Although his recordings are still available, taking advantage of technological advances in restoration, and many discoveries of otherwise lost performances have surfaced in personal as well as broadcast archives, the name Wilhelm Furtwängler is slowly fading from view as we go further and further away from his passing, some seventy-one years ago.
But those who are familiar or have heard some of the legendary performances by accident or from a friend, the legacy of Wilhelm Furtwängler remains a vital touchstone for a style of interpretation that has largely left the concert halls and shows no signs of coming back.
The era when Wilhelm Furtwängler was active was an era of interpretation, of an individual style. And often that individual style meant taking liberties or even skipping notes. But what deemed those interpretations so vital was the heart – the almost spiritual connection between composer and composition. And often those interpretations are overwhelming experiences – very often creating a lasting impression and the benchmark from which all subsequent performances are judged.
But not everyone agreed to the same interpretation at the same time. Furtwängler had his detractors and it became the source of many a heated argument because, as they say – not all interpretations are viewed the same way. In those conditions one size does not fit all.
The difference between then and now is largely differences on technical terms. Generations after the era of Furtwängler are more an era of technicians rather than interpreters – although there is some wiggle room to be had and there are a number of soloists whose performances are landmarks, its not the place of radical embellishment it once was. And that’s too bad.
This documentary, produced by the BBC and broadcast on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Furtwänglers death in 1964 is a series of observations and impressions and it’s a fascinating record of just how profound notes can make on someones life.
If you are new to the recordings of Wilhelm Furtwängler here’s a good place to start. Fans will be prompted to dive into their own libraries and pull out the gems they haven’t played in a while.
