Wilhelm Furtwangler
Wilhelm Furtwangler
Why does everybody like Wilhelm Furtwangler so much?
From what I've heard, most of his recordings are sloppy and out of tune.
The inferiority of mono recordings made before 1954 as Alberich points out must be taken into consideration.
Also it's generally accepted that Furtwangler was at his best live when freed from the constraints of the studio.
I've got maybe sixty CD recordings by him and I can attest to this personally.
Naturally though with live recordings come even more audio problems with audience coughing and what not.
(Very annoying)
{Incidentally due to Alberich's infectious love of Wagner I've got the Tristan Und Isolde recording he mentions and I think everyone agrees that this is undoubtedly one of if not thee greatest recording of that work ever made.}
However as someone who reveres Furtwangler as the greatest conductor of the 20th century I am convinced you have unfortunately heard some vastly inferior recordings.
For incontrovertible proof of this maestro's genius I recommend listening to his war time recordings made in Berlin of the Beethoven symphonies.
Forget about the dated sound.
For intensity and power of conviction these are hard to beat.
I especially suggest the superior transfers done of these recordings by the Japanese label Opus Kura.
Furtwangler's frequent eruptions of unbridled emotion and also the famed improvisatory feel in his performances belie the fact that above all he strove for control and balance,sloppiness NEVER.
When it comes to adagios and those movements of meditative silence,forget about it.
No one can touch Furtwangler in this department.
For example his reading of that from Beethovens's 9th inhabits a deeply religious fervour
Above all else Furtwangler believed to the depth of his soul that music was a force for moral good and a route out of the chaos that was enveloping all around and this is the reason why he felt his duty to stay in Berlin with his beloved orchestra even whilst the city was on the precipice of being reduced to rubble.
Simply put Furtwangler is the greatest,
how could any music lover hold him in anything but high regard.
 |
 FURTWANGLER VIENNA WAGNER STRAUSS MEGA RARE EARLY SHIBAURA JAPAN ANGEL HA 1109  US $1,746.44
|
 Furtwangler Beethoven Choral Symphony Bayreuth Festival 2LP ALP 1286 7 UK US $1,200.00
|
 BEETHOVEN No 9 Choral FURTWANGLER HMV ALP 1286 7 UK US $945.00
|
 FALP 544 FURTWANGLER BRAHMS SYMPHONY NO4 ULTRA RARE US $600.00
|
 FURTWANGLER BERLIN PHIL BEETHOVEN SYM No4 VOX PL7210 US $500.00
|
 VERY RARE LIMITED EDITION FURTWANGLER BEETHOVEN 9TH SYMPHONY BOX SET US $499.99
|
 Wilhelm Furtwangler Bruckner Schubert Brahms and Wagner Sealed Vinyl 14LP Set US $399.99
|
 CLEAN ALMOST NM FURTWANGLER WALP 1286 87 BOX SET US $399.99
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Sym9 MEL 2LP 1968 D010851 MINT US $350.00
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Sym9Brahms rec1942 MELODIYA 2LP 1968 D010851 NM US $350.00
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER BEETHOVEN SINFONIE NR5 C MOLL OP67 ATLAS 6816 MINT COND US $348.00
|
 FURTWANGLER 9Symphony BEETHOVEN 1950s ED1 ELECTROLA 2LP NM US $311.14
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Sym9 MEL 2LP 1973 D010851 MINT US $300.00
|
 Furtwangler Beethoven 9 Symphonies EMI REFERENCE 6LP FR US $300.00
|
 Furtwangler Beethoven Symphony 9 Bayreuth Festival ODEON WALP 1286 7GERMANY US $280.00
|
 FURTWANGLER wagner tristan isolde 5 LP Sealed 3588 E L Vinyl Box Set NEW Mono US $280.00
|
 FURTWANGLER brahms hindemith LP mint JAPAN DG MG 6004 US $280.00
|
 Wilhelm Furtwangler VIENNA PHILHARMONIC FRANCK SYMPHONY LONDON LL 967 US $280.00
|
 BEETHOVEN Symphony 5 FURTWANGLER VPO ALP 1195 NM US $255.00
|
 Yehudi Menuhin Wilelm Furtwangler BEETHOVEN FALP FRANCE US $200.00
|
 FURTWANGLER MENUHIN brahms LP mint FRENCH EMI HMV US $200.00
|
 Beethoven Symphony 5 In C minor Furtwangler Berlin Phil Electrola Set 196 US $200.00
|
 SYMPHONY Soundtrack FURTWANGLER 1955 Period LP NM US $199.99
|
 BEETHOVEN Symphony 3 EROICA FURTWANGLER VPO HMV ALP 1060 EXC US $195.00
|
 Furtwangler BPO Brahms Symphony No 3 FALP 543 ds US $192.50
|
 FURTWANGLER IN MEMORIAM 1stPress 1960s TULIP DGG 6LP MINT US $186.06
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER in MEMORIAM WOLFGANG SCHNEIDERHAN DGG 5 LP BOX LIMITED Ed US $180.00
|
 ALP 1208 STRAUSS Don Juan Till Eulenspiegel FURTWANGLER VPO NM FINAL UPGRADE US $180.00
|
 FURTWANGLER WAGNER TRISTAN ISOLDE 5LP BOX JAPANESE MINT US $180.00
|
 BEETHOVEN Symphony No 5 FURTWANGLER VPO HMV ALP 1195 US $175.00
|
 Extremely Rare Private Label Fidelio Furtwangler Patzak Flagstad NM US $175.00
|
 SYMPHONY Soundtrack FURTWANGLER 1955 Period LP VG NM US $174.99
|
 FURTWANGLER wagner 2 LP mint vinyl FRANCE EMI HMZ US $160.00
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER wagner die gotterdammerung 5 LP Sealed RR 420 Vinyl MONO US $160.00
|
 FURTWANGLER wagner tristan und isolde 5 LP VG ANGEL 3588 E 1st Press Angel UK US $160.00
|
 BRUCKNER Symphony 78 FURTWANGLER Electrola Breitklang STE 91375 US $155.00
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Symphony 9 rec1942 MELODIYA 2LP D010851 NM US $150.00
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Symphony 9 rec1951 ODEON 2LP WALP 1286 87 NM US $150.00
|
 FURTWANGLER 3x 78 RPM MOZART SERENADE K525 side 6 w COSI FAN TUTE overture US $150.00
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER BERLIN PHIL BEETHOVEN Symphony NO5 EGMONT DGG SAMPLE US $150.00
|
 DGG TULIP 10 FURTWANGLER SCHUMANN symph4 GERMAN orig US $150.00
|
 Furtwangler Menuhin Bartok Violin Concert RCA LHMV US $150.00
|
 ALP 1257 61 Wagner Die Walkure VPO Furtwangler box set US $147.36
|
 FURTWANGLER SCHUMANN Sinfonie Nr4 DGG TULIP NM US $149.00
|
 FURTWANGLER IN MEMORIAM DGG KL 27 31 mono 5 LPs US $145.00
|
 Richard Wagner6x12 Vinyl LP Tristan Und Isolde His Masters Voice ALP 1030 103 US $140.99
|
 Richard Wagner6x12 Vinyl LP Tristan Und Isolde His Masters Voice ALP 1030 10 US $137.57
|
 MENUHIN FURTWANGLER sealed rca red seal 1955 lp US $125.99
|
 FURTWANGLER BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY 9 D MINOR CHORAL 1961 ANGEL COLH 78 79 2LP BOXSET US $120.00
|
 Wilhelm Furtwangler Beethoven Symphony No 9 RCA 2 LP US $120.00
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven No 9 Choral ANGEL COLH 78 79 US $120.00
|
 SERAPHIM CLASSICAL LP RECORD LOT OF 31 SEALED RECORDS US $120.00
|
 FURTWANGLER 6x LP BEETHOVEN SYMPHONIES 1 9 DIGITAL REMASTERED AUDIOPHILE MINT US $119.00
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER TRISTAN UND ISOLDE SUNG IN GERMAN ANGEL 3588 US $112.99
|
 GIOCONDA DE VITO violin BRAHMS MENDELSSOHN Furtwangler ROCOCO US $109.99
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Sym5 rec1947 ETERNA 820 280 MINT US $100.00
|
 Wilhelm Furtwangler BRUCKNER 7 SYMPHONY EMI HMV UK US $100.00
|
 31 LP classical music including numerous famous classical musicians US $99.99
|
 LOT OF TWO CLEAN HMV ALP FURTWANGLER ALBUMS US $99.99
|
 REF REC FURTWANGLER DE VITO BRAHMS VIOLIN CONCERTO LP US $99.99
|
 Furtwangler Bayreuth FO Beethoven 9th FALP 381 382 US $99.96
|
 ALP 1121 BARTOK Violin Concerto MENUHIN FURTWANGLER US $98.00
|
 Beethoven III VII Furtwangler VOIX MAITRE 2xLP EX EX US $94.99
|
 FURTWANGLER FISCHER DIESKAU MAHLER 8TORCH 1st D006637 US $93.79
|
 Furtwangler Beethoven Fischer Emperor concerto op73 QALP 10024 NM RARE US $93.79
|
 BEETHOVEN Fidelio FURTWANGLER ELECTROLA WALP 3LP BOX US $90.00
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER fidelio complete 1955 3 lp set US $89.99
|
 FURTWANGLER Berlin Philharmonic Plays LP Symphony ost US $89.99
|
 ALP 1195 FURTWANGLER 5th symph Beethoven RED GOLD UK US $89.99
|
 78rpm FURTWANGLER BEETHOVEN Cavatina ORIG GERMAN TELEFUNKEN US $89.00
|
 WAGNER Tristan Isolde FURTWANGLER Rare Melodia Box 5 LPs US $89.00
|
 Mendelssohn Beethoven Furtwangler VOIX MAITRE FALP 312 US $84.99
|
 Furtwangler VPO Beethoven Eroica Electrola E 90050 US $81.25
|
 YEHUDI MENUHIN Wilhelm Furtwangler Bartok Violin Concerto HMV ENGLAND US $80.00
|
 BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER 100 Jahre KARAJAN FURTWANGLER WALTER etc RARE EMI 5LP US $80.00
|
 Furtwangler conducts BRAHMS UNICORN 2 LP ENGLAND US $80.00
|
 KIRSTEN FLAGSTAD WAGNER AIRS et DUOS dOPERAS EMI 2LP US $80.00
|
 EARLY FURTWANGLER BEETHOVEN 9TH SYMPHONY BOX SET US $79.99
|
 Wilhelm FURTWANGLER Violin Sonata D MHS 3026 NM RARE US $79.99
|
 FIRST PRESSING FURTWANGLER FIDELIO WALP BOX SET US $79.99
|
 NICE NEARMINT HMV ALP 1060 FURTWANGLER MONO LP US $79.99
|
 ULTRA RARE ORG FRENCH 2 LPs FURTWANGLER BEETHOVEN SYMPH 9 FALP 381 382 US $79.99
|
 WagnerVinyl LPLohengrin Prelude Act 1 Tannhauser Ov US $78.18
|
 FURTWANGLER Beethoven Fidelio Opera MODL FRICK JURINAC MELODIYA 3LP D029809 MINT US $79.00
|
 RARE FURTWANGLER SOCIETY PRIVATE 2LP SCHUBERT VON WEBER NM US $79.00
|
 1140 | FURTWANGLER WILHELM wilhelm furtwangler die berliner philharmoniker JA US $75.89
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER Beethoven Symph No5 HMV ALP 1195 1st LP NM US $75.00
|
 BRUCKNER Symphony 9 FURTWANGLER BPO October 7 1944 Heliodor 88019 US $75.00
|
 FURTWANGLER conducts WAGNER Tristan Walkure ACANTA 5 LP US $75.00
|
 BEETHOVEN Complete Symphonies 1 9 KLEIBER KEILBERTH FURTWANGLER etcHISTORIA 6LP US $75.00
|
 WILHELM FURTWANGLER VIENNA PHILHARMONIC BEETHOVEN No3 EROICA 78rpm 12x 3 US $70.36
|
 MENDELSSOHN BRAHMS VIOLIN CONCERTOS DE VITO US $70.00
|
 FURTWANGLER Lvdsm 8600 6x78 Set TCHAIKOWS Symp6 PATHET US $70.00
|
 FURTWANGLERMENUHIN Lucerne Festival Orche EETHOVEN VIOLIN CONCERTO EMI JAPAN US $70.00
|
 FURTWANGLER MENUHIN BEETHOVEN VIOLIN CONCERTO EMI JAPAN US $70.00
|
 FURTWANGLER FLAGSTAD Wagner Tristan And Isolde Complete RCA RED SEAL 5 LP BOX US $70.00
|
 MEGA RARE FURTWANGLER BRAHMS Con2 TORCH 1956 D09883 USSR US $69.99
|
|
Wilhelm Furtwangler: Legacy US$ 158.80 Description not available. |
|
Wilhelm Furtwangler - Legend US$ 12.94 |
|
Wagner: Tristan Und Isolde by Furtwangler,Wilhelm US$ 21.88 Description Not Available |
|
Live Recordings 1942-44-Vol. 1 by Furtwangler,Wilhelm US$ 19.67 Description Not Available |
Furtwaengler conducts Beethoven 9th Sym finale 1942
