Furtwangler conducts Die Meistersinger in 1942

Furtwangler conducts Wagner Die Meistersinger in 1942

[@calvinlewis8924]

One of my all time favorite conductors but more importantly Wurtwangler was a man of intense humanity and this can be seen and felt in this video presentation. Thanks!!!

[@cvb6957]

For everyone who understand... this is German Culture. This is the German soul and spirit. You find it here. But also in other german music art and german literature. Search for it. Then you will find it. And it will lift you up and take you...and set you free.

[@ClassicHolic]

I love German culture so much. Long live Germany.

[@triad1956]

This concert took place at noon on February 26th, 1942 in the AEG Turbine Factory in Berlin. In addtion to performing the Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner, the Berlin Philharmonic also performed Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 and Richard Strauss' Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche. In attendance were several high ranking government officials including Reichsminister Joseph Goebbels as well as several wounded German soldiers.

[@MrBlysko]

nikogo nie widac waznego

[@erbjosh]

I am trying to find information about a 1942 performance of The Ring Cycle at Bayreuth. Do you happen to know where I could please find dates and further inforamtion for this?

[@appman1138]

It is sincerely profound and exhilarating to see and relate to the awe-stricken faces of audience members who are very moved by the performance.

[@gezbo66]

I have just watched this and have never been so moved. I started out with a face like the rest of those Germans and then it was too much for me and i broke down.I have never heard music conducted like this before.

[@rinosquarzoni9438]

Sicuramente uno dei più grandi direttori di sempre.

Es impactante ver los rostros de las personas mientras escuchan a wagner en esta histórica interpretación de Furtwangler, en plena guerra; hay en ellos cansancio y tristeza, producto de tan lamentable acontecimiento. Viva la música, viva el arte, que nos brinda momentos de oasis en medio de realidades adversas. Viva la gente del mundo entero y la paz.

[@herbertmarshal]

Not to mention hunger...

[@PlatypusofCalifornia]

This video is extrodinarily powerful. I came here to learn of conducting from the maestro. I do not know how he did it. The faceshots electrified me inside seeing them, but in the most horrendous way possible. To think he could accept that applause, and the flowers, and bow... Listen to their applause and compare your listening to theirs. The faces on these men and women, they hear something so much different than us. This breaks me it does.

[@zenpiper]

He would vary the tempo to match the emotion of the passages.

[@juanramongarcia8955]

Furtwaengler one of the greatest. Power, control, emotion in this masterpiece by Richard Wagner,. The art againts the heavy shadows of war...

[@levicopp3224]

A concert pianist friend of mine said someone had stated that Furtwangler began where other conductors left off. Can't attribute the quote. Magnificent interpretation!

[@zenpiper]

Furtwangler didn't respect the beat, and would chage the tempo to what he felt was most honest.

[@mlleprufrock]

Yes, it is interesting that you mention Furtwangler's Bruckner's 5th symphony. It is incredible, and one of my favorite recordings.

[@jamesthornton1673]

Absolutely splendid! Perfect!

[@golfan1000]

Thank you for uploading this great historical performance.

[@rogermaes6001]

Je ne sais pas qui a filmé ce concert donné dans l'usine AEG, mais j'admire cette suite de portraits d'ouvriers, de soldats blessés, de jeunes femmes, attentifs, graves, sombres même, qui distraient un peu de la musique, certes, tant ils sont touchants, mais qu'on n'oublie pas. Sinon, superbe direction de Furt, fiévreuse, solennel et lyrique, avec le bon tempo.

[@fabiofedericomoralesgarcia5654]

It looks very much like a war propaganda film.

[@Fritz_Maisenbacher]

@@fabiofedericomoralesgarcia5654 YOU are the propaganda, poor moron.

[@Maxobillion]

Imagine playing anything classical in a factory today. The lack of sophistication, education and culture in members of the working class today is very unfortunate.

[@edmundgreen8041]

Did the workers get much choice what was played to them?

[@roideschats8799]

@@edmundgreen8041 you may both be right. It is a propaganda film, and the spectators are "invited" to listen wisely. But on the other hand, the musical culture of the peoples of Europe before 1945 was far superior to that of today. Workers and peasants practised music (and choir) much more than today (in the factory, in church, or in music societies). And there was a "continuum" between popular and elitist orchestras. Popular musicians gave concerts mixing genres. There was no such rupture as there is today. They were therefore able to listen occasionally to the "great repertoire" without being lost. This is my opinion.

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

In 1972, I was a tourist walking through a working class area of Rome not far from the Coloseum. I passed an auto repair shop and was startled to hear the workers listening to Beethoven's 8th Symphony. I knew that most likely there was not a single auto repair shop in the USA playing that piece or any other piece of classical music.

[@brunegilda2453]

I'm afraid the lack of sophistication, education and culture also in members of the upper class today is a catastrophe.

[@gezbo66]

@@brunegilda2453 too true dear.

[@user-zt1qc4zh9z]

すごい気迫、このかたの演奏は、いつも本気を、感じることができます。きれいな映像ありがとうございます。

[@thinichifjm]

Nothing is more illustrative than this video to understand the German society in the WWII. Music is about what's going on in people's mind. What's shown here is the cry for humanity, there's no doubt of it!!!!!

[@user-gt2lf6hd5q]

涙がこぼれてきた・・・戦時下の人々の思いが伝わってきた・・・演奏は申し分ない。感謝。

[@user-oi4bq5rk4d]

Слушая В Фуртвенглера ловишь себя на мысли, будучи неисправимым дилетантом, мне удается это весьма легко, оркестр воспроизводит некий звук, получающийся суммированием множества звуковых колебаний амплитудно-частотных характеристик всех инструментов, а мое ухо слышит своеобразную монодию. Удивительное ощущение. Мне это, кажется, но заслуживает уточнения, будто такое наблюдал в некоторых исполнениях оркестра, руководимого П Коганом. Великий благодарственный поклон кудесникам канала Классики. Неизменный почитатель Ваших талантов и восторгающей эрудиции.

[@JoePalau]

Love to know more about the circumstance of this recording and if others were recording this evening. I listen to how overture develops, its cadences and dynamics. Sonically, so much is missing. We are blessed to have this. My heart yearns for more.....

[@johnfrancis9491]

This was filmed during a free concert for workers at the AEG Turbine Factory in Berlin, probably under the auspices of the Kraft durch Freude system. Note the gear wheels in the banners. No doubt the cameras picked out the audience members who appeared to be listening most intently, as I believe they probably were - this is quite a performance. How many American workers would attend such a performance at all, let alone give a standing ovatin?

[@sas147741]

Totally agree! He and Celibidache are the greatest ever who made recordings!

[@YTM021807]

Expertly made video and with great quality of sound. Fine photography! !Awesome!

[@raticida123456]

what a beautyful performance

[@MegaClassicguy]

In April 1944, Goebbels wrote: "Furtwängler has never been a National Socialist. Nor has he ever made any bones about it. Which Jews and emigrants thought was sufficient to consider him as one of them, a key representative of so-called 'inner emigration'. Furtwängler['s] stance towards us has not changed in the least"

[@eddihaskell]

Of course Furtwangler was not a Nazi. Their violence and extremism disgusted him. No serious historical scholar, not any of his contemporaries, including Walter and Klemperer had accused him of being one. Where he was controversial (and to still is) is his decision not to leave Germany after 1933 anad lending credence to Hitler's regime. He could have left Germany as late as November 1938 (after Kristallnacht) and taken up a prestigious postion in the USA or the U.K. However, his total commitment to preserving German Art and Culture, while appearing to be naive to us now, made sense to many including those in the resistance at the time. Classical Music was, and still is, Germany and Austria's greatest contribution to Western Civilization and culture IMHO.

[@cvb6957]

@@eddihaskell Yes, but not quite correct. The German Classic Music is our contribution to all Mankind, forever.

[@eddihaskell]

@@cvb6957 OK, I won't argue with you.

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

@@eddihaskell Furtwangler wanted to succeed Toscanini as head of the New York Philharmonic in 1938 but leading Nazis would not let him leave. Moreover, Jews in New York were opposed to having a German citizen take over the New York Philharmonic at a time when Germany was actively persecuting Jews. After the war, the Jewish violinist Yehudi Menuhan was a champion of Furtwangler and performed with him. He knew Furtwangler was a great humanist and never was a Nazi.

[@MegaClassicguy]

I know that it was not a joke. But it is exactly the opposite. Furtwängler despised intensively Karajan as a musician. When Karajan took his place in Berlin, the joke between the musicians was that if Furtwängler had known that Karajan would be his successor, he would had refused to die... Before 1938 and his rivalry with Karajan, Furtwängler had already written a long text criticizing sharply Karajan as a conductor.

[@o0Prometheus0o]

Yo solo veo a Furtwängler, a su amada orquesta y al público y desde luego maravvillado y emocionado... también escucho la música.

[@cosifangertrud]

Grad in schweren Zeiten gibt die Musik Kraft!

[@flylooper]

Furtwangler is arguably the greatest conductor of German music in the entire history of it. So many modern conductors say the same thing. Moreover, he stood up to Hitler from beginning and truly believed that to leave Germany would be to abandon the enormous cultural legacy of German music to the Nazis. Thankfully, because of his international renown, he could do that. Contrast WF with Herbert von Karajan, who joined the Nazi Party in the early 30's and did their bidding throughout the entire period.

[@nannojonkers3817]

+Bob Burns Hitler disliked von Karajan; he detested - for the first and last time witnessing a performance by Karajan - his rendition of the 'Meistersinger', saying: "it was not German /Teutonic enough". The Nazi's then did not much to stimulate his career. This is what I learned about it. Beware: lots of myths about Karajan are going around.

[@ulrichlehnhardt4293]

as a matter of fact he left Germany in 1944 and lived in Switzerland. (His ears could not stand the sound of bombs)

[@florianvandale1919]

Thank God I'm German and I will be buried in German ground someday. At least fate did that one right.

[@simontaylor2319]

Before getting carried away with the abilities of the conductor, as many do nowadays, let's not forget the instigator...the composer, in this case Wagner. Without him and all the other composers, there wouldn't be the conductors, players etc

[@barreltapper]

Bob Burns: Where did you find this information I can find no trace of Furtwängler opposing Hitler? What did he oppose the booming economy perhaps after the poverty of the previous decades?

[@MegaClassicguy]

Goebbels wrote in April 1944: "Furtwängler has never been a National Socialist. Nor has he ever made any bones about it. Which Jews and Emigrants thought was sufficient reason to consider him one of them, a key representative of so-called 'inner emigration'. Furtwängler's stance towards us has not changed in the least".

[@MegaClassicguy]

Hugo Strelitzer declared in 1946 : "If I am alive today, I owe this to this great man. Furtwängler helped and protected a great number of Jewish musicians and this attitude shows a great deal of courage since he did it under the eyes of the Nazis, in Germany itself. History will be his judge"

[@geoff1121]

everyone looks so sad, must be because Mr. Singer died. Jokes aside the conducting is inspiring. Also the girl at 6:51 is stunning.

[@omegamale7880]

Nah, it's because the war was going badly.

[@0532phillipjoy]

Yes she'd be a beauty in any era. The young portrayed are beautiful but the old are ugly or grizzled - deliberately ordinary, - workers, blue collar the kind of people who the Nazionalsocialismus was supposed to serve. Especially notice the guy with the Hitler moustaches at 6.11 - at the climax: the message being that at the Fuehrer is the Volk and the Volk is the Fuehrer: as if to say "He identifies with you and your struggle for precisely this - German Kultur."

[@Tflexxx02]

"everyone looks so sad": It's Wagner! When does Wagner ever bring a smile to anyone's face? And they're Germans, one of least funny, smiling people on the face of the planet. (There are no comedies in German classical literature. Shakespeare wrote at least 10.)

[@edharding3279]

Thank you . This sound so much like the Klaus Tennstedt and London Philharmonic Orchestra rendition of same music !!!!

[@firstarioch]

The Greatest Conductor in history period....The flow ,passion he invited the orchestra into his world not commanded them ....What a genius ...there is no one better and never been since.....Master.

[@funnyc0w]

wonderful great music

[@PUCCINIMUSICK]

as byographer of Herbert Von KarajanI must tell you that Furtwangler when asked about his successor , expressely named Karajan instead of Celibidache, judging the former the best conductor available. This happened when Furtwangler was already in hospital in Baden Baden (interv. Elisabeth Furtwangler). Furtwangler was nominally jealousof the young and more "commercial" colleague but IN PRIVATE he never denied his absolute qualities as a conductor. In public, the visions were different.

[@juanuceda401]

Seriously?

[@stevenyourke7901]

Karajan was a Nazi. Don’t you think that might have have helped him secure the position?

[@paulostroff99]

Beautifully performed!

[@lilmoosic011]

We're playing this for our spring concert coming up...0.o This is gonna be good.

[@yenhoho]

such a old recording...but still so amazing

[@JohnWilliams-bp2so]

It's not an 'old' recording, it's a 'brilliant' recording. Wake up!

[@PlatypusofCalifornia]

It is a compliment to furtwangler's ability to continue his role and keep pereserving german musical culture despite the circumstances. I am saying that he was able to due this with his conscience intact, I'm admiring him not being critical.

[@Gerry319videos]

That German audience sure took their music seriously - not a smile, no one closing their eyes, or moving a muscle in time with the music.

[@normthehat]

It depends on how this film was edited. I think it is quite a brilliant piece. I'm sure not all members of the audience were filmed when the music was playing.

[@Gerry319videos]

Well, it's a Nazi propaganda film, with carefully staged tableaux and lots of close-ups of people with deep and meaningful looks. The Nazis just LOVED this work by Wagner.

[@Fritz_Maisenbacher]

German reaction to music. No reaction. All is in the deepest regions of the brain, the heart and the guts.

[@Gerry319videos]

@@Fritz_Maisenbacher Can’t imagine them sitting through a jazz concert. Oh,I forgot, “Negro” music was banned by the Nazis.

[@83mogreen]

To condemn this video is like to refuse to watch a Caravaggio's masterpiece sinche he was a murderer...

[@mauromasterx]

+gabsylv and Wagner would had been gladly one

[@laudanosin]

+Gringachola You know, what you are talking about? How many Wagner operas do you know? In all of them, love is a central element. But the nazis are not able to recognize that.

[@natalieevans6906]

Yes

[@philippebrunet-thenot7999]

Sorry, you can't say that. Caravaggio was a murderer and Furtwangler was a very decent man !

[@supraludwick83]

LONG LIVE CARLO GESUALDO. BITCHES

[@martinadler73]

A wonderful interpretation!

[@chaoscast]

süss, wie du deine Antipathie über die Musik projezierst X-D

[@MegaClassicguy]

Sure. The fact that Furtwängler is considered as the greatest conductor in history by many critics has nothing to do with the fact that he helped people Jews or not. But the discussion was here about his behavior during Nazi era and it is a matter of fact that he saved many people including many Jews.

[@jameschristensen1055]

And yet no one ever navel-gazes over the question of whether Prokofiev, Shostakovich, or Khachaturian were convinced Communists and willing accomplices of Stalin.

[@sbchelldiver]

@violindave2 this is probably the Machine-Hall of the AEG plant in Berlin, if you notice there are electrical dynamos & switchboards all marked AEG (General Electric Society) the Machine-Hall was built in 1912 & survived the Berlin bombings, it is today a Historical Monument of the city...

[@neljoj4767]

Beautiful 🎹

[@TulioHav]

Los grandes artistas (y el Arte, por supuesto) pueden erigirse más allá y por encima de la infamia que hombres malvados puedan inventar. El Arte que el Hombre inventa y crea es la mejor garantía de la supervivencia humana. Esta excelente interpretación de la Obertura de Los Maestros Cantores es una prueba fehaciente de ello.

[@hodmchess]

How did you manage to get this recording? Furtwangler turns music into something much more.

[@petatap]

So sorry to see this great director(Furtwängler) in a situation like that ... it is remarcable that his interpretation sounds faster than others.

[@JLwaldhorn]

incredible interpretation, Even the age of the recording could with the sound of the old BPO. It is an independent comment of the politics that apparently matter more than the same music here.. sad stuff. Great Furtwangler and Berliner Philharmoniker

[@mozartiikodesu]

Great German spirit song and amazing performance of Furtwangler. I am wondering if the second person maybe young Dietrich Fischer Dieskau. 3:37 to 3:40

[@Invisus944]

yes, I heard it for the first time today and I very much agree

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

Es liebe Music.

[@pilouetmissiou]

what a beautifull document.... thanks a lot for sharing....beautifull also to see the completely enrapted faces of the public....as in pray...

[@cortootify]

amazing conducting , he is the most conductor what i wanted

[@rteddy9834]

すごい・・・・　これは貴重な映像です。Thank you to upload this !!!

[@jdhhey]

WAGNER WAS THE GREATEST COMPOSER

[@demcadman]

Wagner is the greatest composer of the 19th century and beyond

[@BenBen-pg2wn]

@@demcadman WAGNER WAS THE GREATEST COMPOSER IN HUMAN HISTORY

[@demcadman]

@@BenBen-pg2wn agreed. While there are so many wonderful composers in Europe, R Wagner is responsible for revolutionary changes in music. Richard Wagner is the greatest composer in history.

[@yummyyum36719]

@@BenBen-pg2wn For me it's a tie between Wagner and Beethoven.

[@Volviert]

Beauty of art.

[@gerardbedecarter]

A wonderful performance !!!!!!

[@jivamoksha]

Mr Furtwangler was one of the best conductors, in this video he tried to make the German people Happy, Germans were devastated at that time with war. Horrible faces showing sadness and anger due the hard times that were living. Furtwangler was a hero for German society.

[@Caocao8888]

Somber faces? LOL It’s called listening with rapt attention and appreciation to music they know backwards and forward.

[@Palomablanca2008]

Great performance!!!

[@Ecthelon]

Nietzsche mentions Die Meistersinger in Beyond Good and Evil.. I can really see what he's talking about now that I hear it. Furtwangler did a fantastic job, especially from 6:05 - 6:21

[@jacobsimon]

Great Furtwangler under the most frightening circumstances

[@jameschristensen1055]

Yes, indeed: a Lancaster could have rained explosives on them at any moment.

[@poti0909]

ああ、何を以てして、是程までに、血沸き肉踊る具象が･･･ 万感の想いが込み上げてきて、胸が熱くなりました。

[@otterhouse]

I just uploaded a 78rpm of Erich Rohn, concertmaster of the Berliner Phil during the 30's and 40's. Probably he can be seen on this video! I have very little info about his life. More info is welcome!! On the 78rpm on my channel he plays Beethoven's Romanze op40. Search for "erich rohn" (or click "otterhouse" above) to see the video I made out of the record (that never has been re-issued!). Thanks for the Meistersinger clip! Rolf, Netherlands

[@Justitiator]

Dear Professortiki, I'm glad that you asked for more specification. The matter is really serious and the most German people are simply not able to understand the arguments. I would prefer to use your language: Die kulturelle Geschichte Deutschland ist seit über Jahrhunderte geprägt von musikalischen Genies, Philosophen, Denker, Erfinder und Dichter universaler Geltung. Lieber Prof., mir fällt beim besten Willen nicht einen einzigen in der BRD ein! Sechs Jahrzehnte hätten normalerweise...>

[@kristjan.v]

Furtwängler never joined the Nazi Party and did not approve them.Greatest conductor ever!!!

[@petrof4056]

the best performance ever concerning this

[@micheldvorsky]

@tedsherk I'm glad someone else recognizes that this is not Furtwangler at his best!

[@juanmlleras]

@marcusaurelius80 They had a lot of Beethoven too... This was in the Deutschland Arbeits Front (Labor Front)

[@evgenyklimov6472]

Фуртвенглер лучший!

[@juliusrain]

Furtwangler is so tall and awkward looking when he's excited. It looks like he's going to topple over at points. That doesn't detract from his awesome awesomeness, though.

[@yummyyum36719]

It adds to it IMO.

[@MrLanternland]

Bravo bravo bravo!!! Magnificent!!!

[@Normalverteiler]

Well put.

[@eoghdes18]

That is exactly *why* it is such great conducting. He has no need to do much with his hands. Watch James Levine sometime. He barely moves. He just smiles and rubs his fingers together sometimes and the music flows. The job of the best conductor is done when (s)he can just sit back and listen.

[@mariarosarovira4537]

Wonderful !!

[@windstorm1000]

Obviously disturbing to see the swastika (et al)--but one can't defeat Furtwangler and Wagner--fantastic combo. Not even Hitler could steal from those geniuses.

[@71lupenzo710]

@Fasolt100 beh insomma misera larva ...... cmq senti come da' l'attacco a 1.33 il suo stile poi fatto di un modo tutto particolare di dirigere unico!

[@kirsteni.russell5903]

This is an incredible document. Who filmed it? All those somber faces in the audience, the Nazi symbol hanging over the orchestra, and Furtwangler conducting and the orchestra playing their hearts out. The sound recording is good considering the age and circumstances of the recording. Even without information about Furtwangler, the documentary is a moving record of Germany in one of the darkest periods in the history of humanity.

[@Operafreak9]

The faces are interesting. Seem to reveal a disconnect between what they are hearing and what they are experiencing as they know they are headed for doom Very grim faces. Hard to view them without conflicting emotions. Profound music but terrible situation.

[@sanjuan1794]

Es liebe Furtwangler

[@philzmusic8098]

This famous performance has here been sped up so much that it's in D major.

[@MegaClassicguy]

Thanks a lot for the joke!! Very funny, indeed.

[@satanchrist]

the greatest conductor - ever, hats off to W.F. R.I.P.

[@Generalterz]

@joeocho88 : look at the left side, there are 7 basses!!!

[@fatmadridibenaissa3513]

Great!!!

[@rickos1915]

Everyone in the audience looks like they know what's in store.

[@lauratdrummer]

This is freakin awesome! The actual classic real swastika sign is still there since this is during the war! Wow...just wow!

[@Bastikalk]

You're so right...

[@71lupenzo710]

@Fasolt100 grazie per l'invito

[@segu82]

Great Furtwangler!

[@kerickwalters2749]

Beautiful

[@matthewdermanuelian6735]

26 people are deaf they don't relies that they are listening to heaven right hear.

[@br39161]

Beautiful "madel" , at 6' 51 , what was your name , and what happened to you ...

[@rodionrebenyar]

One wonders.... It is sobering to think if any of the individuals pictured survived the war

[@pedrodiezcansecomunoz9676]

And you are the idiotic and senile son of Margaret.

[@schlendrian5910]

@@jeanparke9373 you are an asshole!

[@foerster]

flag or not flag, this is the great Wagner, and Furtwaengler, music is immortal.

[@jhb134]

@kunnukun - Um, Furtwangler was instrumental, in smuggling some of the Jewish players of the old Berlin Phil., OUT of the Nazi Germany of the time. His devotion was to the music, and never accepted Hitler. His reputation is secure .....

[@olejars]

This song is a bitch to play on tuba and baritone/euphonium. Ah...the memories of high school band.

[@davidcolley7714]

Splendid that they played this in a factory. I wonder if British orchestras did the same?

[@chaoscast]

Amen. Its life...

[@PantsMenace]

Love the piece, hate the drapes.