In the throes of his mortal illness, Franz Schubert (1797-1828) heroically succeeded in putting to paper his splendid last symphony, whose “divine lengths” are truly unique. Composed in 1825/26, Schubert’s largest symphonic work was first discovered after his death by Robert Schumann and first performed one year later, in 1839, by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In marked contrast to the equally beloved “Unfinished” Symphony, Schubert devises a labyrinth of harmonies in a piece full of artless directness and joyful dance-like rhythms. Echoes of the visionary secrets of Romanticism surface from the depths of the work, only to be washed away by the inexorable current of the melodies. Never did Schubert write with such a lavish and impetuous hand than in his Ninth Symphony: “…it bears the eternal seed of youth within it.” (Robert Schumann) Karl Böhm rehearses the Wiener Symphoniker in this recording made in the mid 1960s.
Der junge Lord
“The Young Lord” is a true ensemble opera, with impressive songs and an orchestra hardly larger than that of a Mozart opera, the characters being accompanied by respective leitmotifs or instruments. Henze frequently uses purely tonal structures. Yet this does not mean that Henze returns to the past, or that he betrays his avantgarde achievements. His style reveals a kind of highly ‘artificial’ and witty handling of tradition. The connoisseur recognizes many subtle allusions to tradition, while the ordinary listener enjoys everything he expects from a comic opera: lightness, tempo, wit, warmth and a touch of dream-world. “The Young Lord” was commissioned by the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Although Henze knew what artistic talent and possibilities were to be expected there, his justifiably high expectations were probably surpassed when he saw the first performance on 7 April 1965. Filippo Sanjust conjured up a most imaginative and accurate picture of the Biedermeier world upon the stage, which contains just enough fantastic exaggeration to fit the work. The producer, Gustav Rudolf Sellner, has put life into all those details in a manner that particularly benefits the film. Finally, Christoph von Dohnányi has proved to be the ideal Henze conductor.
Bach, h-Moll Messe (Mass in B minor) BWV 232
Karl Richter (1926-1981), founder of the Munich Bach Choir and Munich Bach Orchestra, was a noted conductor, organist and harpsichordist. The B minor Mass was one of his “warhorses”, which he often performed on concert tours. One of the most perceptive assessments of Richter’s reading of the B minor Mass appeared in a Munich daily following his last performance of the work in November 1980: “One of the reasons why Richter’s account of the B minor Mass is so compelling is that, in contrast to the historicizing Bach readings of today, it takes into account both the present and the 250-year-old history of Bach interpretation.” The work was filmed in the splendid Baroque abbey church of Diessen in Bavaria, which dates from Bach’s time.
Geblendeter Augenblick (Dazzled Moment) – The Death of Anton Webern.
Bach, Johannespassion (St. John’s Passion), BWV 245
Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Karl Richter (1926-1981) became synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra, and helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Although Richter saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own style, which was considered revolutionary in the 1950s and 60s. This was a “de-romanticized” Bach which featured a reduced body of performers more in keeping with the composer’s original forces. Richter’s style also accented a cool, brisk, almost abstract attitude toward the music. Our recording with the Munich Bach Choir and Orchestra features such world-renowned soloists as Helen Donath, Julia Hamari, Peter Schreier and Horst Laubenthal.
I Pagliacci
“Pagliacci” is often celebrated as one of the finest examples of verismo, or realist opera. It is even based on a true story: Leoncavallo’s father, a judge, once presided over the trial of an actor who, in a fit of jealousy, murdered his wife immediately following a performance. “Pagliacci” is frequently performed along with Mascagni’s one-acter “Cavalleria Rusticana”. Director and conductor Herbert von Karajan does not simply recreate a standard work; rather, he examines, it, psychoanalyzes its protagonists, lays bare the people behind the masks. In the process, he also makes a magnificent musical statement. Karajan is obsessed with faces – open, shadowed, distorted – suggesting his belief in the adage that eyes are the windows of the mind and the soul. Through elaborate intercutting from four or five cameras, he moves stealthfully from members of the crowd to his principals and back, gradually tightening the dramatic knot which binds them all together in this tale of love, hate and retribution. Joining the superb Jon Vickers is soprano Raina Kabaivanska as Nedda. Hers is a brilliant, multi-faceted performance of fascinating detail. The fine Tonio is Peter Glossop; George Wakhevitch designed the elaborate setting, the square of an Italian village.
Beethoven, Symphony No.7 in A major, op.92
After four years of symphonic silence, Beethoven presented Vienna with his Seventh Symphony in 1813. The first performance of this work was a spectacular event. The long awaited Seventh was completed in May 1812 when the Austrian capital was recovering from the French occupation. The defeat of Napoleon’s armies made the concert an occasion for celebration, and this historical event helped ensure the work’s enormous popularity and the composer’s lasting fame. The Seventh Symphony is essentially rhythmic, rather then thematic, to such a degree that Wagner called it “an apotheosis of the dance”. it is one of the best examples of how Beethoven used simple harmonies and filled them with energetic, repetitive rhythms, which never become monotonous because of the fresh harmonic progressions that accompany them. Karl Böhm rehearses the Wiener Symphoniker in this recording made in the mid 1960s.
Rehearsal for Beethoven, Symphony No.7 in A major, op.92
After four years of symphonic silence, Beethoven presented Vienna with his Seventh Symphony in 1813. The first performance of this work was a spectacular event. The long awaited Seventh was completed in May 1812 when the Austrian capital was recovering from the French occupation. The defeat of Napoleon’s armies made the concert an occasion for celebration, and this historical event helped ensure the work’s enormous popularity and the composer’s lasting fame. The Seventh Symphony is essentially rhythmic, rather then thematic, to such a degree that Wagner called it “an apotheosis of the dance”. it is one of the best examples of how Beethoven used simple harmonies and filled them with energetic, repetitive rhythms, which never become monotonous because of the fresh harmonic progressions that accompany them. Karl Böhm rehearses the Wiener Symphoniker in this recording made in the mid 1960s.
Schubert, Symphony No.7 in C major, D. 944
In the throes of his mortal illness, Franz Schubert (1797-1828) heroically succeeded in putting to paper his splendid last symphony, whose “divine lengths” are truly unique. Composed in 1825/26, Schubert’s largest symphonic work was first discovered after his death by Robert Schumann and first performed one year later, in 1839, by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In marked contrast to the equally beloved “Unfinished” Symphony, Schubert devises a labyrinth of harmonies in a piece full of artless directness and joyful dance-like rhythms. Echoes of the visionary secrets of Romanticism surface from the depths of the work, only to be washed away by the inexorable current of the melodies. Never did Schubert write with such a lavish and impetuous hand than in his Ninth Symphony: “…it bears the eternal seed of youth within it.” (Robert Schumann) Karl Böhm conducts the Wiener Symphoniker in this recording made in the mid 1960s.
Schubert, Mass in E flat major No.6, D. 950
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer’s great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone. Schubert’s E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (“Hofmusikkapelle”) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys’ Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn. Schubert’s E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (“Hofmusikkapelle”) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys’ Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.