Tamaki Hosoe http://www.ergod.org
Kevin and Jose
Dedicated for late his Modesty Kenji Moroi
Distinguish Art from Snobbism
Wilhelm Furtwängler – Humanity and Thought
June 28, 2009, revised April 8, 2011
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886-1954) – a legend of the 20th Century conductor, composer, and author of true
art facing crises after crises both culturally and politically – may have destined to live in tragedy. Born to a son of
an archeologist and a mother who loved playing piano in Berlin in 1886, young Wilhelm's private teachers, his
father afforded to have for him, must have admired his intellect. After piano lessons with his mother, learning
classical music from several forerunners, he first targeted to become a composer. In him, his mother's
compassionate love of music had lived throughout his life, and also his father's gene of German intellect and spirit
had survived undefeatedly over the struggle against Nazism. Having the best acoustic technology in the world
then, Europeans recorded many of his art performances but he passed away in 1954 before stereo recording era.
His monaural recordings, insights and maxims keep to be constructive alternatives attracting European and
Japanese classical critics, musicians, and listeners, but not Americans. Why? To answer the question, Tamaki had
better survey the Maestro’s recordings, liner notes, his writings, music situations during, after Wars, and the 21st
Century.
With a sensible and modest soul, he dedicated himself to music and had become a composer, philosopher
conductor, and author of music. His predecessor Arthur Nikisch (1855-1922,) a Hangarian who had also
conducted Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1893 to 1895, and died in directing Berlin Philharmoniker, is well
known to public in establishing a concert conductor style, starting as an opera conductor which has been the
European tradition. Furtwängler’s mother wrote in her diary, “After Nikisch passed away, Wilhelm now has
become a first German conductor who directs both Berlin and Vienna Philharmoniker,” in 1922. Citing old
proverb, “Greatness is a simplicity,” starts writing Furtwängler of one of his conclusive articles in *1 Ton und
Wort, yet his insight and maxims seem to be full of counterevidence against contemporary common sense or
snobbism which he never explicitly criticizes though. He confesses the difficulties of a conductor’s work having
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and following a best role model of Arthur Nikisch in *2 Vermächtnis (posthumous.)
Conductor’s training is not only the Taktstock (baton) technique. For example, late Hideo Saito who taught
Maestro Sage Ozawa, former music director of Boston Symphony, had his own theory and strict methodology for
Western music education including grammar, instruments, and voices with spiritualism. Saito cared subtle things
and did NOT allow students to play beyond a small number of repertoires. Repeating Tchaikovsky’s String
Serenade starting, “Do re mi fa sol la si do--- si--- la--- sol la do sol--- fa mi--- sol sol la sol-- fa mi re-- mi mi…,”
students were bored and asked young Ozawa to be a messenger to him for the next. However many times
negotiated Ozawa, Saito kept saying, “No, not yet.” An individual who has his/her policy becomes not a Yes-man
but stubborn No-man rare in homogeneous Islanders. *21 This number by Ozawa and Saito Kinen (Memorial)
Orchestra is one of the debut albums of them, then their mentor’s enthusiasm is incarnated in his students’ music
of love. Restrictive repertoire and a choice of to-the-point chamber ensemble for students show how great Saito
was.
* Examples of No-mans, not Normandy Beach on D-day on 6/ 6/1944 (w. song demonstration)
* Puritan Separatists and Mayflower Compact on 11/11/1620
* Citizens on Boston Tea Party Ship, 1773
* Ode an die Freude (… nicht diese Tone!...) (*6) 4th Movement of 9th Symphony “Chorale”
To an enthusiastic musician who has lived in remote Far East, a composer himself/herself incarnates in
music, too. Yes, it is the art of interpretation, for music is a re-creator’s work. Having skilful pianism of orderly
Classic Period and infinite variation of improvisation, Ludwig van Beethoven, whom Furtwängler once calls like
a god of thunder, must have been reluctant to be an aesthete but sought universal beauty for whole humanity, with
humor, anger, and love. Ludwig could not be competent of the number of compositions with Back, Haydn, or
Mozart but opened the door toward masterworks of Romantics. Ludwig did not mean, even though he himself
wrote, to break the music Law on purpose, nor a Neue Sachlichkeit that prevailingly sought innovation on purpose
after WW I and has failed. In music in major, the harmony of “Sol, si, re,” dominant code ends in tonic code, “Do,
mi, sol,” from symphonies, concertos, chamber music, to solos following this orderly principle almost without
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exceptions. Atonic music must have been a reckless, fruitless experiment in Neue Sachlichkeit at which
Furtwängler almost physically feels challenges and crises of art, he never explicitly criticizes but can not stop
being deep in thought and write.
In 1915, right during the WW I, he writes his first and long work entitled “A Perspective in Terms of Age
by a Musician (* personal double translation from Japanese)” published in *2 Vermächtnis (posthumous,) but he
focuses on art not politics. Western music has a tradition of text critique on papyrus and music literature such as
mathematician Pythagorean or Aristotle’s Poetic. After establishing music note taking, equal temperament in
Classic Period, through transition Beethoven, Robert Schumann called Romanticist is famous to have begun
music journal in introducing true artists such as Chopin or Brahms, even though ending in the death himself in his
Mother river Rhenish, his 3rd Symphony title ironically. Among Furtwängler’s restrictive repertoires his (16*) 4th
Symphony is outstanding. Visiting to New York in March in 1927 Furtwängler confesses his impression of here as
“hyper-saturation,” in his diary knowing that every concert here has duty for new compositions which he refused
almost always in the U.S. (*3 Wilhelm Furtwängler Aufzeichnungen 1924-1954.) In English translation
“jadedness” is adopted, and anyway satiated culture here is apparent by an insightful musician.
Look at his face with wide frontal robes in his long cranium of reverse pyramid. Does he look happy in
peace? His contemporary Jew Albert Einstein, genius and pacific scientist, writes in 4* Ideas and Opinions that
education is something that remains after you have forgotten every knowledge you learned in schools because it is
a train of intellect like a physical exercise in gyms. History and ages demand great personalities, so a great person
meets great contemporaries both in the West and East in schools of Time. In decaying direct democracy and
among Sophists Socrates met Plato, Aristotle followed in the West, and in India Gautama Buddha stood alone
giving up his throne. Having had to stay in Germany, responsible to protect Jew musicians officially writing in
protest to the Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels, some of which were on their paper, Furtwängler was tested by
crises politically and culturally. Blame him a coward not has run away from the Nazis. He was even on the
suspects’ list alleged for a Hitler’s assault conspiracy, and lived with fear of their revenge. Finally he sought
asylum for Switzerland scarcely running away from the secret police Gestapo’s assassination. However, mainly
negative journalism and musicians in America alleged him as a war criminal as well as novelist Thomas Mann
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after the end of WW II in 1945.
He could not stand with Taktstock for two years in front of audiences for whom he dedicated his life. Listen
to his Beethoven (*7) 5th Symphony live on May 27, not 25, in 1947 with Berlin Philharmoniker in the series right
after winning the so called De-Nazification Court with defense by outstanding Jewish New Yorker Yehudi
Menuhin, violinist, conductor, and activist, and also the two musicians' historical collaborations of Beethoven and
others. To contemporaries and successors of not only music, intellect but also humanity as a whole, Wilhelm
Furtwängler has kept, and keeps, to be a demo tribune like Ludwig van Beethoven himself. Because, without him
a long tradition of German, Western Muse as well as intellect rooted from ancient Greeks must have been
completely violated under corpses and debris into ashes by atrocious Third Reich corps.
Thunderbird in harmony with Apollo and Dionysus secures humanity
There are no winners after wars. The winner was not the United Nations after WW II. How many major
wars succeeded upon humanity after? Cold War, Korean, Vietnam, Iran-Iraq, Soviet-Afghanistan, Palestine, Gulf,
Yugoslavia, Afghan, Iraq, and war on terror in info-war only for monopoly of mobocracy? No, war is over! With
historical black president, respective young hero Barack Obama, may we have no more, a yellow Jap yells for. In
German spiritualism, only two persons are called winners after wars. Ludwig van Beethoven during Napoleon
wars who had dedicated to scores for all humanity, and Wilhelm Furtwängler, not only as a true re-creator but also
an undefeatable intellect and tribune of people. Anyway, commit and dedicate yourself for any tiny thing, anyone,
or living being you love even if your everyday strict rehearsals seem no changes but boring routines, but in which,
he is sure, you will find a Thunderbird, in harmony with Apollo and Dionysus inside, to secure humanity and
Mother Earth.
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References:
1. Furtwängler W. Ton und Wort. Brockhous, Wiesbaden, 1954.
Ashidu T. tran. to Jap. Oto to Kotoba. Hakusui-sha, Tokyo, 1978.
2. …, Vermächtnis. (* posthumous) Brockhous, Wiesbaden, 1956.
Ashidu T. tran. to Jap. Ongaku Note. Hakusui-sha, Tokyo, 1971, 1988.
3. …, ed. by Furtwangler E. et al Wilhelm Furtwängler Aufzeichnungen 1924-1954. Brockhous, Wiesbaden,
1980.
Ashidu T. et al. Tran. to Jap. Furtwängler no Shuki. Hakusui-sha, Tokyo, 1983.
4. Einstein A. Ideas and Opinions. 1954.
5. Gefen G.. Wilhelm Furtwängler: La puisance et la gloire. Archipel, Paris, 2001.
Shimozawa K. tran. to Jap. Wilhelm Furtwängler: Kenryoku to Eiko. w. latest discography ed. by Asari K.
Ongaku no Tomo-sha, Tokyo, 2007.
Recommendation by Tamaki, courtesy of Japanese critique authors, NHK FM, and the Japan Furtwängler
Association:
6. Beethoven’s Complete Symphonies by EMI (studio or live) Furtwängler W. Vienna Philharmoniker et al.
(* monaural, some in artificial stereo)
7.
Bayreuther Festspiele, Furtwangler: Beethoven Symphonie No. 9 ORFEO version, not EMI, is an
authentic live recording found in the 21st Century.
8. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Egmont Overture, Furtwängler W. Berlin Philharmoniker live 5/27/1947,
Gramophone, one of series right after winning the war criminal court. (*one of the best live CDs not easy
to get. LP vinyl till '60s was accurate originals but skeptical after LP in '70s and CDs, for the 1 st
movement pitch was modified, ironical commercialism though.)
9. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Furtwangler W. Berlin Philharmoniker live 1943, Gramophone, (* one in
wooden Berlin Philharmoniker before it was burned, original master tapes had been stolen and kept by
Soviet Union, but returned to Germany in glasnost, thank Mr. Michael Gorbachev)
10. Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Romance 1, 2. Menuhin Y.(v.) Furtwängler W. Lucerne Festival O. 1947,
and Philharmonia O. 1953
11. Mendelssohn and Brahms Violin Concertos. Menuhin Y.(v.) Furtwängler W. Lucerne Festival O. 1949,
Philharmonia O. 1953
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12. Brahms’ Violin Concerto. Menuhin Y.(v.) Furtwängler W. et al.
13. Beethoven et al. Overtures Furtwangler W. (* omnibus)
14. Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto. Hansen (p.) live Furtwängler W. Berlin Philharmoniker
15. Beethoven’s 5th Piano Concerto “Emperor.” Edwin Fischer (p.) Furtwängler W. Philharmonia O.
16. Beethoven’s opera Fidelio. Furtwängler W. et al. (* several major recordings)
17. Schubert’s Symphony “The Great” Furtwängler W. Berlin Philharmoniker
18. Schumann’s 4th Symphony. Furtwängler W. Berlin Phiharmoniker
19. Weber’s Der Freischütz. Furtwängler W. Viena Philharmoniker et al.
20. Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, Furtwängler W. et al. (* video DVD)
21. Tchaikovsky’s String Serenade el al. Ozawa S. Saito Kinen (Memorial) Orchestra.
22. Thunderbird (mailer) & Firefox (browser) software, courtesy of the Mozilla.org Project and volunteer
developers worldwide.
23. Furtwängler remastered from LPs by Delta Classics, Japan
24. Futwängler remastered from LPs by Dreamlife Classics, Japan
Search “ドリームライフ フルトヴェングラー” on Amazon JP
(All the writings and recordings available not in the U.S. but in Japan, a record disk country.)
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