Echo and rememberance of 80 years: release of second society edition disc

The Wilhelm Furtwängler Society of China is expected to release its second society edition disc, WFSC-002/4, on 7 April 2022. Eighty years ago today, a series of concerts took place in the midst of war at the Philharmonie Berlin, culminating with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. This immaculate interpretation by Furtwängler holds great significance, historical value, and artistic excellence, making it representative and important. Therefore, the society has chosen to release a set of commemorative recordings of Wilhelm Furtwängler’s wartime performances on the occasion of the eightieth anniversary (numbered WFSC-002, 003, and 004). This record has undergone extensive preparation and production, and it is believed to provide a satisfying experience for everyone who loves music.

Dear enthusiasts and professionals, you may have already noticed from the catalog numbers: the society edition being released this time will contain three CDs.

• CD 1 features Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker on 22-24 March 1942. For this release, we have chosen LPs produced in Riga, Latvia during the Soviet era as the source material.
• CD 2 includes representative orchestral recordings conducted by Furtwängler during the later stages of World War II (1942–1945) with the Berlin Philharmonic. These recordings are notable for their historical significance, interpretive level, and tape quality. It includes Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 (second movement), Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn, and the fourth movement of Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. The source tapes for these recordings come from the excellent private archives of collectors in China.
• CD 3 consists of a ambient stereo remix of the tracks (other than the second movement of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7) from CD 2. Planning and producing such a CD is the society’s first attempt. Although the concept of artificial stereo sound is not unfamiliar to listeners, we have confidence that this is a highly fresh and challenging experiment. As is widely known, Furtwängler did not leave behind any authentic stereo recordings due to not being active during the era of commercial stereo recording, which is regrettable. Although there have been previous releases of similar “artificial stereo” recordings by various labels, they often focus excessively on soundstage and instrument placement, resulting in noticeable flaws that give a distinct sense of “artificiality” or excessive “plasticity”. Unlike these releases, the society has carefully remixed and remastered selected recordings with great potential in terms of tape quality, taking into account factors such as pitch, volume, phase, and ideal hall reverberation for different instruments. This meticulous process significantly improves the sense of depth, spatiality, width, and instrument separation in the recordings. We have also made certain improvements for headphone users to mitigate the inevitable “in-the-head” effect when listening to mono recordings, without compromising much even when enjoyed through headphones instead of speakers. We recommend comparing this experiment with CD 2 and hope that the ambient stereo remix can compensate for the regret of maestro’s lack of stereo recordings.

The society used professional and precise equipment during the transfer process. The audio was meticulously restored and remixed, and master discs were created, adhering to the 24-bit 192kHz standard. The goal was to remove and adjust negative elements such as background noise, cartridge noise, interference, and distortion while preserving the details of the music itself and restoring the balance of tone and volume between different sound ranges as much as possible.

The booklet accompanying this CD release follows the society’s consistent philosophy, striving to be rigorous, original, and rich in content. In addition to well-written articles related to the repertoire, it also includes exclusive historical materials that have been compiled and translated.

Regarding the pricing of the CD, WFSC will always offer affordable prices. The cost of this CD is 100 yuan, and individuals are limited to purchasing a maximum of 2 copies. Pre-orders will be accepted from 31 March. Please follow the society’s WeChat official account for the pre-sale link (for buyers in China). Stay tuned!

Note: This CD is produced internally by the society and is prohibited from being resold for profit. WFSC is a nonprofit organization, and all proceeds from the sale will be reinvested in the continuous operation of the society and public welfare activities.