"Metamorphosen" Study for 23 solo strings by Richard Strauss (1884-1949) Adagio ma non troppo-Agitato-Più allegro- Adagio, tempo primo-Molto lento BPO Wilhelm Furtwängler, conductor 27.X.1947
This must have meant so much to the players and conductor who had lived through the years of madness and destruction. There are many great performances of this transcendent work, but this must surely be one of the most historic. Wonderful to hear it.
This is truly a historic document and the most amazing Metamorphosen ever recorded. Period. After you read the notes - Strauss, Furtwangler, the BPO, 1947 - little else need be said by way of commentary...
Date and time: 1947, Oct 27, probably the 'Titania' Palace. One month earlier, Sept 28, same venue: The orchestra welcomed Yehudi Menuhin for the first time since 1931.
Puls vom Anfang bis Ende, keine unnötigen und geschmacklosen ritardandi, wie aus einem Stück Marmor! Best Interpretation I ever heard. Have played this piece some 30 times in Munich Chamber Orchestra, but nobody managed to get this piece in this form. And I guess, nobody is going to, pity... Vielen Dank for posting this recording!
@@ilirllukaci5345 I would say: Thus Angels sung by Gibbons, Art of Fugue by Bach, Grosse Fuge by Beethoven, Serenade op.24 by Schonberg and Fifth Symphony by Sibelius
Sans doute l'interprétation où le désarroi du vieux compositeur passe avec le plus d'éloquence mais aussi avec le plus de sobriété. Une pure merveille.
Definitely the standard by which all other recordings and performances are measured. A transcendent work of self-reflection, like Prospero breaking his staff - which evolved in the mind of a recovering Central Europe as an expression of atonement.
Richard Strauss wrote these words in his diary at the end of the war, only a day or so after finishing this piece --- "The most terrible period of human history is at an end, the twelve year reign of bestiality, ignorance and anti-culture under the greatest criminals, during which Germany's 2000 years of cultural evolution met its doom."
Historic recording: sure. But, as music interpretation and realization? Well tastes differ. I have deeply appreciated Furtwangler for decades. But I wouldn't offer this performance as an example of his great art. Another commenter recommended the Barbirolli recording, which is very good. - Though not usually a Von Karajan fan, I still feel his is one of the more musically coherent performances with higher quality performers.
@@simonalbrecht9435 I listened again and then compared his performance with Kempe's 2006 EMI re-release, (Dresden) and Karajan's 1974/1996 DG with BPO. Taste is taste. Personal preference. I grew up appreciating Furtwengler's artistry/mastery. So this performance was a disappointment. Why, you ask? The performance sounds tired. Uncommitted. Unconvincing. The sound quality doesn't help. But there are many of his recordings (I have many of them) that show their sonic age without degrading the performance quality. I heard Strauss's musicianship clearly, but not Strauss' anguish. Kempe brings out the interplay of voices very well to create an emotional arc. Karajan probably milks his slow performance a little. But both build to the final sense of despair. Perhaps Furtwengler was going for numbness and I missed it.
@@samroth4118 1974 rr 1996 PBO on DG. A slow performance. I'm not a great admirer of v Karajan, but he had his moments and some outstanding performances. I enjoy this one. And the BPO was on form.
