Horenstein Conducts Liszt/Wagner/Bruckner

8
JASCHA HORENSTEIN conducts BRUCKNER TISZT WAGNER Waming: All Riqhts Reserued. Unauthorized duplication is a Vaolaıion o1 applicable lM First issued on LP in the 1950s TıjK(s) @ Vox LEGEN0S . lvarca(s) Registrada(s) . Pranled in U's A. @ & O 1992 THE MoSS MUSIC GRoUP, a division 0l Essex Entertainmenl, lnc. 560 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Clifls, NJ 07632 PI-EASE WRITE FOR A COMPLETE CTTAI,OG /T\ w cDx 2-5504 vqıLrc:EıııIıs

description

An interesting article on Faust, Liszt and Wagner's symphonic works on this theme and Bruckner's Apocaliptic Symphony, No.8, written by Joseph Braunstein

Transcript of Horenstein Conducts Liszt/Wagner/Bruckner

Page 1: Horenstein Conducts Liszt/Wagner/Bruckner

JASCHA HORENSTEINconducts

BRUCKNERTISZT

WAGNER

Waming: All Riqhts Reserued. Unauthorized duplication is a Vaolaıion o1 applicable lMFirst issued on LP in the 1950s

TıjK(s) @ Vox LEGEN0S . lvarca(s) Registrada(s) . Pranled in U's A.@ & O 1992 THE MoSS MUSIC GRoUP, a division 0l Essex Entertainmenl, lnc.

560 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Clifls, NJ 07632PI-EASE WRITE FOR A COMPLETE CTTAI,OG

/T\wcDx 2-5504

vqıLrc:EıııIıs

Page 2: Horenstein Conducts Liszt/Wagner/Bruckner

It would not be incorrect, I beüeve, to call the basic Faust legend one of the oldest, if not most

populaı, in vestern religious folklore. The story of the wlse, iust man, tempt€d by evil and

either succumbing or refusing the temptation has becn the subject of counüess legends, poems,

and ballads.for centuries. Even the Book ofJob has something ln common wlth the Fıust legend

in the opening exchanges between God and satan in ıvhich the const]ınc} ofJob's hith isdiscussed and finally put to the test. of course Job had nothing to say ln thls matter, ınd hıstemptation consisted in merely denying his faith and cursing hls God, to say nothlng of the

fact that the mode of this temptation was exceedingly unpleasant to say the least.

The basic Faüst lcgend as known to us today had its beginning in the puppet pla1s ofmedteval

Europe. These little dramas were the connecting bridge between the earlier religious moralityplap and the secııiır theater that finally developed. The early veısions were a mixture of religion,

comedy (of the very earthy sort), philisophical meanderings, and a good hunk of pagan

mythology. The opening between God and the Devil ıvaş quite doıvn to earth. Faust himselfwııs a very odd blend of wisdom and foolery, and the plays as a whole were quite naivğ

Christopher Marloıye took these puppet plays as a starting point and wrote a very fine play,

Dı Faustus, which is still the süject of revivals from time to time, that contains the very hmousdescripüon of Helen of Tfoy; "The tıce that launched a thousand ships.'' From then on Faust

appeaıed in a number of versions for the stage, and a vast number of eaıly Faust operas were

brought out. These have disappeared, some with reason, others because Goethe's conception

rvas so fine that any other became second rate In hct, Spohr's rbus, is qüte a fine example

of early romanüc opera, but the book is quite aı variance with what we knoıv today as "Faust.''

Goethe's play, or poem, is a vast, sprawling work that is really quite unsüuble for the sage

in its complet€ form. There are certain scenes that are impossible to pmduce ıvithout destmyipg

the beauty of their literary content. Of course there have been productions both here and on

the conünent, but Goethe'sIbusü is really a most unsütable süiect. German composers have

always steered cleaı of it as a mattef of prudence; even Meyerbeer, who probably ırould have

made a huge success out of a Faust'opera,and who never let reverence for any subiect whichhe thought would be "effectivd' stand in his way (such as a ballet of damned nuns in ioDeı,the Da,it,bathing scenes in LeS Huguenots, and a skating sceneink Pıophdtğ wen Meyerbeer

was reported to have turned down the Barbier and Carr6 libretto saying that Iaus, rvas "the-2-

Aık of the Covenant, not to be prchned ıpith music.'' Gounod üought otherwise aııd pıoceeded

to "profane" it with great success, although there is not much of Goethe in his ıvork.Since Goethds countrymen decided against setting their own literary iewel, other composeıs

had no such compunctions, and a great number of woıks were produced using the play-poem

as theiı basis. Unfortunately, because of üıe vasüıess of the scope of this great poem, the libretti

of üese worlrs either had to be cut ruthlessly in order to present a cerain unity, as in Gounod's

case (rvhere a brief segment of the work was chosen), or the libretto became overburdened

with "plot'' and the final resıılt was disiointed, as in the case of Boito's tlefisnfele (whichtried to cram too much into too small a space). other composers' operaüc versions suffered

from the same trouble.Berlioz tried to solve this by anoüer coırx.|ItsDamnaİion de Fauştşrcrıtınore in the diıection

of an impression of certain portions of the work, and did not aspire to be an opera. It was

a "dramatic cııtıİa'' suitable for performance on the concert stage. \r/hen it was staged as

a visual üama, the work lost a great deal of its power and has never really been successful

in this guise.

Franz Liszt perhaps hits on üe most successful soluüon. The Faust Symphony is less ofa musical description of Goethds poem, and more a personal musical expression of the work'stotal effect on the composer. This type of work is most atypical of Liszt, who gloried in quite

literal effects, and whose larger symphonic poems are explicit to a point of over-elaborateness.

Here in the rbus t symphony ğrcn Liszt was held in check by the reverence he felt for this vast

poem. Before continuinS, I think it would be wise to point out that in the original German

rbusl is much more effective thın in tfanslation, especially English translation. The rvork is

wfitten in rhymed couplets, which in English can be perilously close to doggerel. The ıvorkin the original does not seem to give this impression, and this is one of the rsasons that non-

German composers had very littte fear in mutilating the work to theif oıvn satisfaction.

Now, Franz Liszt was never afuıid ofbeing "sensational.'' Personally, he rvas attractive to

ırcmen, his aftirs werc notorious, his mistıessş weıt ütled, and his illegitimaıe pmgeny legion.

Both as a man and ııs a composer he managed to combine with a great deal of success that

rather strzınge blend ofreligion and sex. In fuct, he ended his da1t as an abb't6, becıme very

friendly with the Pope, and composed ı great deal of rather perfumed and epicene religious-J-

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music.fiıe idea for a&ust Symphony wu su88est€d to usztby berlioz' Damnation de Faust, wfuch

appeared in the 1840ş, Beılloz ln hls memolrs lelates that he had a visit from Liszt the daybefore the former's ıvoık rccelved |ts 0rct performınce, ınd that they discussed Goethds ıvork,ş,hich at the üme Llszt hed not ııs yet ıead, but whlch he şoon became enthusiastic about.

|lowever, ten yeafs ıvert to pıss befoıe he started on the symphony, Shortty before he beganhe ıvİot€ to his friend Prtncei's Sıyn-Mttgensteln thıt he enöünea'consldefi'ıe Jorut' rlortthe w.ork and felt that "anything by Goethe ls too dangerous for me to hendl€.,' Some timelateı he expressed a certıİn attitude that "Faust seemed i dec'idedly bouryeolş chaıacter. . . hlspersondity-scatters and dissipates, he loses his way, and is oıılyinterestec ın his orvn pettyhappiness." Despite this rıther odd statement, this treatment oiFaust is certainly onu oihi'finest ıvoıks. The symphony was first performed in Veimr under the composer's baton onDecember 5th, ı857. The work itselfwas completed three years before in the amazingly shortspace oftwo months. In the intervening yeaıs Liszt experimented with the work aıid addedthe final chorus(the work can be performed with or wiüout this closing section, but the chorusadds a great deaı to it}

The symphony is in three movements and is more of an impression than a retelling of thestory in symphonic terms. The first movement' "Fa|.ıst," is an extraordinary musıcal ğortraitof the man (is the portrait offaust or Liszt?). It is a difficult movement ta anılyzebecaor.ofits complexity, both musical and philosophical. It begins with a slow introduction statingtıvo of üe principal themes, the fişt of ıvhich may be said to represent the magical natureof Faust, and the second his emotional character. The music that iollows is frü oI storm andstress in which moıe themes are added and the first two are elaborated upon in iuxtaposition.The movement ends with a dyirıg venion of the second theme, as if the main characar orpresseda doubt as to his oıvn emotions.

The second movement, "Grerchen" (Maryuerite), be$ns with an intmduction in the flutesand clarinets, ıvith a theme tha we mıy call the "Gıttchen themd' in the solo oboe accompaniedby the viola. The repeated phrase in the flute and clarinets has been called by many a depictionof the young girl plucking the petals fıom a flower: "he loves me, he loves me not." A secondtheme of a moıt amoıous feeling is heard in the fint violins. As this dies away the horns indicate

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the presence of Faust and the music becomes more highly charged; theme's inteıtwine and

suggest the lovers' union. The movement ends ıvith a modified repetition of the first part,

in ıvhich the "he loves me not" theme is omitted, but the Faust theme is softly heard.

The final secüon, "Mephistopheles,'' uses the foregoing themes in parody. Liszt hit uponthis as the perfect way to express the spirit of negation. The devi-l cannot create, he can onlygive forth a distorted image. A short introducüon markedıhonico sets the mood. The two main

"Faust themes" are broken and twisted; finally, the second of these is, after a very powerful

section, heard in a fugue for the strings. The movement rushes on savagely until a sudden

pianissimo brings in the "Grehhen theme," unsullied and pure; she alone is not touched by

negaüon. This respite is brief and the orchestra whips into furious stıtements until it reaches

a crest and seems to sink into ıveariness. The re-entıy ofthe "Gferchen theme' in the hornand solo cello brings the ıvork into its final section. First the tıombones hint at the theme

and then after a slight paüse a male chorus begins to sing the chorus mysticus that ends the

second part of Goethe's poem. This is quite impossible to translate propeıly, giving its fullimplications.

Alles VergİnglicheIst nur ein Gleichnis;Das UnzulinglicheHier wird's Ereignis;Das UnbeschreiblicheHier wird's getan;

Das Ewig VeibücheZieht uns hinan

A]] that İs tnnsitoryIs merely a simile;The incompleteIs here fıı[fi]]ed;

The inexpressibleHere is attained;The etemal feminineDnws us onwatd

At the words "Ewig Veibliche" the tenor solo enters, singing the "Gretchen theme," soaring

higher and higher until the ıvhole passage is fepeated in solemn fanfares, İottissimo. Again

the soloist raises the "Gretchen theme'' to its heights and the ıvork ends in a triımphant calm.

During the ıvinter of 1839/40 young Vagner and his rvife Minna spent a miserable time in Paıis.

Vagner was struggling with the "Flying Dutchman, " and to keep himself alive he was forced

to write polkas and two-steps' and arrange other composers' ıvorks for the most unlikely

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instrumental combinıtıons(Le Prophtire for trombone and piano, for example). Under the all-pervading influence of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (a work that Wagner revered mightily)he composed the Faust oveİtuİe. It was planned at first to be the first movement of a FaustSymphony. The work rvas submitted to the Conservatoire and given a rehearsal reading bythem, but rvas reiected as being "too enigmatic." It was performed in Dresden in lB44 andwas a comflete failure This is not surprising, as the work is cast in the same dark idiom asthe Flying Dutchman, rvhich was also a complete mystery to its first hearers. Liszt howeversaw in it seeds of greatness and performed it in Ifeimar a few years later, and afterwards gaveWhgner a few suggestions for reworking the score. Vagner seemed most grateful for these,but answered Uszt that the ıvork could best be termed "Faust in Solitude'' (Lisz had sug8esteda Gretchen melody). He went on to say that the "feminine hovers over his imagination likea phantom of his unknown desires," and that the rvork was merely the fragment of a largerone he had never completed. Ifthe present version were ever published, Vagner continued,it would be a symphonic poem called Soliary Faust. However, the work was not publishedat the üme and it was not until 1855 when Vagner heard that Liszt was in the middle of afaust ıvork of his own that lfagner returned to his early work.. He wrote Liszt that ". . . absurdlyI have been seized by a vivid desire to rework the old Iausf oveıture, and have composedan entirely neıtr score. In a few days I shall produce it at a local concert (Zurich). . . in no caseshall I publish it." The performance was given and Liszt subsequently received a copy of thescore Through him it ıvas published.

The rvork as it stands today is ıather unique. Its second version was composed whileDiewatkiiıe wıs in progress and ias rtü eingotd was completed. The work op.n'

'oith a terse and

rather somber passage that resolves into a weird figure that is quite lfagnerian. This is follorvedby a beautiful section in the maior mode, suggesüve of salvation, that is interrupted by a savageoutburst in the orchestra and subsides mouınfully into a passage for the violins where themain theme assumes a definite shape. A loud crash and a pause tbllow, and a rapid passagebegins and rushes to a climax, ıvhich introduces a figure that bears out the contention thatthe work was conceived under the influence of Beethoven's Ninth. The ıvork continues witha t€$eness and economy ofstyle üat is quite unusual for Vhgner. The second subiect, beautifiılly

scored and in the style of Elsa's music in Lohengrin, begins softly. The tnusic increases inintensity, then gives şny to a feeling of despaiı that submerges the entire orchestra. At lastthe vioüns remain with a vague reminiscence of the fifst subiect. The violins swing upward,and the ıvork ends as though bathed in the light of daıvn.

İranzliszt once compared Richard Vagneı's Nibelungen tetraıogy to an enormous mountainrange This very appropriate meaphor can also be appüed to the symphonic creations of AntonBruckner. Iike immense icy peala rising to lofty heights above the vallep and humuı settlements,Bruckner's symphonies form a mighty range culminating in the majesüc and granüose Eighth.This was the last symphonic work that its creator was able to give to the rvorld in a completeform. In his sheer titanic struggle over the finale of the Ninth, Bruckner succumbed to a deadlyillness, leaving behind the Ninth as the gleatest torso of musical literature Bruckneı commencedthe Eighth in 1884. He was then sixty years of age and only on the threshold of success andrecognition. Not one of his three great masses nas printed and only one of seven symphoniespublished (the Fifth and Seventh were still unperformed). The events that turned tha tide inhis favor üd not occur in Vienna, but in Germany. Bruckner's Vienna was also the Viennaof Eduard Hanslick and Hans Richter. Both were powerfiıl men: Hanslick was the critic of themost influential Austrian Newspape r , Neue Fıeie Pıesse , and Hans Richter held four importantmusical posiüons in the Imperial city. He was conductor of the Court Opera, presided overthe Philharmonic orchestra and the choral concerts of the society of triends of Music, andalso conducted in the court chapel. An excellent musician of imposing appearance, he wasno doubt a clever diplomat. A wagnerian high-priest in Bayreuth and in the vienna opera,he charığioned the cause of Bnhms in the Philharmonic concerh and steeıed clear of Bruclner.ln so doing he secured the benevolence of Hanslick and the conservatives. He was electedconductor of the vienna Philharmonic in 1875 and throughout the first decade of his tenurehe did not program even one Bruckner symphony. Small ıvonder when Bruckner, deeply hurtby this attitude, spoke ofRichter as "the generalissimo ofdeceit.'' True, in 188ı Richteı ledthe Philharmonic orchestra in a performance of the Romantic symphony - but it was notin the Philharmonic series. on that occasion he and his musicians did not run the risk of

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offending the conservaüve taste of theif subscribers and ifritating the hosüle leading musiccritics by promoüng an Austrian composer who went his own aıtistic ways.

The decisive turn in Bruckner's long and bitter struggle for recogniüon came in 1884 withthe first performance of the Seventh Symphony in Leipzig under the baton of Arthur Nikisch.It was not an overwhelıning success but the brilliant musicianship, enthusiasm, andd€t€rmination ofNikisch, then twenty-nine years ofage, won a victory for his neglected friend.And ten weelıs laıer (March l88) the symphorıy scored a resounding triumph in Muniü underHermann Lrvi. Tlıis event had far_reaching repercussions. Nikisch, although being then anaccorıplished master of the baton, was still in the ııscendancy to fame. His position as firstconductor at the Municipd Theater in teipzig did not carry the greıt prestige of the post ofa Hofkapellmeister such as the one occupied by Hermann Irvi in Munich. Levi's high artisticstrnding had been lifted to an extraordinıry degree by Richard Vagner, who had conferredupon him the great honor and high privilege of conducting the first performan ces oİ Pa$ihlin Bayreuth. fiıe frrt that a musician of highest artistic standing and social pıestige championedthe cause of a composer hitherto unknown _ Ifvi had neveı heard the name before _benefitted Bruckner not only in Germany but also in his native land. His stock began to risein Vienna and Richter finally introduced in t886 the Seventh in the Philhaımonic Concerts.It was during these two eventfııl years that the [ighth Symphony came into being.

Bruckner began the composiüon in the summer of 1884 and concluded the sketch in August1885. "The composiüon of the Eighth is completed," wrote Bruc'kner to Leyi on September7, 1885, but he added "I wish the work were also finished," meaning completed in score.It took him two mofe yea$ to complete üis task. "Hallelujah! The [ighth is ıeağ at last and'my hther inart' (kiinstleischeİ |İateİ) should be the first to receive the news," reportedBruckner to L€vi on September 4, 1887. About two weeks later he dispatched the score toMunich, elated by hope and the indescribable ioy of haüng the symphony performed throughIevi's "masterly hand." I€vi lost no time in sfudying the score, but did not have a hvofableimpression ofthe new symphony. Being a sincere friend ofBruckner, Irvi found himselfina painfrıl predicament. IIe did not dare to face the composer even by letters and to tell himof his own inability to undeıstand the new work and to admit his lack of courage to perfofmit. Irvi was fiılly aware ofthe terrible shock this bad news ıvas bound to have on Bruckner,

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and he appealed to Josef Schalk, one of Bruckner's most trusted pupils, for help Schalkundertook this sad mission and informed his master of Levi's reiection. This message causedBruckner to suffer a nervous collapse and he even enteraiıied thoughts of suicide Nwerthelesshe continued his corrcspondence with L'evi and expıessed his willingrıess to ıarise the symphony.

In the meantime he had commenced the Ninth and taken up the revision of thoThiıdsymphony. The revision of the Eighth was_ elventually carried out between August lggg andMarch 1890. But the pıosp€cts of a performince in Munich were gone, because ıevı had retıredfrom the direction of the concerts. He recommended Felix rreingartner in Mannheim, whoconsent€d to program the Eighth duıiiıg the Vinter season of l89l, and Bruckner looked forıvardto the performance with excitement. Meanwhile weingartner received an appointment asconductof of the Court operı and the Conceıts of the Royal orchestra in Berlin and he leftMannheim prior to the end of the season. This unexpected change also dashed the hopes fora Mannheim performance of the Eighth, but after having run the gamut of disappointmentand despaiı, Bruckner had the great saüsfaction of having the symphony accepted by HansRichter and the Philharmonic oıchestra. It was plıyed on December |8,1892, and was ıeceivedıvith great enthusiasm. Even Hanslick and the Brahms partisans acknowledged Bruckner'ssuccess. Hugo Vblfcalled it '? complete victory ofthe light over the daıkness" and Bruckner,deeply moved and forgivjng the humiliaüons of the past, expressed his sincerest thanks toRichter and the members of "the highest artistic society in music.'' Empeıor Franz Josephaccept€d the dedication of the symphony, which appeared simulaneous\ in 1892 in Viennaand Berlin.

At this iuncture we must deal briefly with a problem that is unique in musical history. Inthe early 1920s rumors began to circulate that the first eütions of Bruckner's symphonies,published during his lifetime, except for the Sixth and Ninth, do not represent the artisticintentions of the composer. These rumors were substantiated to some degree by the gradualıppea;İance of the critical Genmtausgabe foı ırhich Robert Haas, professor at the ViennaUniveısity and head ofthe Music Division ofthe Austrian National Ubrary, was responsible.Bruckner had willed his manuscripts to this venerable institution, and Haas was the logicalchoice foı the editorship of the C'esamkusgabe, issued by the National Library (formerty CourtLibrary) in Vienna and the International Bruckner Society. The comparaüve study of the

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il

ı

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autogrııph scofes and first editions revealed substantial differences between these sources. Thisunaccountable and puzzling situation could not be explained because, strangely enough, theprinter's copies (Saiclıvoİwen), which formed the connecting link between Bruikner's autographscores and the first editions, could in most cases never be pıoduced. Thus there was ın theopinion of Haas and others no authentic source for the alt€fations, omissions, and instrumentalchanges evident in the published scores. In accordance ıvith the editoıial principles of theComplete [diüon, the first editions of ıvhich ıvere used all over for about half a century, werenot considered as verified by the composer and regarded "as arrangements by other hands."They were discarded ııs source mat€riaJ, for it was the avowed and oııly purpose of the CompleteEdiüon to present Bruckner's creations in their ori$nal version (oiğnalfassung,). This termmust not be confused, as often is the cıır-,withllıhssung (very first version). ,,0riğnalhssung',

in the t€rminology ofthe Complete Edition means the veısion extant in Bruckner's autographthat he consideıed the final form for presentation to the public. How the editorial practiceconformed to the editorid theory we will learn later.

- Thepublicaüon of the original versions caused a heated controversy about the authenticity

of the first editions and resulted in a campaign against those whom Haas cıllcdthe Pnktiket,who were charged with the responsibility for the "distortions." These ,,practical ones', were,as everybody knew, primarily Bruckner's pupils Ferdinand üiwe and the brothers Franz andJosef Schalk. True, in the discussion of many specific cases as presented in the very scholarlyr€ports atached to the individual volumes of the Complete Ediüon, neiüer üiwe nor the Schalkbrothers were openly charged with ampefing ıvith the original text. Nevertheless, a legendimpugning the memory ofthese deserving Bruckner apostles wzs created and often circulatedby pmple who, ignorant of the complexity of the problem and the related facts, ıaised theirvoices and accused üiwe and Schalk of editorid crimes without offering proofs to substantiateüe charges. It is obvious üat the copies that went to the printer must have born the composer'ssignature and this ıvould to all intents and purposes constitute ı de hoo authentication ofthe alterations and changes maöe in the originat text. Takin8 üe possibility into account thatthe lost pfint€r's copies bearing Brucknert sigrıature might some day come to [ght, Haas insistedthat alterations and instrumental changes w€fe wrung from Bruckner under duress, and he

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went even so far as to speak of "sanctions" imposed upon the helplesS composer.Music is created to be performed and the creaüng artist needs the performer. The suggesüons

offered to Bruckner by such eminent musicians and distinguished conductors asJohann Herbeck,Hermann Levi' Arthur Nikisch, and Franz Schalk resulted fıom their practical experience andconvinctions gained at ıehearsals and performances. Even Beethoven heeded the advice givenby friends, and one needs only to remember the protracted session in the Pılace of PrinceLichnowsğ when the reıvorking of the ownlmnorc was discussed. It should not be overlookedthat Bruckner had heard his works (except the Fifth and Ninth) and was very much in a positionto observe and to iudge the merits ofthe ideas his friends and advisers offered. The very intricatequestion as to ıvhether the original versions or the first editions should be used for performancesis by no means conclusively ansıvered yet. The present writer, who had in his student daysnot only the opportunity ofhearing Bruckner's compositions under the direction ofüiwe andSchalk, but rvas also privileged to play them when they first presided over the orchestra, isnot pfepafed to discard the fişt editions as axrangemens and accept the original versions instead.Excluding the first edition ofthe Ninth for which Lİwe accepted the responsibility, the caseis far from being closed since a nerv eütorial poticy was esıablished for the Complete Editionand first applied to the Eighth Symphony.

After üe collapse of the Thiıd Reich,forwhox'Kıılturplitik üe promotion of Anton Brucknerand the Complete Edition was an impoftant mno.Drn, Robert Haas ıvas reliwed from the editorshipofthe Complete Vbrls and replaced by leopold Nowak' Noü"k's first achi€vement in this cayicitywas a new edition ofthe [ighth. Published in the spıing of 1955 the new score definitely isto supersede the edition presented by Haas in 1939. It is used for the present recording. Nowakexplains in the forervord that Haas' edition, which bears the designatioil "oriğnalhssung''on the title page, actually represents a combination of rrvo versions: the first version of 1887 -relected by Levi - and the veısion of 1890, Needless to say, this score cannot be claimed asrepresenting Bruckner's ultimate artistic intention, and Nowak's categorical reiection of themethod Haas applied in this paıticular case - and to the Second Symphony, one must add -is a declaration of war against the editorial policy hitherto followed in the Complete Edition.The new edition dropped the designation "Ori$na.l Version" and defines the score as "Versionof 1890." It marks a turning point in the issuance of the Complete Edition and we can expect

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the repubücation ofother "revised original versions'' that will differ from the versions editedby Haas. Matters will become moıe complex, the student more bewildered, and the listenerutterly confused. As for the Eighth we have to consider the following sources:

the version of 1887 (rğected by lrvi; publicaüon in pıeparation)the version of 1890 (published Maıch 1955 and used foı this ıecoıünğthe first ediüon of 1892

the edition ofthe Complete Vorks, Vol. V[I, edited by Haas

The version of 1887 employs only woodrvind pairs (two flutes, two oboes, etc.) and shoıvsa different sequence of the middle movements (Adagio - Scherm). The first movementconcludş with a powerfrıl Jffpassage (ıeproduced in Volume W, 2 of Auer's Bruclrner biography);

the kheno has a Trio different from that familiar to us. The climax in the ,Magio occuıs inC maior (E-flat maior in the later version). The version of 1887 was considerably longer thanthat of 1890 (üe basis ofthe first edition) as the folloıving diagram ofvarying measures shows:

l.2.

3.4.

First Mov'tScherzo.Trio....Adagio .

Finale ..

FirstYersion(r887)

4532W

329771

SecondVeısion(r890,Haas)

417

195

93301

747

SecoıdYersion(ı890'Nowalı)

417

FirstEdttion(ı892)

417

195

9329r705

195

9329r7W

In its first version the symphony was a creaüon of enormous dimensions that had bewilderedLevi, and the subsequent reproduction brought about conciseness and gıeater coherence. Theprocedure, practiced by Haas, to restore pııssages removed by Bruckner can by no means be

condoned. dthough considering the purification of Bruckner's works as his foremost editorialıask, Haas nevertheless inserted, as 'brganically vital,'l passages that Bruckner himselfhadeliminated after careful deliberaüon. Nowak points out(oesteneichjsche Musikzeischift, May

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1955) that the version of 1890 comes close to the first edition, rvhich is andther way of sayingthaı this criücizd and mdiıgıed edition actually follows the version of 1890. It differs structurallyonly once from Bruckner's autograph. In the exposiüon of. the Finahe there is a six-measurereminiscence of the Adagio of the Seventh that Bruckneı had removed from the corıespondingpart in the recapifuIııtion. Nowak admitted the inconsistency but ıeiısed to eliminat€ the passages

in accordınce with the first edition.The symphorıy is scoıed for 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons (the third interchangeable

with contra-bassoon), 8 horns (of rvhich 4 are interchangeable ıvith Nibelungen tubas), 3

trumpets, 3 trombones, I double bass tuba, 3 kettledrums, cymbal and triangle (in the thirdmovement), 3 harps (in the second and third movements), and strings.

The ffrst movement' Allegm modento' displays a clear-cut sonata form. There is a thıee-part exposition, a three-part delvelopment, and a three-part recapitulation. Even a brief analysiswould require much space and numeıous musical examples. Thus our discussion must be

confined to a fEv outstanding features. The C minor Symphony opens in F minor and the tonicis only touched en Pı'ŞSant' The second theme shows a favorite rh1thm of Bruckner, alreadyapparent in the main theme. The first dynamic cümaıı is folloıved by a modified rest tementof the opening theme in the bass, accompanied by a violin tremolo en very high position. Thedevelopment opens with a didogue between üe tubas and oboe. Later a tremendous climaxreaches its peak in the combination of both the first and second themes in augnıentaüon. Therecapitulation shorvs a different picture from the exposiüon. The theme is stated by the oboein C minor, but there is a counter melody in D-flat, announced by the flute - one of thefirst examples ofpolytondity. There is another c[max in the closing gfoup, but its poıVef isspent rapidly and thereafter only thematic fragments are heard to the end of the movement.

A piece of perfect regulaxity (ABA)' the Scherzo (Allegns modenn) exhibits tıro contrrıstingelements: the flutterin8 tremolo of the violins and the stuğ, stocky phrase first announcedby the violas and the violoncellos. originally associated ıvith Bruckner's friend Almeroth, thetechnique later came to be regarded by the composer as a musical symbol of the DeursclıerMichel. The Trio in A-flat also shoıys the ABA design and is almost an adağo in character.

The Adagio inD-flat maioı (İeierlich langum; doch nicht schleppend - Solemn and slowbut not dragging) is perhaps the longest in symphonic literature. It is a sonat4 movement of

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Page 8: Horenstein Conducts Liszt/Wagner/Bruckner

very great dimensions and deviates significantly from the ordinary pattern. The basic formis clearly preserved. The exposiüon contains four theme complexes, which are manipulatedin the development but partly omitted in the recapitulation.

TheFinale (Feİerlİdı, nic[ıt rchnell _ solemn, not hst) is a sonata movement of o<traordinaryproportions:

ExposiüonDevelopmentRecapitulationCoda

There are three theme complexes: the eneryetic main idea, a carillon motive effecting thetransition o a mild choral melody, and the closing theme characterized by falling fourths. Thedwelopment shoun tıvo divisions, each ending with a great dynamic climax. Almost the entirethematic material of the exposition is manipüated and appears in contrapuntal combinations.The recapitıılaüon enters in full force Elaborating on the main ideas, it uses powerful dynamicdoelopments that aıe topped in the coda. The coda begins pianissimo in C minor and increasesgradually in power and sonority. The climax is reached with the turn to the maior key andthen the tonic is victoriously mainained thmughout the last twenty-thrce measuıts. The dynamicclimax is mıtüed musically and spiritually through the combinıtion of the main idea of allfour movements:

I-in basses, tıombones, doublebass tuba, bassoonsII-in flutes, clarinets, trumpetsIII-in hornslV-in tubas

In the conclusion of the symphony the unification of üsparate elements is nobly achieved;and the maior triad emerges victorious, elevated to sublime heights amid overwhelmingorchestral splendor.

JosEPH BRAUNSITıN(A Vox Irgend Himsel!

252 measures184 measures210 measures63 measures

niıa noıwştan([9&l973) ıvas born in Kiev and trained in Vienna, wher€ he was bmught

up in the high noon of Richard strauss, veingartner and rurtwangkr. He brought-to music

a'unıçe neıi'tage - that of the long line of the greaı dassical tradiüon fused with the ğnamismof all ihe new iusic ranging fıom Matıler and Strauss to schoenbefg, Berg and Barto*. ryo"r'Holenst€in is ıanked as-one ofthe gfeatest conductofs ofthe classics, especially bmed as a

Mahler and 8eethoven int€rprct€r, and as one of the most excitin8 exponents of the music

of Bruckner, Berg, Baıtok, Janacek, Hindemith and stravinsky to be heard in this century.

Horenstein *.i 'tuoyıng

philosophy at the University of Vienna and music at the Vienna

Academy, when he decidedto devote himselfenürely to conducting, thanks to the eıco.urace-

ment oi Furtwöngler. He made his debut in 1924 with the Vienna symphony oJchestra,

conducting Mahlei's Symphony No. l. From 1925 İa 1928, he was conductor of the Beflin

symphony-orchest a, and in 1929 wıs appointed director of the Dusseldorf opeıa, where he

remained until 1933.

In the mid_thirties Horenstein expanded his careeı both eastward and westward, diüding

his seasons among the Brussels Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the Varsaw Philhar-

monic and Sate o,pera, the Moscow and Leningrad Philharmonic orclresras, and the Iameuıeux

and orchestre symphonique ofParis' In 1938, he toured Australia and New 7nalaıdııdn1939 was one of thi four conductors who shaıçd the leadership of the Palestine Philharmonic

with Arturo lbscanini.Horenstein came to the U.s. in 1941, where he appeared wiü the New York Philharmonic_

Svmphony Society and other outstanding ofchestras. He also made frequent tours of Lıtin

eroio, ,no 'ini.

|94] wuin conştant demand throughout Europe' at the Concertgebouw

of Amsterdam, the Conservatoire and National Orchestra of Paris, La Scala in lılilan, the B.B.C.

and London symphony orchestıaş in london, the Brussels Philharmonic, the Santa Cecilia

of Rome, the Rome Radio orchestra, and at the Florence May Fesüval.

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