Klemeprer at 85.
Posted by: u5227470736789439 on 17 July 2009
Otto klemperer is still famous nowadays as one of the supreme masters of Beethoven on the conductors podium.
Here is an amazing youtube film in four parts of Klemperer leading the New York Philharmonic is a performance of the Fifth Symphony in C Minor by Beethoven in 1970, which though he was in his eighty-fifth year seems to show the old fires burning as bright as ever in that musical furnace!
Never rushed, this performance, when one looks at the times is clearly no slower than Tosacanini in New York [with the NBC Orschestra], so one might ask the question, "Why does it not feel over-driven or over-wraught?"
The answer is simple in the sense that Klemperer never rushed into crescendi [passges getting louder] but always judged his tempi according to the emotional architecture based on harmony, rather dynamic considerations, and thus produced performances that have the feel of utter integrity, and also a durable style which whilst it may be surpassed in excistement by other more superfiscial musicians' efforts will never fail to satisfy in the long view.
Essentially one is left with Beethoven's inspiration rather than a whipped-up distortion of his creation.
Klemperer, though the most determined of conductors, was in fact the most selfless and natural musician.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYl3gR4Ar0Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...nhyg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Fo-g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...UKbE&feature=related
The most amazing thing is that Klemperer comsistently extracted a performance of utter lucidity from the orchestra, and the players themselves were powerless to explain it.
ATB from George.
Here is an amazing youtube film in four parts of Klemperer leading the New York Philharmonic is a performance of the Fifth Symphony in C Minor by Beethoven in 1970, which though he was in his eighty-fifth year seems to show the old fires burning as bright as ever in that musical furnace!
Never rushed, this performance, when one looks at the times is clearly no slower than Tosacanini in New York [with the NBC Orschestra], so one might ask the question, "Why does it not feel over-driven or over-wraught?"
The answer is simple in the sense that Klemperer never rushed into crescendi [passges getting louder] but always judged his tempi according to the emotional architecture based on harmony, rather dynamic considerations, and thus produced performances that have the feel of utter integrity, and also a durable style which whilst it may be surpassed in excistement by other more superfiscial musicians' efforts will never fail to satisfy in the long view.
Essentially one is left with Beethoven's inspiration rather than a whipped-up distortion of his creation.
Klemperer, though the most determined of conductors, was in fact the most selfless and natural musician.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYl3gR4Ar0Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...nhyg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Fo-g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...UKbE&feature=related
The most amazing thing is that Klemperer comsistently extracted a performance of utter lucidity from the orchestra, and the players themselves were powerless to explain it.
ATB from George.
Many thks for the links George. 