Brahms' Symphonies

Funny Klemperer story. He was engaged to conduct the Philharmonia in one of the series of inaugural concerts at the Royal Festival Hall, and given carte blanche regarding the repertoire [ahead of his fellow conductors!], but with the proviso that he included one major British work. Klemperer was adept at getting his own way, and chose the Elgar Enigma Variations, well aware that the piece has a very important role for organ. Days before hand it was clear that the organ would not be working, and Klemperer was asked what should be done. He cancelled the Elgar and substituted Brahms, as he felt unable [as he said, presumably with a huge internal grin at having got his own way, as he intended from the start] that he felt unable to do justice to any new English repertoire at such short notice! The concert was one his first major post war London successes, and started his relationship with the Philharmonia, though no one realised it at the time.

His first real London concert success was in 1930 with Bruckner Eight. The audience apparently roared at the end of that!

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by graham55:
George, I'll have to listen rather more to my new Karajan set, and compare like-for-like with Klemperer in 3,5,6 and 7. But, on an initial hearing, the orchestra sounds so different. So something of the conductor's art must be going on in there somewhere.

G

The difference is so often in the balance of wind to string sections. And Klemperer makes the wind band a real motivating force. Karajan's orchestral balance, while not covering the winds, does put more weight onto the strings. Listen to the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth for a stricking example of a very different actual orchestral balance the two seemed habitually to get, and also sense of the inner lines being made like Bach's counterpoint, an equal to the strings, often even in the forte tutti. This is a reflection of what Klemperer so often managed in the concert hall as revealed in the old BBC series of recordings from 1957 onwards.

It is a fascinating diversity of approach! Klemperer worked very hard for this, as the Philharmonia was relatively well supplied with strings compared to other London orchestras [except the BBC SO], and so getting the winds forward in the balance was going against the prevailing tradition, and not just in london, in the early fifties. Interestingly Klemperer never managed to pursuade the BPOto play with the winds forward, though the VPO fully complied with his constant request. I am not sure the BPO liked him much, whereas the VPO revered him ..

ATB from George

Just downloaded the Klemperer set from HMV (£4.99!!) and had a quick listen last night. Early impressions are a very big wow indeed! I'd like to check the score to see if those sforzando effects he insists on in the finale of the 4th are really what Brahms asked for, but early impressions are of awesome set of recordings.

EW