We have just been informed of the death of pianist François Kerdoncuff, born in 1954, after a long illness that kept him away from the stage for several years.

A great admirer of Furtwängler’s art, he was also deeply involved in the performance of the musician’s works, playing and recording the two violin sonatas and the Klavierquintett.

He took part in several concerts organized by the SWF, notably with mezzo-soprano Brigitte Balleys in 1999, and cellist Henri Demarquette in 2004. He had performed Brahms’s 4 Ballades op. 10 as part of the tribute to our former president Philippe Leduc, just ten years ago.

The SWF expresses its sympathy to his family, and especially to his children.

François Kerdoncuff rehearsing the Klavierquintett on Furtwängler’s Bechstein. Clarens, May 1993.

Nearly fifteen years ago, a document from the SWF, Furtwängler in Kassel featured the recollections of Hans Joachim Schaeffer, who worked at the city’s Staatstheater, and notably highlighted the importance of the invitation of Furtwängler to conduct the opera orchestra.

On the programme, preceding Beethoven’s 1st Symphony: Furtwängler’s own 2nd Symphony. Paul Schmitz, the opera’s musical director, trained the musicians, with the help of the recording that had just been released by DGG. Furtwängler was very pleased with this preliminary work.

To supplement this concert, here is a pdf version of the facsimile of the programme. This is the only time Furtwängler conducted this orchestra, and we must give him all the recognition he deserves.

Furtwängler and Paul Schmitz, Kassel 1953

We mentioned the concert agent Harold Holt when we published the facsimile of the programme for the concert of 7 December 1935 in Edinburgh.

In charge of the Berlin Philharmonic’s tours with Furtwängler, he produced the flyer below presenting the planned 1934-35 concert series in Birmingham (“International Subscription Celebrity Concerts”). Among a superb array of artists including Menuhin, Piatigorsky, Horowitz, Conchita Supervia and others, the BPO and its conductor are billed to give a concert on 1 February 1935.

But this was to prove impossible when the time came.  Furtwängler had resigned from all his posts in December 1934.  His return to favour in the spring of 1935 allowed the tour to take place, but only during the following winter.