Concert of December 16, 1940

First, Rondino giocoso by Theodor Berger (1905–1992), a composer whose genuine talent had been recognised by Furtwängler as early as 1932. The work, less than five minutes long, is an exuberant piece reminiscent of Hindemith at his best, or even a certain Stravinsky, that of The Fairy's Kiss or Jeu de cartes, or Bartók's works for string orchestra. Our conductor adopted this score, which he premiered in Berlin that day, and took it on tour with him, performing it not only in Germany, but also in Italy, Austria and as far away as Stockholm. Quite a boost for a young composer!

The Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 frequently reappeared under the baton — or rather under the fingers — of Furtwängler, who conducted it from the piano throughout his career, from Lübeck to Berlin, Mannheim to Vienna, thereby honouring the soloists of his successive orchestras. Here we find Siegfried Borries, first Konzertmeister, in one of his last appearances before leaving the Philharmonic (only to return a decade later), and Albert Harzer, a veteran who joined in 1910 and remained for 43 years!