A few weeks ago, we reported on the Pfitzner chamber music concert of October 1918, which had been scheduled and then cancelled.

Some research has helped us to clarify or correct other information from our list, still relating to the ‘Mannheim’ period and the season that followed.

– The concert performed by the Mannheim Theatre Orchestra in Ludwigshafen on 3 October 1918: we now know the titles of the three Lieder with orchestra by Mahler sung by Delia Reinhardt: Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen, Ich atmet’ einen Linden Duft, Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht?

– Concert on 15 October 1918 in Mannheim. The list read: Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 2 or No. 4. (both in D major)? Eva Bernstein played No. 4, the K. 218 being authentic.

– Concert in Hamburg on 10 November 1918. In fact, the 10th was for the public dress rehearsal, the concert having taken place on the 11th of November.

– Furtwängler conducted a series of ‘Meisterkonzert’ at the Berlin Philharmonic, notably on April 11 and May 9, 1921. To these must be added the public dress rehearsals on the eves of April 10 and May 8.

– The existing list indicated that as the newspaper Mannheimer Anzeige did not mention any of the protagonists of the Fidelio on 19 June 1921 in Mannheim, it was therefore not possible to list the cast. We have found the leaflet with the details. See below.

Bruckner’s 5th Symphony and Schumann’s Cello Concerto recorded during the concerts from 25 to 28 October 1942 are well known. As for the Overture to Gluck’s Alcestis, the day after these performances, Telefunken recorded it. So we do have the sound.

To enhance this listening experience, we suggest the facsimile of the programme.

Furtwängler and Tibor de Machula as soloist in Berlin

René Trémine’s concert list for Mannheim on 8 December 1917 reads: Works by Pfitzner, with Furtwängler playing the piano. But no further details about these works are provided. We checked all possible sources, in particular the newspapers of that time: there was no Pfitzner concert on 8 December 1917.

However, a chamber music concert dedicated to Pfitzner did take place on Monday 7 October 1918 at the Harmonie hall in Mannheim. Here again, it is mentioned on the list, but without any details. After some research, the programme included:
– Violin Sonata, op. 27
– 5 Lieder op. 9
– Trio op. 8

with :
– Furtwängler, piano,
– Hugo Birkigt, violin,
– Carl Müller, cello,
both soloists with the Theatre Orchestra
– Johanna Lippe, soprano, member of the troupe.

The announcement was made on the 2nd; but on October 4th an insert stated: “… the Pfitzner evening has to be postponed as Hofkapellmeister Furtwängler is unable to perform the piano part due to a hand injury. All tickets already withdrawn remain valid for the new date, which will be announced as soon as possible.”

A real impossibility? Diplomatic illness? When will the concert take place? We’re still waiting…

In the near future we shall have to correct the study we published a few years ago listing the operas conducted by Furtwängler. An examination of the announcements and newspaper reports from that period reveals a number of modifications to the list of performances.

This applies to Mannheim, where Carmen was performed on 9 September 1917 and Fidelio on 8 September 1918. These performances are being added to our database.

Soon we will publish details and corrections about concerts from the period.

Walter Günther-Braun: Don José and Florestan