Available in the shop
As announced on 29 May — Back to Wiesbaden — the new release is now available for download (in high definition and CD format): SWF D26 – the BPO concert held on 12 June 1949 in Wiesbaden.
Although Till Eulenspiegel was not preserved, the rest of the concert was captured — and very well at that — by Frankfurt Radio. It was this recording that Christophe Hénault used as his starting point; he reworked the sound somewhat — which was a little muffled — but focused particularly on the dynamics, which varied considerably from one movement to the next.
Thus, Pfitzner’s three Palestrina preludes, which might otherwise have seemed somewhat off-putting, regain a clarity and brilliance that they previously lacked. For many, this will be a ‘first’. Mozart’s 40th, meanwhile, retains its impetuous and sombre character, whilst Brahms’s 4th allows phrases of a plastic beauty superior even to those of the 1943 version to unfold!
The text, penned by Raphaël Fournier, and his podcast reflect his enthusiasm for Pfitzner, a composer to whom Furtwängler remained devoted throughout his life.
The digital booklet (in English) also includes rare documents, including a newspaper article covering the concert.
Suffice to say, we were quite right to label this product ‘Discovery’.
Streaming will begin on 1 July.