Because I love Chick-fil-A restaurants so much, I’m back here again, this time listening to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major as rendered by Franz Konwitschny, the quirky German conductor who always delivers a fine performance but who isn’t as well known these days as he probably should be.
From his bio on Wikipedia,
Franz Konwitschny (August 14, 1901, Fulnek, Moravia – July 28, 1962, Belgrade) was a German conductor and violist.
He started his career on the viola, playing in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Wilhelm Furtwängler. In 1925, he moved to Vienna, where he played the viola with the Fitzner Quartet. He also began teaching at the Wiener Volkskonservatorium. He later became a conductor, joining the Stuttgart Opera in 1927. From 1949 until his death he was principal conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. From 1953 until 1955 he was also principal conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle and from 1955 onward he led the Berlin State Opera.
Like Furtwängler, Konwitschny used “expansive gestures” and had a “dislike of an exact beat.” Konwitschny recorded a complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies.
He was given the nickname Kon-whisky because of his heavy drinking habits.
Whatever his quirks – maybe it’s because of his quirks – I like the guy.
Speaking of quirks, this little CD box set is incredibly quirky – but exceptionally well done. It is, in fact, how a box set of symphonies from a legendary conductor ought to be done. I am thankful to the Berlin Classics label for producing this gem.
So…
I listened to Franz Konwitschny the first time back in my Bruckner days (2016-2017) in which I listened to all nine numbered symphonies from Anton Bruckner, from two dozen CD box sets, for nearly seven months (see 144 Days With Bruckner And Me). I believe Konwitschny was one of the conductors in a box set that featured several different conductors. That’s when I first encountered his name.
In my Beethoven project, I’ve heard him twice so far: Day 13 and Day 31.
Both deserved the coveted “Huzzah!” rating reserved only for performances and recordings that are exceptional.
I wonder what today’s performance will bring?
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major), from this particular conductor (Kontwitschny, at age 59) and this particular orchestra (Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra), at this particular time in history (Recorded March 1-15, 1960) on this particular record label (Berlin Classics) is as follows:
I. Allegro con brio………………………………………………………………………19:57
II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai……………………………………………….16:00
III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio…………………………………………………6:12
IV. Finale: Allegro molto – Poco andante – Presto…………………..11:32
Total running time: 53:01
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (an excellent recording with only a very slight tape hiss and a few odd ambient sounds)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 5 (two essays that contain exceptional historical and technical detail by Matthias Hansen and Werner Wolf)
How does this make me feel: 5
Another home run. An instant “Huzzah!”, the third in a row for Franz Konwitschny.
This recording is crisp, clean, and powerful. It has punch.
Most important, it holds my interest – even the long first movement. At nearly 20 minutes, Konwitschny’s Movement I is almost as long as Beethoven’s entire First Symphony. And yet it works, from start to finish.
So far, I’m really enjoying this box set of Beethoven symphonies conducted by Franz Konwitschny.