Post by David on Apr 27, 2008 17:44:12 GMT 1
Those with sufficient patience to have read my previous contributions to Linda’s Forum may have noticed that I am a huge admirer of the low strings in Karajan’s Berlin Philharmonic.
Karajan's imaginative deployment of orchestral colour in his performances always ensured that the bass line had the required prominence. The double basses of the BPO were capable of the most delicate shading, but also had the capacity to underpin the whole orchestra in tutti passages by projecting forth the most gloriously rich and penetrating tone. I found during the live Karajan BPO performances I attended that even the sight of these players seemed to add another dimension to the experience.
I was privileged to have attended a performance of the St. Matthew Passion at the Easter Festival on Good Friday in 1972, which included a breathtaking array of soloists including Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier and Walter Berry. For this performance Karajan had deployed nine double basses which were situated in a line behind the double orchestra. The opening bars were therefore memorable for their dark and brooding tone, which seemed to me to set the mood for the entire work. I remember though later reading reviews implying that the performance was more Brahms than Bach, with the sonority being just for effect. The important point here though, which is consistently overlooked in reviews, is that Karajan’s use of orchestral colour was in fact governed by his musical conception of a particular work and was not just an end in itself. I am reminded here of the comments by Darkehmen in a previous posting in this forum where he says that the very things being criticised are in fact the very things he admires.
In my posting in the 5th April 2008 topic, I mentioned the recent interview with Anne-Sophie Mutter on National Public Radio. At one point she mentions: "If you talk about Rolls Royce, you should not forget the Ferrari underneath. If I think about the low strings — the double basses and the celli — it's just amazing how these guys could blow your hair off."
I think it is remarkable that she should make such a reference to a section which in many orchestras, if we are honest, is not really too prominent.
The interview with Anne-Sophie Mutter (which I think is really worth hearing) follows the short advertisement on -
www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=89313251&m=89347701
The photograph is from the 1970s. Note the five-stringed instruments. I am not able to name the three musicians at the rear, but can identify five of the six at the front; if anyone is able to fill in the remaining names then please let me know -
Wolfgang Kohly, Klaus Stoll (with the bow tie), Friedrich Witt, Rainer Zepperitz, Heinz Wiewiorra,
far right - unknown to me.
I am aware that two of these musicians now have their own web sites.
Friedrich Witt was co-principal bassist from the final few months of Furtwängler’s reign in 1954 right through to the Abbado years; he retired in 1993.
Witt has visited Linda’s site and has a short entry in Items Wanted. He has himself created a most interesting site which includes personal photographs and letters. If you speak German then there is a wealth of information here including several interesting topics and podcasts, some of which relate to Karajan -
www.friedrich-witt.de
Klaus Stoll joined the BPO in 1965 and in 1992 became co-principal bassist, a position he still holds to this day -
www.klausstoll.com
He has recently issued his own DVD (in German, English and Spanish) in which he teaches and demonstrates bowing and style, audition programs and solos. The DVD is available from NBB records and can be obtained by following the links on his web site. Up until recently there was a short excerpt on YOUTUBE, but this appears to have been withdrawn.
Very highly recommended!
Finally there is the opportunity to see a video of 32 minutes where Klaus Stoll discusses (in English) his instruments, collections, genealogy and on being a professional musician -
www.xbass.tv
Click onto 'Classical Interview' followed by 'Klaus Stoll - 1st part'.
Karajan's imaginative deployment of orchestral colour in his performances always ensured that the bass line had the required prominence. The double basses of the BPO were capable of the most delicate shading, but also had the capacity to underpin the whole orchestra in tutti passages by projecting forth the most gloriously rich and penetrating tone. I found during the live Karajan BPO performances I attended that even the sight of these players seemed to add another dimension to the experience.
I was privileged to have attended a performance of the St. Matthew Passion at the Easter Festival on Good Friday in 1972, which included a breathtaking array of soloists including Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier and Walter Berry. For this performance Karajan had deployed nine double basses which were situated in a line behind the double orchestra. The opening bars were therefore memorable for their dark and brooding tone, which seemed to me to set the mood for the entire work. I remember though later reading reviews implying that the performance was more Brahms than Bach, with the sonority being just for effect. The important point here though, which is consistently overlooked in reviews, is that Karajan’s use of orchestral colour was in fact governed by his musical conception of a particular work and was not just an end in itself. I am reminded here of the comments by Darkehmen in a previous posting in this forum where he says that the very things being criticised are in fact the very things he admires.
In my posting in the 5th April 2008 topic, I mentioned the recent interview with Anne-Sophie Mutter on National Public Radio. At one point she mentions: "If you talk about Rolls Royce, you should not forget the Ferrari underneath. If I think about the low strings — the double basses and the celli — it's just amazing how these guys could blow your hair off."
I think it is remarkable that she should make such a reference to a section which in many orchestras, if we are honest, is not really too prominent.
The interview with Anne-Sophie Mutter (which I think is really worth hearing) follows the short advertisement on -
www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=89313251&m=89347701
The photograph is from the 1970s. Note the five-stringed instruments. I am not able to name the three musicians at the rear, but can identify five of the six at the front; if anyone is able to fill in the remaining names then please let me know -
Wolfgang Kohly, Klaus Stoll (with the bow tie), Friedrich Witt, Rainer Zepperitz, Heinz Wiewiorra,
far right - unknown to me.
My thanks to Prahcello who has responded (see below) and advised that: “The man sitting at the very top, with the brown leather jacket is Rudolf Watzel, who is currently one of the solo-bassists of the orchestra”. Only three left to identify now.
I am aware that two of these musicians now have their own web sites.
Friedrich Witt was co-principal bassist from the final few months of Furtwängler’s reign in 1954 right through to the Abbado years; he retired in 1993.
Witt has visited Linda’s site and has a short entry in Items Wanted. He has himself created a most interesting site which includes personal photographs and letters. If you speak German then there is a wealth of information here including several interesting topics and podcasts, some of which relate to Karajan -
www.friedrich-witt.de
Klaus Stoll joined the BPO in 1965 and in 1992 became co-principal bassist, a position he still holds to this day -
www.klausstoll.com
He has recently issued his own DVD (in German, English and Spanish) in which he teaches and demonstrates bowing and style, audition programs and solos. The DVD is available from NBB records and can be obtained by following the links on his web site. Up until recently there was a short excerpt on YOUTUBE, but this appears to have been withdrawn.
Very highly recommended!
Finally there is the opportunity to see a video of 32 minutes where Klaus Stoll discusses (in English) his instruments, collections, genealogy and on being a professional musician -
www.xbass.tv
Click onto 'Classical Interview' followed by 'Klaus Stoll - 1st part'.
