Wilhelm Furtwängler at the Lucerne Festival

On this CD:

1. Cadenzas to 1st movement of Piano Concerto No.1
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra with Adrian Aeschbacher
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

2. Concerto for violin, cello, & orchestra in A minor ("Double"), Op. 102
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra with Enrico Mainardi, Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

3. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

4. Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

5. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major ("Eroica"), Op. 55
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

6. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75 Prelude
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

7. Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 II, Rehearsal
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

8. Leonore Overture No. 3 in C major, Op. 72b
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

9. Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Lucerne Festival Orchestra with Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

Wilhelm Furtwängler at the Lucerne Festival, Music, Enrico Mainardi, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Adrian Aeschbacher, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Classical, Classical Music, Concerto, Concerto for Two Solo Instruments, German/Austrian Romantic Opera, Opera, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Piano Concerto, Romantic Overture for Orchestra, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic, Violin Concerto

Brahms: Violin Concerto; Violin Sonata No. 3; 5 Hungarian Dances
Average customer rating:

A classic--Menuhin's best postwar recording?

Great Artist, but not a Great Release

Brahms: Violin Concerto; Violin Sonata No. 3; 5 Hungarian Dances

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001HAH96
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Un Poco Presto E Con Sentimento
IV. Presto Agitato
No.1 In G Minor
No.4 In B Minor
No.6 In B Flat
No.7 In A
No.17 In F Sharp

Customer Reviews:

A classic--Menuhin's best postwar recording?.......2006-01-08

This live recording of the Brahms concerto from 1949 finds Menuhin in commanding form. He plays courageously and in tune, with almost undiminished technique. By comparison his two famed readings of the Beethoven concerto, also with Furtwangler on EMI, seem cautious and technically insecure. I can't acount for this contrast, given that the Brahms is much the more challenging work technically.

In any event, this is a performance to celebrate without reservation. In its imagination, emotional depth, and rapport between conductor and soloist, I've never heard an equal. It helps, of course, that Furtwangler was the greatest of Brahms conductors--you can't decide whether to focus on the orchestra or the violin, which is rare.

The Lucerne Festival has given us some of the best-sounding live Furtwangler recordings, particularly an incomparable Beethoven Ninth, but this issn't one of them. EMI must be working from a radio air check, because the mono sound is restricted in dynamics and prone to sudden jumps in volume here and there. The overall tone is grainy but still natural enough so that the ear adapts fairly easily. With better sound I think there would be consensus that this performance dominates the field. As it is, we have a musical treasure to be grateful for from the heart.

(I own the original EMI References recording as well as this 2004 remastering, which I can attest is a major improvement in sound. The engineers have removed surface gritch, added discreet reverberation, and sweetened the string tone--well done!)

Great Artist, but not a Great Release.......2004-04-30

EMI's latest reissue creation is the "Great Artists of the Century" series, and this title featuring violinist Yehudi Menuhin is one of the initial 25 offerings. But I have to say, since this series is seemingly aimed at entry-level classical fans, this CD is questionable to say the least. While no single disc release can capture the majesty of Menuhin, Brahms performances are definitely not the place to start (some other B's like Bach, Beethoven or Bruch would be more appropriate). Add the fact that all three performances featured here are in mono, when so many of his greatest recordings are in stereo, and you begin to wonder why EMI chose these selections. I personally thought the old "References" title, that paired the 1949 account of the Violin Concerto with Furtwangler featured here with the Double Concerto, was a more sensible release than this one combining the VC, Violin Sonata No. 3 and some of the Hungarian Dances. Having just released a 10CD Box Set of Menuhin's Concerto recordings (see my review), maybe EMI has just spread themselves too thin lately when it comes to the violinist's reissues. Yehudi Menuhin was certainly one of the great artists of the last century, but this title struggles to show it.

Wilhelm Furtwängler at the Lucerne Festival

Average customer rating:

Wilhelm Furtwängler at the Lucerne Festival

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

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000061FZ
Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in C, op.15: I. Allegro con brio - Adrian Aeschbacher
Pno Con No.1 in C, op.15: II. Largo - Adrian Aeschbacher
Pno Con No.1 in C, op.15: III. Rondo. Allegro - Adrian Aeschbacher
Con for vn & vc in a, op.102: I. Allegro - Wolfgans Schneiderhan/Enrico Mainardi
Con for vn & vc in a, op.102: II. Andante - Wolfgans Schneiderhan/Enrico Mainardi
Con for vn & vc in a, op.102: III. Vivace non troppo - Wolfgans Schneiderhan/Enrico Mainardi

Tracks: