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Chandos

Furtwangler: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor

$21.99

Details

Composer
Wilhelm Furtwangler
Artist
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
Jun 20, 2025
Catalog #
CHAN 20373
UPC
0095115237328

About

Wilhelm Furtwangler was born in Schoneberg (now a district of Berlin) in 1886, but spent most of his childhood in Munich, where his father, an archaeologist, taught at the university. He received a musical education from an early age, and soon became obsessed with the works of Beethoven - a lifelong fascination. Furtwangler considered himself to be a composer, and learned to conduct principally to be able to promote his own works. Everyone else saw him as an incredibly talented conductor, but as a composer? - not so much. It is, however, his own individual approach that underscores his entire career - his reputation as a conductor was built on the re-interpretation of each score he conducted, a principle far removed from the then more usual rigid adherence to performance tradition. His whole career was built on his belief in the sanctity of the German artistic tradition - not only of music but of literature and philosophy. Furtwangler rose to the most important conductorships available, replacing Richard Strauss at the Staatskapelle Berlin in 1920, and then, following the sudden death of Arthur Nikisch, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic. Through the 1930s and '40s, his career was defined by his opposition to Nazism, and the determination of the regime to use his international reputation as propaganda to promote their cause. The best known of his three symphonies, the second was composed in 1945 - 46 whilst he was self-exiled in Switzerland.

Tracklist 4 tracks

  1. 1 I. Assai moderato 23:48
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Assai moderato
    Duration
    23:48
    Composer
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
    Ensemble
    Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Neeme Järvi
  2. 2 II. Andante semplice 10:52
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Andante semplice
    Duration
    10:52
    Composer
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
    Ensemble
    Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Neeme Järvi
  3. 3 III. Un poco moderato - Più allegro - Moderato - Tempo I 15:43
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Un poco moderato - Più allegro - Moderato - Tempo I
    Duration
    15:43
    Composer
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
    Ensemble
    Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Neeme Järvi
  4. 4 IV. Langsam - Moderato andante - Allegro molto - Moderato - Langsam - Moderato - Presto 23:13
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Langsam - Moderato andante - Allegro molto - Moderato - Langsam - Moderato - Presto
    Duration
    23:13
    Composer
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
    Ensemble
    Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Neeme Järvi