Karl Böhm's Last Concert in Japan

Dear Kuma,

The film you linked is Beethoven's Second Symphony. It is a very clear recording, and I love the way the Third Movement [Minuet and Trio] goes!

I have found the film you wanted to post from the second half of the same concert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Wamrwztow

And indeed the French Horn does split a note at the point you suggest. What a pity Bohm pulls such a face. Both the horn player and Bohm were frail humans. 

Bohm was a respected old style conductor who had an extremely high opinion of himself. There is a wonderful story about a VPO concert on home ground in the Musikverein in the early 1970s playing Beethoven's Eroica, and there was a power cut that put out all the lights. The orchestra continued as if nothing had happened in the dark, and the when the lights came back it was as if nothing exceptional had happened. As he walked off the stage Bohm said to the orchestra leader, "It is a good job that I kept conducting while the lights were out." 

So here is an equally aged |Otto Klemperer playing the Seventh in 1970 with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, which shows an altogether happier working relationship with another great orchestra under a famous German conductor!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiIh80jYeGE

Faster, more dynamic and yet affectionate and warm as well. There is a an element of joyful wit here as well as superb ensemble playing that yields a very powerful and humane result. And for an example of a conductor and orchestra on the same wavelength watch especially the beatific expression on Klemperer's face in the Second Movement, when he winks at the First Violins to encourage them to play even quieter! It is no wonder that he was deeply beloved of that orchestra ...

ATB from George

George,

Thanks for correcting the link. I thought I put the right one! 

Klemperer and Böhm has very different style in terms of performance and management style for sure.  

I do believe that art isn't born under democracy.  Toscanini's notorious tantrum is so not necessary but I respect what he has achieved with NBC Orchestra.

Böhm's earlier 7th is one of my favourite. Also, I love his late Mozart symphonies.

I have read that Böhm was a strict disciplinarian and made many hours of repeated rehearsals which VPO musicians are usually not accustomed to so there was a friction between him and the musicians. ( Karajan was quoted saying that he is not fond of working with VPO when giving them creative directions sometimes, they talk back to the maestro asking  *why*. Berlin Phil musicians, OTOH, they follow his direction without any questions. )

Dear Kuma,

Certainly the role of the conductor [and orchestral leader] is not a democratic one at all, but there are different schools of leadership. Persuasion or compulsion. Unfortunately compulsion can produce exactly the kind of nervous response that that poor Horn player made for Bohm. 

If you ever get the chance to listen to Toscanini with the BBC SO in the 1930s you will find a top rank orchestra playing on and occasionally just over the edge the seat. If you ever get the chance also to listen to the 1952 Brahms Symphony cycle that Toscanini led in concerts with the Philharmonia you will find nervousness all about, and some horrendous mistakes. [Issued at full price onb CD by Testament Records]. Yet even the NBC Orchestra [more or less run for the benefit of Toscanini in those days] they were used to his ranting [and immune to it to a degree], and played much better for him though they were not actually a superior band to the BBC SO or Philharmonia. 

I can tell you that I have myself played under conductors who were persuasive and those who were actually dictatorial.

Players always give more for the persuasive ones. They take more risks as a fluff is simply spilt milk rather than a reason for a major row or embarrassing frown when something goes wrong. All that happens then is that the players simply play technically safe. The life drains from the music though the surface shines. To be honest there are three conductors I dislike intensely as dictators, Bohm, Szell, and Toscanini, and yet these have tremendous followings, particularly posthumously, for their technically perfect [and much edited to get there] recordings.

However there even a persuasive conductor may have to occasionally have a rant, when a rehearsal produces inattentive playing. If the rant is fair, then no fear is generated in the players, and that is the difference.

I have a recording of Klemperer rehearsing the Don Giovanni Overture. Apart from not saying very much when nothing need be said, he is encouraging, and when something was wrong he simply told them it was "Not good," before making a suggestion of technical nature as to how it would be more easily be played. Telling top flight violinists how to finger a passage is very brave and gains respect if the point is right enough. Klemperer added that he knew this one bar [which sounds perfectly easy] is a technical nightmare, and had worked out the way himself! The players tried it, and the issue was solved. That is a conductor on top of his brief, gaining respect and results without anything more than stopping and saying, "Not good." When the place was immediately redone, Klemperer bellows at them, "Good ... very good! Keep going!"

They then played for a good few minutes and he stops them again to discuss the tone to be used, "Please play that part we did before as timid, and then grow in confidence. Then you will really have it!"

Then they played it exactly right, and the tape runs out.

Even when there was a big mistake in some strange [to the players] music, Klemperer would stop the orchestra, and say something along the lines. "I think you played some wrong notes here!" in a chuckling buckling voice. Only if an orchestra would not work on the persuasive method would Klemperer explode [though legend has it that it was more common with him in his younger days in the 1920s!], and though there were a few examples later on examples they were rare. He also hated any form of self-satisfaction. There was a story in his very early days with the Philharmonia when an especially difficult woodwind solo went very well, and the rest of the orchestra produced a ripple of clapping. Klemperer waited for it to stop and noted rather dryly perhaps. "I see applause is easy in London!" 

Another persuasive conductor was John Barbirolli, long before it was no longer fashionable to be a dictator of the podium! He got wonderful performances as well.

Persuasive conductors produce confidence and subtlety from their players. For certain it requires a big character to be persuasive to maintain discipline and the highest possible musical standards without resort to abrasive tactics. 

ATB from George

Speaking of wonderful rapport with musicians, I love this Beecham's interaction with his orchestra members. He was against unnecessary repeated rehearsals according this interview.

Beecham tended to favour lighter scores but very different approach from Böhm and Toscanini.

Beecham was exceptional! He also knew exactly what music he was in sympathy with and avoided that which he was not! Orchestral musicians always seemed to be in sympathy with Beecham!

No Bach Matthew Passions or Bruckner Symphonies from him, but some of the most deft Mozart ever set down in recordings!

ATB from George

His Schubert wasn't that bad either. 

This is a full biography of above YouTube snipet. There are many interviews from his former musicians how it is work with Sir Thomas. 

Tommy

I've added the link as it looks like they won't let me embed the video here.

Lovely post, George! The long one...