Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Wilhelm Furtwangler, an idolized figures in music during the 1920's and 1930's, disliked recordings. Among conductors he has had followers but hardly what could be called disciples, for he founded no school and produced no students.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Books continue to proliferate about the great German conductor, who died 40 years ago. This one by Dallas-based music critic Ardoin is perhaps the most useful of them, a deeply informed guide to the maestro's significant recordings together with Furtwängler's own thoughts on interpretation of many of the works Ardoin discusses. Ardoin is an unabashed admirer, who finds that ``what was a circumscribed cult [of enthusiasts] in the first decade following his death has become a widespread phenomenon.'' He champions Furtwängler against Arturo Toscanini as the century's greatest conductor, joins those who find the maestro naive but not blameworthy in electing to stay in Nazi Germany, and feels that we will not look upon his like again. There is a wonderfully thorough discography (by John Hunt), which emphasizes the remarkable fact that almost every major recording Furtwängler made is now available on CD. An invaluable book for admirers and record collectors. Photos not seen by PW. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

CHOICE Review

This is a book for specialists of at least two types. The first includes those with an interest in historic recordings of orchestral music, for that is Ardoin's principal concern. His traversal of Wilhelm Furtw"angler's recorded legacy is complete, with extended consideration of rehearsal, live, and studio recordings. One is left with a thorough knowledge of the conductor's surviving recorded catalog. Ardoin's commentary is astute, pointed, unflaggingly helpful to understanding; the reader gains a full appreciation of Furtw"angler's extraordinary interpretive powers and insight into the reasons why he exercised so mesmerizing an effect on the audiences of his time. The other group of specialists consists of those who might be curious as to Furtw"angler's attitudes toward and opinions of the music he conducted. Ardoin provides a generous selection of excerpts from the conductor's preserved comments about the music that consumed his energy and attention. Furtw"angler emerges as a patrician intellectual of ardent feeling, passionate commitment to excellence, and probing mind. On the strength of his ruminations alone one recognizes at once the importance and uniqueness of Furtw"angler in the musical world of his era. Recommended for academic collections, upper-division undergraduate and above. F. Goossen; University of Alabama

Booklist Review

Widely regarded during his lifetime as the custodian of the German musical tradition, Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954) is one of the greatest conductors of this century and one of the most controversial. His inward-looking, spiritually intense interpretations exert their spell through recordings to this day, yet his reputation has suffered from the stigma of his decision not to leave Nazi Germany and to continue his direction of the Berlin Philharmonic. Ardoin provides a useful overview of Furtwangler's career, but the backbone of his book is a study of the conductor's recorded legacy. Ardoin groups the recordings by musical period (baroque, classical, etc.), provides exhaustive information about Furtwangler's various recordings of each particular score, and uses excerpts from Furtwangler's diaries and correspondence to illuminate his interpretative approach to individual composers and scores especially well. Furtwangler's interpretations remain a basic gloss on the works of the German musical masters, and because they remain accessible in recordings, Ardoin's exhaustive study will be valuable in any library with patrons deeply interested in classical music. ~--John Shreffler