His enthusiasm for the art of his own time, and his desire to make a personal contribution to it, are not the least of Otto Klemperer’s qualities which have been overshadowed by the enduring image of a stern standard-bearer for tradition. Here are sprightly, quirkily personal performances of neo-classical masterpieces by Hindemith and Stravinsky, as well as a glimpse into the mind of Klemperer the creative musician, decisively influenced by his early encounters with Mahler.

Otto Klemperer was born on 14th May 1885 in Breslau, Silesia (now Wroclaw, Poland) and died on 6th July 1973 in Zurich. He had had a remarkable career as a young man but it was at the age of 70 that he started a series of recordings that would not only establish him as an inter-nationally renowned conductor but provide EMI with a catalogue of recordings that became and remain touchstones.

At the age of 42 Klemperer became director of the Kroll Opera in Berlin and was responsible for numerous premieres of the music by modern composers, especially Igor Stravinsky, Paul Hindemith and Kurt Weill. It was a source of pride that he brought so many works by Stravinsky, born three years and dying two years before him, to the public and this continued even when Stravinsky and Klemperer were in America, where the Symphony in Three Movements was written. Hindemith, too, was supported both in Berlin and America.

Klemperer was so captivated by the Berthold Brecht/Kurt Weill 'Die Dreigroschenoper' when it opened in Berlin in 1928 that he commissioned the 28-year-old composer to make a suite for wind instruments based on the original score. The result was the Kleine Dreigroschenmusik, which was played for the first time at the annual Berlin opera ball under Klemperer’s direction.

Not only a conductor, Klemperer loved to compose, and three works were recorded. The first, in October 1961, was Merry Waltz, taken from his opera Das Ziel (The Goal) and re-orchestrated for a larger orchestra which had originally premiered in August 1936 in Los Angeles. The second is his Symphony No.2 which had had a private recording earlier in 1969 but which EMI then decided deserved proper session time and was released to celebrate his 85th birthday. His String Quartet No.7 was recorded in February 1970, with the Philharmonia String Quartet, for the same reason.

The box set includes a musical bonus in the Overture and Dream Pantomime from Hänsel und Gretel composed by Engelbert Humperdinck. He had often conducted the opera and in 1932 his wife, the soprano Johanna Geissler, had alternated the roles of Gretel and the Witch.

The set concludes with Jon Tolansky’s 'Sound Biography' which illustrates how Otto Klemperer inspired musicians and music lovers not only with his conducting but also with his extraordinary courage, surviving extreme physical and mental adversity with remarkable stoicism.

Contents:
CD 1
Igor Stravinsky
- Symphony in three movements
- Pulcinella – Ballet Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra

Kurt Weill
- Kleine Dreigroschenmusik
Philharmonia Orchestra

CD 2
Otto Klemperer
- Merry Waltz 7.33
- Symphony No.2
New Philharmonia Orchestra

- String Quartet No.7
Philharmonia String Quartet
[Emanuel Hurwitz & Donald Weeks, violins / Herbert Downes, viola / Norman Jones, cello]

CD 3
Paul Hindemith
[1-3] Nobilissima visione - Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra

Engelbert Humperdinck
Hänsel und Gretel
[4] Overture
[5] Dream Pantomime
Philharmonia Orchestra

A Sound Biography of Otto Klemperer
Including interviews with and about Klemperer.
Written, narrated and produced by Jon Tolansky

This biographical memoir illustrates how Otto Klemperer inspired musicians and music lovers not only with his conducting but also with his extraordinary courage, surviving extreme physical and mental adversity with remarkable stoicism. Dr Klemperer is heard speaking with John Freeman in the BBC Television series 'Face to Face', and he is remembered by former London Symphony Orchestra member Lionel Bentley, who recalls playing with him in 1929, former Philharmonia Orchestra members Hugh Bean, Gillian Eastwood, Martyn Jones, Gareth Morris and Basil Tschaikov, and singers John Dobson and Victor Godfrey, who performed with him at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Also included are two never before released items that were discovered as this feature was being prepared: a speech by Dr Klemperer at a reception for his 75th birthday, and a rehearsal during his recording sessions for Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

[6] Introduction – Career summary
Beethoven Symphony No.5: First movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Commentary from John Dobson, Martyn Jones and Gareth Morris
Narration

[7] Early years and growth of international reputation in the 1920s
R Strauss Salome: Dance of the Seven Veils – Orchester der Staatsoper Berlin
Narration; Commentary from Lionel Bentley
Mahler Symphony No 2: Third movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration
Weill Kleine Dreigroschenmusik: Die Moritat Von Makie Messer – Philharmonia Orchestra

[8] Expatriation and first dangerous illness
Narration
Commentary from Otto Klemperer

[9] Philharmonia Orchestra Debut and Return
Commentary from Gareth Morris
Beethoven Symphony No 3: Third movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration
Mozart Symphony No 41: Fourth movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration

TOTAL DURATION (approx) 74.00

CD 4
[1] Klemperer’s Effect on the Philharmonia Orchestra
Beethoven Symphony No 3: First movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Commentary from Gillian Eastwood and Gareth Morris
Narration

[2] Style and Tempi in the mid 1950s
Mozart Serenade No 13 (Eine kleine Nachtmusik): Fourth movement – Philharmonia Orchestra

[3] Klemperer’s Communication and control in his conducting
Narration
Commentary from Gillian Eastwood
Beethoven Symphony No 3: First movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Commentary from Basil Tschaikov and Martyn Jones
Beethoven Symphony No 9: First movement – Philharmonia Orchestra
Commentary from Gareth Morris and Gillian Eastwood

[4] Life-threatening accident, survival and return
Narration
Commentary from Otto Klemperer
Commentary from Gillian Eastwood

[5] Klemperer’s results and relationship with the Philharmonia Orchestra players
Beethoven Overture the Consecration of the House – Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration
Commentary from Otto Klemperer
Speech by Otto Klemperer at a reception for his 75th birthday
Wagner Lohengrin: Prelude to Act Three – Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration
Commentary from Gareth Morris, Basil Tschaikov and Martyn Jones

[6] Klemperer’s communication and results in the opera house
Narration
Commentary from Victor Godfrey and John Dobson
Beethoven Fidelio: Closing scene – Christa Ludwig, Jon Vickers, Gottlob Frick, Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra
Narration
Commentary from Victor Godfrey and John Dobson

[7] Klemperer in rehearsal
Narration
Mozart Don Giovanni: Overture – New Philharmonia Orchestra – in rehearsal
Mozart Don Giovanni: Giovinette, che fate all’amore – New Philharmonia Chorus – in rehearsal

[8] Klemperer’s late Indian Summer with the New Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration
Commentary from Otto Klemperer and Basil Tschaikov
Narration
Commentary from Martyn Jones
Mahler Symphony No 9: First movement – New Philharmonia Orchestra
Narration
Klemperer Symphony No 2: First movement – New Philharmonia Orch.

[9] Conclusion – final years and closing overview
Narration
Hermione Lee quotation – read by Kelly Wale
Commentary from Otto Klemperer
Beethoven Symphony No 9: Fourth movement – Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra

TOTAL DURATION (approx) 72.00