for Furtwangler. (For just about anyone else, it would have been extraordinary.) I agree with John Ardoin (author of a fine book on Furtwangler's recordings; the liner notes are taken from it) here, in thinking that the transition from the introduction to the main Allegro is too abrupt and unexpected, and the very end of the movement is rather unremarkable for Furtwangler. These are very fine interpretive points, however, and the overall experience is still thoroughly enjoyable. The Fourth symphony is excellent here, through and through. Particularly notable is the finale, which, as a previous reviewer noted, is almost apocalyptic. The wartime Haydn variations is somewhat less contemplative and warm toned than its 1951 counterpart, but is more 'straightforward' in its interpretation, and is perhaps more 'festive', joyful, or whatever else you care to call it. To cap this set off is an incredible performance of the 2nd piano concerto, with Edwin Fischer. I don't always care for his playing (I generaly don't find enough subtlety in his touch, listen to Hofmann for that), but here he and Furtwangler work as one, which of course is a great thing. On top of all this, the sound quality, even with the concerto (from 1942), is quite good, and with the Third, is exceptionaly clear. If I were to have no Brahms but this, I would still be happy.
    Wagner: Parsifal/Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Invaluable musical treasures!
    		 Wagner: Parsifal/Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Manufacturer: Koch Schwann (Germ.)
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by WagnerAll Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
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    GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000001SUP
    Release Date: 1994-05-31

    Tracks:

    1. Vorspiel zum 1. Auzfug - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    2. Nun achte wohl und lass mich seh'n-Zum letzten Liebesmahle - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    3. Vospiel zum 2. Aufzug-Die Zeit ist da - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    4. Wie lachen ihm die Rossen der Wangan-Hier! Hier war das Tosen-Ihr schonen Kinder - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    5. Und willst Du uns nicht schelton-Komm, komm, holder Knabe - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    6. Sie beut dir heut' als Muttersegens letzen Gruss-Amfortas! Die Wunde - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    7. Hilfe! Hilfe! Herbei! - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    8. Vorspiel zum 3. Aufzug - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    9. Du siehst, das ist nicht so - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    10. Ich sah sie welken, die einst mir lachten - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    11. Verwandlungsmusik-Geleiten wir im bergenden Schrein - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    12. Hochsten Heiles Wunder - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    13. Vospiel zum 1. Aufzug-Da zu dir der Heiland kam - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast
    14. Halt, Meister! Nicht so geeilt! - Vienna State Opera Orch, Choir, & Cast

    Tracks:

    1. Was duffet Doch der Flieder - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    2. Gut'n Abend, Meister - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    3. Jerum! Jerum! Hallohallohe! - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    4. Oha! Wollt mich beim Wahne fassen - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    5. So lang als Beckmesser lebt - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    6. dass mit Vergumst-Ist das erlaubt, so spat zur Nacht - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    7. Vorspiel zum 3. Auzfug (fragment) - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    8. Wahn! Wahn! Uberall Wahn!-Gruss Gott, mein junker - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    9. Doch lasst dem Ruh'-Mein Freund, in holder Jugendzeit - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    10. O Sachs, mein Freud-Aha, da streicht die Lene schoon um's Haus-Ein Kind ward geboren - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    11. Selig, wie die Sonne-Verwandlungsmusik - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    12. Ach auf! Es nahet gen den Tag - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    13. sein Tochterlein, sein hochstes Gut-O saschs mein Freund! - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    14. Das Lied, furwahr, ist nicht von mir - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast
    15. Verachtet mit die Meister nicht - Vienna State Opera/Nurnberg Operahouse Choir & Cast

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Invaluable musical treasures!.......2005-12-20

    The presence of these two giants of the conducting world reserve for you a journey through the time.

    Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg is dated from September 1938 and Parsifal was recorded on April 1939 at the Wiener Staatsoper. Hans Sachs is Rudolf Bockelman and Veit Pogner is Josef von Manowarda; while in Parsifal Parsifal is Hans Grahl, Gurnemanz is Herbert Alsen, Kundry is Anny Konetzi and Klingsor is Hermann Wiedemann.

    Go for this admirable collection whose historical importance will increase exponentially through the years.
    Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • unforgettable!
    • Great Beethoven from Furtwangler
    		 Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7

    Manufacturer: EMI Classics
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by BeethovenAll Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    Vienna Philharmonic OrchestraVienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Beethoven: Symphony No. 1; Symphony No. 3 'Eroica'
    2. Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf
    3. Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6 "Pastorale"
    4. Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
    5. Wagner: Extracts from the operas

    ASIN: B00064N8SG
    Release Date: 2005-01-11

    Tracks:

    1. 1. Allegro Con Brio
    2. 2. Andante Con Moto
    3. 3. Allegro
    4. 4. Allegro/Presto
    5. 1. Poco Sostenuto/Vivace
    6. 2. Allegretto
    7. 3. Presto/Assai Meno Presto
    8. 4. Allegro Con Brio

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars unforgettable!.......2006-05-09

    This CD has two historic recordings of Furtwangler. These performances are in cult status. Furtwangler and his Wiener Philharmoniker performed so sensitive and Beethovenien power. In my opinion, Wilhelm Furtwangler's Beethoven readings are definitive. Actually, there are "authentic" readings with period instruments made by Harnoncourt, Norrington, Hogwood. But these Furtwangler readings (may be both in modern and authentic reading) are reference, I think. Furtwangler, of course, one of the greatest conductors of century, and these Beethoven recs. are his best.

    Symphony No. 5 performed not fast, flamboyant as Karajan. But Furtwangler sound has a more deep atmosphere, it is more phsycological, impressive. Because, he didn't take a fast tempo, so he could give the full precious meanings of all Beethoven notes! The first movement is tremendous, and 2nd slow movement is a lyric singing music. The last movement is triumphant, of course.

    Symphony No. 7 is marvellous too. Especially the famous 2nd Allegretto movement is may be the best performance, you can weep whn you listen it. It is really drammatic, pathetic.

    The sound quality is very good mono, recorded in 1950's. Even, these are historic recs. And worth to listening.

    At this price, you can not wrong with it. Highly recommended.

    5 out of 5 stars Great Beethoven from Furtwangler.......2005-08-16

    I have known Beethoven's 5th and 7th Symphonies since my earliest days collecting Classical LP records in 1972. My first exposure to Symphony 5 was the Decca recording by Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and for Symphony 7, Ernest Ansermet/Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Furtwangler's recordings pre-date each of these by 10-15 years, but the sound is very good mono. Furtwangler's 5th may be the best recording this work has ever had: intense, dark, beautifully recorded. Don't expect overly fast tempos or hyped up dramatics:this is about destiny, soul searching, triumph over despair, life over death. Furtwangler's Vienna 7th, while not a favorite of many critics, still speaks to me in a special way. Tempos in I and IV are fast, and the sound is not as good as in Symphony 5 (it was recorded 3 years earlier), but there is an excitement and intensity which makes this worth hearing.

    Most listeners would buy this for Symphony 5, and for about $7.00 you can't go wrong, no matter how many Beethoven Symphony recordings you have.
    Mahler Lieder: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Simply Sublime, especially for the price!
    • Shattering version of Kindertotenlieder
    • Vintage perfection
    		 Mahler Lieder: Des Knaben Wunderhorn

    Manufacturer: EMI Classics
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by MahlerAll Works by Mahler | Mahler, Gustav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    General ContemporaryGeneral Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Fischer-Dieskau, DietrichFischer-Dieskau, Dietrich | ( F ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    Mahler, GustavMahler, Gustav | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
    2. Great Recordings Of The Century - Janet Baker Sings Mahler / Barbirolli, et al
    3. Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin / Fischer-Dieskau, Moore
    4. Des Knaben Wunderhorn
    5. Schubert: Schwanengesang; 4 Lieder

    ASIN: B00005AVMM
    Release Date: 2001-04-10

    Tracks:

    1. Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: I. Wenn Mein Schatz Hochzeit Macht - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    2. Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: II. Ging Heut Morgen Ubers Feld - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    3. Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: III. Ich Hab' Ein Gluhend' Messer - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    4. Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: IV. Die Zwei Blauen Augen Von Meinem Schatz - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    5. Kindertotenlieder: I. Nun Will Die Sonn' So Hell Aufgeh'n - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    6. Kindertotenlieder: II. Nun Seh' Ich Wolhl, Warum So Dunkle Flammen - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    7. Kindertotenlieder: III. Wenn Dein Mutterlein Tritt Zur Tur Herein - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    8. Kindertotenlieder: IV. Oft Denk' Ich, Sie Sind Nur Ausgegangen! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    9. Kindertotenlieder: V. In Diesem Wetter, In Diesem Braus - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
    10. 5 Gesange Aus 'Des Knaben Wunderhn': Das Irdische Leben - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    11. 5 Gesange Aus 'Des Knaben Wunderhn': Verlor'ne Muh - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    12. 5 Gesange Aus 'Des Knaben Wunderhn': Rheinlegenchen - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    13. 5 Gesange Aus 'Des Knaben Wunderhn': Lob Des Hohen Verstandes - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    14. 5 Gesange Aus 'Des Knaben Wunderhn': Trost Im Ungluck - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    15. 5 Ruckertlieder: I. Ich Atmet' Einen Linden Duft! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    16. 5 Ruckertlieder: II. Liebst Du Um Schonheit - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    17. 5 Ruckertlieder: III. Blicke Mit Nicht In Die Lieder! - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    18. 5 Ruckertlieder: IV. Ich Bin Der Welt Abhanden Gekommen - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim
    19. 5 Ruckertlieder: V. Um Mitternacht - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Daniel Barenboim

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Simply Sublime, especially for the price!.......2007-02-04

    This CD reissue of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau doing three of Mahler's suites of 'orchestral songs' is one of the finest side effects of the advent of the CD medium. To get these important works done by such a stellar performer for less than $12 is a wonder. At this price, one can easily have more than one performance of these pieces, even more than one by Fischer-Dieskau. I like Herr Dietrich doing Mahler much more than I like his Schubert or other earlier 'lieder' composers.

    5 out of 5 stars Shattering version of Kindertotenlieder.......2006-08-06

    This is the version of "Kindertotenlieder" that I first heard while in college, and so far it remains my favorite (in my opinion the definitive) recording. All those involved -- Fischer-Dieskau, the orchestra and Maestro Kempe -- catch every nuance, but it is Mr. Fischer Dieskau's rendering of the text that makes it especially poignant. For example, in the third song "Wenn Dein Mutterlein Tritt Zur Tur Herein," the steadiness of the orchestra's rhythm contrasts exquisitely with the anguished English horn solo, and Fischer-Dieskau vivid protrays a grieving father, reminded at the most mundane moments in daily life of his child's absence. I actually can't listen to this recording too often, since on of my sisters died (many years ago) and it simply hits too close to home. The other pieces recorded, "Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen," excerpts of "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" and the "Ruckertlieder" are equally well performed.

    5 out of 5 stars Vintage perfection.......2001-10-16

    The Philharmonia Orchestra under Furtwangler accompany Fischer-Dieskau in the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, and these performances alone make this CD treasurable. The singing is fresh and involving, but the orchestral work really stands out - just perfect, and this from a conductor who allegedly didn't think too much of Mahler! The Kindertotenlieder are also beautifully done, this time with Kempe and the Berlin Philhamonic. The sound in both these vintage sessions (1953 & 1955) is simply phenomenal - the mellifluous tone and lack of digital harshness put no barriers between the listener and the performers. In fact, the later (1980) selections, where Fischer-Dieskau is accompanied by Barenboim on piano, are less pleasant in this respect as well as being, for mine, less memorable generally. Nevertheless for over forty minutes of sheer musical wonder this disc deserves its place in EMI's self-declared pantheon of great recordings.

    Music Track:

    1. Wyner: Concert Duo; Intermedio, lyric ballet
    2. Zurich Arise
    3. Albeniz
    4. Albeniz: Iberia, impressiones para piano
    5. An American Portrait
    6. Andrei Eshpai Edition, Vol.3
    7. Autumn Rhythms
    8. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk Sacred Cantatas Vol. 10
    9. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk, Vol. 7
    10. Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; The Miraculous Mandarin; Stravinsky: Petrushka; Agon; Fireworks

    Music Track

    music track

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