Wilhelm Furtwängler

Early Life and Education
Career Beginnings
Rise to Prominence
World War II and Controversy
Post-War Career and Legacy
 

Early Life and Education

Wilhelm Furtwängler was born in Berlin, Germany, on January 25, 1886, into a cultured and intellectual family. His father, Adolf Furtwängler, was a prominent archaeologist, and his mother, Adelheid Wendt, was a painter. Growing up in an environment steeped in the arts, Furtwängler displayed an early affinity for music. By 11, he had already composed his first symphony, demonstrating his precocious talent. He studied under the guidance of several prominent musicians, including Anton Beer-Walbrunn, and was heavily influenced by the works of Beethoven, Brahms, and Bruckner.

Career Beginnings

Furtwängler’s conducting career began at a young age. His first significant appointment was in 1906 as the conductor of the municipal opera in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland). His reputation quickly grew, and he went on to hold positions in Zurich, Munich, and Strasbourg. By 1922, he had secured the prestigious role of principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, a position he would hold for the rest of his life.

Rise to Prominence

In the 1920s and 1930s, Furtwängler established himself as one of the leading conductors of his time. His interpretations of the Germanic repertoire, particularly the works of Beethoven, Wagner, and Brahms, were hailed for their emotional depth, structural clarity, and spiritual intensity. Furtwängler’s conducting style was characterized by his ability to bring out the underlying architecture of a piece while imbuing it with a profound sense of drama and urgency.

He was revered in Germany and gained international acclaim, conducting orchestras across Europe and the United States. His recordings from this period are still considered benchmarks in classical music.

World War II and Controversy

Furtwängler’s career was deeply affected by the political turmoil of the 1930s and 1940s. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he chose to remain in Germany during the Nazi regime. This decision has been a source of significant controversy. Furtwängler maintained that his continued presence in Germany was an act of resistance, believing he could protect the German musical tradition and some of his Jewish colleagues by staying. Indeed, he used his influence to help several Jewish musicians escape persecution.

However, his decision to conduct in Germany during the Nazi era, including at official events attended by high-ranking Nazi officials, led to accusations of collaboration. After the war, Furtwängler was briefly banned from conducting and faced a denazification trial. He was eventually cleared of all charges, but the controversy surrounding his wartime activities has remained controversial.

Post-War Career and Legacy

After being cleared in the denazification process, Furtwängler resumed his career with renewed vigor. He returned to the Berlin Philharmonic and continued to conduct internationally, with notable performances at La Scala in Milan, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Lucerne Festival. His post-war recordings, particularly his interpretations of Beethoven’s symphonies, are considered some of the greatest ever made.

Wilhelm Furtwängler died on November 30, 1954, in Baden-Baden, Germany. Despite the controversies surrounding him, he is remembered as one of the twentieth century’s greatest conductors. His influence on the art of conducting and his interpretations of the core German repertoire have left an indelible mark on the world of classical music.

Furtwängler’s legacy is complex. He is revered for his musical genius and contributions to classical music, but his life and career also remind us of the moral ambiguities faced by artists in times of political oppression. His recordings continue to be celebrated, offering insights into the mind of a conductor who, despite the shadows of his time, sought to preserve the purity and power of the musical tradition he so deeply cherished.

Sources: John Ardoin. The Furtwängler Record. Amadeus Press, 1994.
Michael Kater. The Twisted Muse: Musicians and Their Music in the Third Reich. Oxford University Press, 1997.
Chris Walton. Wilhelm Furtwängler: Art and the Politics of the Unpolitical. University of Rochester Press, 2006.
Roger Allen. Furtwängler and Germany: From Rise to Fall. Ashgate, 2010.
Fred Prieberg. “Furtwängler, Wilhelm: Conductor or Collaborator?,” The Musical Quarterly, vol. 82, no. 1, 1998, pp. 43-57.
David Hurwitz. “The Furtwängler Controversy Revisited,” Music & Letters, vol. 84, no. 2, 2003, pp. 245-252.
“New York Times,” patangel.free.fr.

Photo: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.