Re: Klink-Klunk

[Bradley Lehman <bpl@umich.edu>]

At 04:35 PM 12/8/00 -0500, David Pelletier wrote:
> Many of you Gould scholars may remember the example Glenn used in 1966's "The
> Prospect's of Recording." He spoke of assembling perfect symphonic renditions
> by taking a 1st movement from one conductor and combining it with other
> movements by other conductors until you had the ideal complete symphony based
> on the recorded strengths of individual artistes. Klemperer was one of those
> whose monumental interpretations he held in high regard.

Indeed.  That written advocacy of Gould's for Klemperer has led me
eventually to collect just about everything Klemperer ever recorded...once
I heard a few of the LP's I was hooked.  Recently I've been working my way
through his biography vol 2, and my copy of vol 1 is supposed to arrive any
day now.  Quite an interesting character.  Really wild both when manic and
depressive, but able to present performances of uncommon coherence and logic.

Like Gould, Klemperer had that ability to articulate the structure of a
composition very clearly, while also bringing out plenty of detail and
passion.  And the orchestral sound is most often so transparent!  Also like
Gould, he was [arguably] strongest in the Germanic classic repertoire, but
could also present modern works with great commitment...and he was a
composer on the side.

There's a 1950's anecdote about Klemperer and the head of the Vox company,
George Mendelssohn.  See http://www.voxcd.com/vox_klemperer.html




Bradley Lehman, Dayton VA
home: http://i.am/bpl or  http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl
clavichord CD's: http://listen.to/bpl or http://www.mp3.com/bpl
trumpet and organ: http://www.mp3.com/hlduo

"Music must cause fire to flare up from the spirit - and not only sparks
from the clavier...." - Alfred Cortot