Concert on 13 April 1949

This programme is very interesting.

This was the first time since 1938 that Furtwängler had included Bruckner's Eighth Symphony in a Berlin programme, although he had conducted it many times elsewhere, including on numerous occasions in Vienna, as well as in Bern and Winterthur.

Another point should be noted. These were the final days of the Berlin Blockade. It was on 15 March that the Soviets informed the Allies that the currency issue was no longer a prerequisite for lifting the blockade, which officially ended on 12 May.

It is undoubtedly this same blockade that explains the rather ‘poor’ quality of the booklet. This does not prevent it from including a detailed analysis of the work, written by P.W., or Peter Wackernagel.