Karl Böhm conducts Wagner's Overtüren & Vorspiele

   Richard Wagner operatic and dramatic works are significant contribution into development of post-romantic orchestration and process of reshaping the symphonic orchestra. He also had played his role in German politics of 19th and early 20th century. As composer he was close to Ludwig II of Bavaria and his music was used as a forefront of German culture in its nationalistic era. From another point of view Richard Wagner was one of most important composers in German culture of the 20th century, who developed harmonic and melodic language to meet the needs of modern musical theatre. No wonder his works played the key role in the career of Karl Böhm, one of most important Austrian conductors of the 20th century.
   Since Karl Böhm was conductor specializing in opera, Richard Wagner’s works were important part of his repertoire. He debuted in Vienna in 1933 conducting Tristan und Isolde. Wagnerian repertoire was Böhm’s great success after 1957 debut in Metropolitan Opera in New York. He conducted in New York Tristan und Isolde, Lohengrin, Parsifal, Der Fliegende Holländer, Die Walküre, and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In 60’s he was also active in Bayreuth Festival – his 1962 Bayreuth debut was Tristan und Isolde again. In 1965 to 1967 he made complete Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle, which he later recorded in his critically acclaimed interpretation. The result of his Bayreuth performing experiences was also recording of Tristan und Isolde.

Karl Böhm conducts Wagner's Overtüren & Vorspiele (1981)

   Importance of Wagner’s music in Karl Böhm’s artistic biography is clear considering his discography with most valuable complete recordings of musical dramas for Philips. Wagner’s music was also significant element of modern symphonic repertoire which for Böhm was extremely important for Richard Strauss music. In his late years Karl Böhm recorded two albums of Wagner symphonic fragments, both for Deutsche Grammophon, both with Wiener Philharmoniker and both published under the same name: Overtüren & Vorspiele.  In 1979  Overtüren & Vorspiele comprised overtures and preludes from Rienzi, Tannhäuser, Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg and Parsifal. Next year, in Großer Saal of Wiener Musikverein in June 1980, Karl Böhm with Wiener Philharmoniker recorded next Overtüren & Vorspiele album. This time program had comprised Der Fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin and Tristan und Isolde. The recording has been published in 1981 in Karl-Böhm-Ausgabe Serie Galerie with Caspar David Friedrich’s Auf dem Segler painting illustrating the cover.
   Karl Böhm is interpreting Wagner overtures in his own way. His attitude is more dramatic than illustrative, more as if it was symphonic poem, than overtures or fragments of stage music. The one opening of this record is overture to Der Fliegende Holländer piece of so many onomatopeic sugestions it can be seen as illustrative music, but still it shows symphonic potential. More dependent of dramatic context are preludes to 1st and 3rd acts of Lohengrin. But still Vorspiel zum 3. Akt shows dramatic potential of Wagner’s orchestral narration. Second side is Prelude and Isolde’s Love Death Scene from Tristan und Isolde. These fragments have strong bounds with dramatic story of famous lovers and can serve as the hallmark of Wagner’s music. The powerful foundation of Böhm’s renditions are Wiener Philharmoniker, one of very best orchestras ever. Precision of articulation, transparency of clear and deep orchestral sound gives this performance solemn and noble taste. Even without Caspar David Friedrich’s picture reproduction this album is five star recording.

Maurizio Pollini – Beethoven’s Piano Concerto G Major

There are dozens of great renditions of every one from Beethoven’s cycle of five piano concertos. This is natural consequence of qualities inserted to this traditional formal construction by the last of the three greatest composers of classical Vienna school. Due to the extraordinary economy of resources and an unprecedented wealth of musical content, all five piano concertos are groundbreaking creations. Every one of his concerti as well as any work in other form is different and in its individual way full of significant features. It’s worth to notice, Beethoven’s music is always consistent on formal level, but still most of references point directly to emotional spheres of musical meaning.
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 G Major op. 58 admittedly is one of very best piano concertos in the whole history of this form. The outward appearance of this concert is typical for its time – three part concerto construction with tonal change in middle movement (E minor in Andante as relative key to G major of first and last movements) and a Beethovenian usual cast of symphonic orchestra (flute, double winds, dual horns and trumpets, timpani and strings) – it looks like it was common work of late Classical Era. Piano introduction opening Allegro moderato, enchanting impression in Andante con moto and lively rhythmic Rondo, all this makes Concerto No. 4 the major effect of creative impulse. This is common characteristics of Beethoven’s oeuvres and maybe this is the reason for great respect which surrounds his music.

Pollini and Böhm in Beethoven's Piano Concerti (Eterna 1982)

Every record collector has personal choice of almost any great musical works best renditions. There is the real crowd on the shelf with excellent recordings of Beethoven’s piano concertos. But still it is hard to omit among them the Deutsche Grammophon series of LPs featuring Maurizio Pollini along with the Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Karl Böhm. This collection of three records included only three of five Beethoven piano concertos – 3rd, 4th and 5th – which are definitely more essential and more appreciated by the public than first two. This 1976 DGG edition was awarded by music lovers with the Grand prix des discophiles. In 1982 series of records has been released as a oficial license edition by Eterna company in GDR, and than became widely recognized in Eastern Europe.
Recording Concerto No. 4, Maurizio Pollini gave great performance both on technical and on esthetic level. His piano sounds firmly and stylish, tempi are based on phrases formed the way as set by Beethoven. Such prudent approach along with original composer’s cadenzas makes this interpretation absolute perfect picture of this work. Orchestra of Viennese Philharmonic sounds deep in dynamics and perfectly in articulation. This recording is founded upon qualities giving Piano Concerto No. 4 G Major op. 58 mark of one of the best symphonic works and overall form of piano concerto the parallel position to Beethoven’s symphonies.

Mozart – Requiem – Karl Böhm

It’s well-founded question why last sacred work, messa pro defunctis gained as high popularity as any of other Mozart’s masses never did. What is exceptional in this work, that makes it outdistanced hundreds of great works of this kind. Listening to many other requiem messes composed during span of four centuries from renaissance to classical era it is easy to notice music tries to bring relief and in many cases even express the joy of taking part in eternal life. Even in two centuries after Mozart death there were relatively small number of requiems expressing negative emotions but probably none of so intense tragic effect. No wonder. The faithful Christian interpretation of mess for the dead leads to the conviction of the inevitability of God's will as well as his mercy. This is why, early requiems, especially composed in baroque era by Biber, Lotti, Praetorius, Zelenka or even Fux but also twentieth century settings of mass for the dead e.g. Duruflé and Fauré have this cheerful nature, Mozart’s work uses only as contrasting level for main idea of the cycle. 

In this context the question of Mozart’s faith is inevitable but still many writers take it as fundamentalist assumption of his Catholicism. Just like he never refuse to obey the archbishop of Salzburg Count Hieronymus von Coloredo. Or like Mozart was not engaged in freemasonry. There are even some symbolic connections between Masonic music and Requiem. The Introitus opens with mysterious phases of fagotti and corni di bassetto accompanied by strings and basso continuo. This setting was often used for illustration of the secret or mystery. The problem of composer’s religious views is not easy to solve because too many authors do not distinguish between the quest for truth and their private religious feelings. Artists are in quite different situation. They have full rights to express personal beliefs.

Mozart – Requiem – Karl Böhm (1971)

Among many great recordings of Mozart’s Requiem the legend for decades was the one Karl Böhm recorded with Vienna Philharmonic for the Deutsche Grammophon in 1971. The orchestra and Vienna State Opera Concert Choir were the same as in five years earlier recording by István Kertész for Decca Records but effect obtained by Böhm is quite oposite. He resolved the dilemma of dramatic tension in Mozart’s Requiem and apparent fear of death by balancing elements of horror with cantilena parts, especially for solo voices. He has great group of soloists. Bright soprano of Edith Mathis, dark but open alto of Julia Hamari, lyric tenor of Wiesław Ochman and dramatic bass of Karl Ridderbusch – the whole quartet sounds rich and transparent especially in Tuba mirum where every personality is quite readable and moving and in quartet they sound just phenomenal. Vocal parts are the greatest reward and consolation for the Christian existentialism of this interpretation. Böhm’s rendition of Requiem is extremely traditional, with very slow tempi strengthening the solemn character of the key parts of the work. Just like he was trying like to express, we have no other choice than to surrender and believe in God’s providence and in principles.

Karl Böhm – Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony F Minor op. 36

One of most versatile composers of romantic era was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (in Russian – Пётр Ильич Чайковский) who was developing symphonic music just as surpassing Brahms’ achievements and opening perspectives for post-romantic emotionalism manifest later in symphonies composed by Dvorak, Bruckner and Mahler. It is hard to overrate his symphonies worth, even if he is well known for different forms and genres. And it is characteristic, his style is very personal in every genre and work, in symphonies or songs, compositions for piano or ballets, operas or religious music, and despite of early works his music is always touched by his own, idiomatic and almost intimate emotions. His attitude towards classical forms was very modern, free from dichotomy between nationalistic romanticism represented by group of five composers called Moguchaya kuchka (Russian – Могучая кучка) and on the other side a group cosmopolitan academic composers continuing composing in the manner of German classical school. It is interesting he remained in good relation with both sides of the stylistic conflict Mily Balakirev and Anton Rubinstein.
He perceive classical forms as an almost neutral container for emotional expression. Tchaikovsky’s six symphonies mark composer’s way to establish his own equilibrium of classical forms and individual emotions. After testing and exposing his approach in first three symphonies, in fourth he began series of great works which represent grandiose synthesis of contradicted traditions. Sublime of Russian imperial culture and ideas of Western European music braided in Tchaikovsky’s 4th, 5th, 6th and in Manfred Symphony, gave composer position of one of the greatest composers in nineteen century. His highly elevated, romantic solution became turning point in the history of Russian culture. Despite of this Tchaikovsky has been accused as too much cosmopolite by ideologists of communistic regime, who by the way were in many cases zealous followers of Russian nationalistic ideas.

Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony in Karl Böhm Ausgabe

Searching for solution of creative dilemmas, Pyotr Tchaikovsky created Symphony No. 4 F Minor op. 36 in four part form which setup is straightforward reference to constructions of Beethoven’s late symphonies. The narrative mode of constructing symphonic work descends from pre-romantic symphonic style of late Beethoven and Schubert, but most influential were depictive-programmatic symphonic works Liszt and Berlioz. There also some clear reflections of Russian heritage. Wide almost vocal phrase in Andantino could be seen as idiomatic for Russian style. Pizzicato ostinato in Scherzo sounds just like Russian balalaika. In final Allegro con fuoco Tchaikovsky incorporated as a refrain theme folk song In the Field Stood a Birch Tree (originally – Во поле берёза стояла). All this let him save national character of this work, achieving the highest volume of emotional amplitude.
On this equilibrium is based interesting recording of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony made in 1978 by Karl Böhm with London Symphony Orchestra. Probably most disciplined orchestra in Europe with charismatically consequent and moderate, arbitrary exacting conductor made this work very classical in emotional balance and structural construction. Maybe this rendition is not as much dramatic as Gennady Rozhdestvensky’s interpretation with Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra, for sure it is not so much lyrical as it was Igor Markevitch’s recording with LSO. Böhm is reading Symphony F Minor somewhere between solemn pathos and virtuoso glitter. And he is deadly consequent. Narrative gesture and wide emotional span makes this vision closer to Bruckner’s academicism than any composer of Russian romanticism.

Karl Böhm – Beethoven’s 5th Symphony C Minor op. 67

   One of most acclaimed European conductors in second half of 20th Century was undoubtedly Karl Böhm. Born in Graz he started studying law, and just after received doctor degree, he turn to musical studies in Graz conservatory. In 1921 Bruno Walter engaged him to Bavarian State Opera in Munich. Later he worked with orchestras in Darmstadt, Hamburg and in 1934 he become the head of Semper Opera in Dresden, where he replaced Fritz Bush, who was dismissed as anti-nazi opposition. After the war and two year denazification ban he was active in Vienna Philharmonic, Salzburg Festival and Staatskapelle Dresden. Debut in Metropolitan Opera in 1957 opened new chapter in his career. For the next two decades he became most credible interpreter of classical period symphonic and opera works. 

Beethoven 5th Symphony in Karl Böhm Ausgabe

   Recorded in 1970 Beethoven’s 5th Symphony became one of his best achievements. There are many qualities causing this rendition is an obligatory position in Beethoven’s catalogue.  In predominant part of Allegro con brio he can be seen as too conservative, raising solid construction in steady tempi and consequent dynamics he is telling us about Beethoven’s music enough to stay focused but nothing more than it was already said. But in recapitulation he intensifying expression and bursting out with Manichaean vision where can be no place for hesitation. This make Andante con moto flowing softly with such subtle energy.
   Charming and calm second part finds reflection in Allegro, where light articulation helps to animate fugato theme. It looks like Böhm is stopping emotions for the moment when Finale explodes in triumphal exposition. Total control makes extreme expression didn’t force classical phrase. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is sounding classical and light. And this is obviously the secret of the artistry.