Exactly a century ago, on 19 January 1926, Furtwängler conducted the Viennese premiere of one of the most powerful oratorios of the 20th century, Le Laudi di san Francesco d'Assisi, by the Swiss composer Hermann Suter (1870–1926), who died a few months after this performance.
The work, based on the Canticle of the Creatures, written in the 13th century by Saint Francis of Assisi, is composed for soloists, mixed choir, children's choir and large orchestra.
Furwängler had an exceptional cast at his disposal: Amalie Merz-Tunner (soprano), Frieda Dierolf (contralto), Karl Erb (tenor), Josef von Manowarda (bass), Georg Valker (organ), Friederich Wührer (piano), the Peterlinischer Knabenchor Mariahilf, the Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
This ambitious score is all too rarely given the attention it deserves. Even back then, it took a certain amount of audacity to programme it!
