OSCAR FRIED

[apostol]

Predlagayu vnimaniyu foruma statyu o Fride , kotoruyu ya nnashel v internete so svoimi dopolneniyami (vospominaniya o Mahlere i utochneniya):"As restoration technology has advanced, the problematic area of acoustic orchestral recordings now reveals greater clarity, exposing their altered instrumentation, its proportions shifted by engineers who attempted to capture some semblance of the work via a recording horn. Richard Strauss' early microphone-recorded performance of his Don Juan is an exception to these earlier documents: we have included it to illustrate the wealth of details captured on early 'electrical' discs. Although neglected until now, Weingartner's pioneering American records are invaluable for their repertoire. As he knew Tchaikovsky, this, his only extant interpretation of the composer, is of historic importance. Weingartner's rhythmic projection and balance keeps all parts audible and in proportion, the emblem of his style. Fried's Eroica is the symphony's first complete recording, a striking example of his modern approach to a familiar work.
While the lives and ideas of Strauss and Weingartner exist in their own writings and biographies, Oskar Fried has been poorly documented: a forthcoming Arbiter project dedicated to Fried will relate, as much as possible, the tale of his most unusual existence. We commence with a partial chronology of his concerts, as their breadth and individuality is cause for amazement few today would dare perform Beethoven's 9th with Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in one evening, especially at a time when Stravinsky's work was fourteen years old and still provocative, as did Fried in Paris (1927), the site of its premiere.
Fried first captivated Berlin in 1904 as a composer: performances of his Drunken Song (for chorus and orchestra, text by Nietzsche) were led by Schalk and Muck, and his sudden emergence as a conductor in the following year established him as a major interpreter sought by all the contemporary composers of the time. Fried peregrinated throughout Europe and on two occasions in the Americas, up until his final years in Russia, where the nature of his death in 1941 is still viewed as suspect.
The following programs are but a sketch of Fried's activities. Dates given in italics are approximate: we welcome any clarifications or information on additional performances and biographical material.
1905
Mar 20: Fried's Debut: Liszt: St. Elisabeth Oratorio. (Sternsche Gesangverein, Berlin, with Emmy Destinn, Hertha Demlow, Käthe Ravoth, Charrier, Else Schünemann, Emmy Rintelen, Johannes Messchaert; Walter Fischer - organ.)
Nov. 8: Reger: Cantata "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden"; Liszt: Two Songs (Destinn); Mahler: Second Symphony. (Berlin Phil.: composer in attendance, with Martha Stapelfeldt, Margarethe Brieger-Palm, Eugen Brieger, Otto Briesemeister.)
Dec. 20: Schubert: Symphony no. 8; Bach: Violin Concerto in E (Willy Burmester); Fried: Verklärte Nacht (premiere, Ottilie Metzger-Froitzheim); Mahler: Gesänge für Tenor und Orchester (premiere, Ludwig Hess); Strauss: Tod und Verklärung. (Berlin Phil.) Hess had sung in the Beethoven 9th Symphony under Mahler.
1906
Feb. 5: Delius: Appalachia; Fried: Das trunk'ne Lied (Bischoff, Hermine Kittel, Paul came into the Greenroom and embraced me bursting into tears."
Mar. 19: Beethoven: Leonore Overture no. 3; Symphony no. 5; Piano Concerto no. 4 (Artur Schnabel) (Berlin Phil.)
Apr. 21: Beethoven: Coriolan Overture, Piano Concerto no. 3 (Artur Schnabel), Symphony no. 9 (Jeanette Grumbacher-de Jong, Therese Behr-Schnabel, Paul Reimers, Arthur H. van Eweyck; Berlin Phil.)
May 13, 14: Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld (Durieux, Engels, Moissi; Klemperer directed the chorus; Reinhardt production at Deutsches Theater, Berlin.)
Oct 8: Mahler: Symphony no. 6 (Berlin Phil., premiere: composer present.)
Nov. 5: Haydn: The Seasons (Berlin Phil., Sternsche Gesangverein, Emma Bellwidt, Felix Senius, Johannes Messchaert)
n.d.: Beethoven: Symphony no. 5; Brahms, Wagner, Strauss: Tod und Verklärung (St. Petersburg)
Nov. 10: Weber: Euryanthe Overture; Mahler: Symphony no. 2 (Ottilie Metzger-Froitzheim); Lieder; Fried: Verklärte Nacht (St. Petersburg: Orch. of Count Sheremetiev, Opera Chorus)
n.d.: concerts in Moscow, Kiev, Odessa.
1907
Feb. 4: Liszt: Graner Festmesse; Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Phil., Tilly Cahnbley-Hinken, Else Schünemann, Ludwig Hess, Johannes Messchaert.)
Apr. 8: Wagner: Meistersinger Prelude; Nicodé: Die stillste Stunde (from Gloria); Brahms: Alto Rhapsody (Lula Mysz-Gmeiner); Beethoven: Choral Fantasy (Conrad Ansorge); Wolf: Lieder (Mysz-Gmeiner); Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (Berlin Phil.)
Oct. 11: Nicodé: Gloria (world premiere) (Else Schünemann, Walter Fischer - organ, Sternsche Gesangverein)
Nov. 4: Mendelssohn: Lobgesang; Walpurgisnacht; Violin Concerto (Willy Burmeister) (Berlin Phil.)
1908
Jan. 4: Klingler: Violin Concerto (Klingler, world premiere, from manuscript); Beethoven: Liedkreis An die ferne Geliebte; Symphony no. 9 (Emilie Herzog, Hertha Demlow, Felix Senius, Johannes Messchaert, Berlin: Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde.)
Mar. 16: Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique, Lelio (premiere) (Berlin Phil.)
Apr. 1: Borodin: Symphony no. 2; Delius: Piano Concerto (Theodor Szanto); Busoni: Turandot Suite; Strauss: Don Juan (Berlin Phil.)
n.d.: Wagner: Meistersinger Prelude; Brahms: Symphony no. 1. Beethoven: Piano Concerto no. 5 (Waldemar Lütschg); Strauss: Don Juan (Blüthner Orchestra, Berlin)
n.d.: Schubert: Rosamunde Overture; Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Blüthner Orch.)
n.d.: Svendsen; Sibelius; Liszt: Mazeppa; J. Strauss: Blue Danube (Blüthner Orch.)
Nov. 23: Berlioz: Damnation of Faust (Berlin: Sternsche Gesangverein, Marcella Pregi, Else Schünemann, Ludwig Hess, Johannes Messchaert, Friedrich Plaschke.)
n.d.: Mendelssohn: St. Paul Oratorio (Berlin: Sternsche Gesangverein)
1909
Jan. 18: Scriabin: Third Symphony (premiere, composer in attendance); Mozart: Aria from Il Re Pastore (Frieda Hempel, Anton Witek - violin, Alfred Simon - piano); Wagner: Meistersinger Prelude (Berlin: Gesellschaft.)
Feb. 11: Schumann: Piano Concerto (Cornelia Rider-Possart); Schillings: Kassandra, Ballade (premiere, Ernst von Possart, declamation); Rubinstein: Piano Concerto no. 4 (Cornelia Rider-Possart) (Berlin Phil.)
Feb. 22: Wladimir Metzl: Symphony in c (world premiere); Volkmar Andreae: Symphonic Fantasy op. 7 (world premiere); von Hausseger: Totenmarsch (world premiere); Fried: Erntelied (world premiere) (Berlin: Sternsche Gesang. & Gesellschaft.)
Mar. 22: Haydn: Symph. no. 44 (Berlin premiere); Beethoven: Symph. no. 9 (Berlin: Gesellschaft: Frieda Hempel, Else Schünemann, Felix Senius, Gerard Zalsmann)
Nov.: Klose: Prelude and Double Fugue; Anton Rubinstein: Fantasie in C, op. 84 (Josef Lhevinne); Beethoven: Symphony no. 7 (Berlin)
n.d.: Rachmaninoff: Isle of the Dead; Paul Juon: Violin Concerto (premiere, Michael Press); Liszt: Mazeppa (Berlin)
n.d.: Beethoven: Leonore Overture no.3; Brahms: Symphony no.4; Mozart: Piano Concerto no. 20, K. 466 in D minor (Artur Schnabel) (Berlin)
1910
Jan. 2 & 3: Verdi: Requiem. (Berlin: Sternsche Gesangverein: Tilly Cahnbley-Hinken, Else Schünemann, Hans Rüdiger, J. von Raatz-Brockmann.)
Jan. 17: Haydn: Symphony no. 7; Mahler: Symphony no. 7: IV; Ansorge: Aussöhnung; lieder of Berlioz, Duparc, Liszt (Marie-Louise Debogis) (Berlin)
Apr. 4: Brahms: Song of Destiny; Beethoven: Symphony no.9 (Berlin: Gesellschaft: Emilie Herzog, Else Schünemann, Leonor Engelhard, J. von Raatz-Brockmann.)
n.d.: Fried: Prelude & Double Fugue op. 10; Bantock: The Pierrot of the Minute; Smetana: Moldau; Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no. 3 (Berlin) Scherchen attends.
May: Richard Wintzer: Marienkind; Liszt: Piano Concerto no. 1 (Gottfried Galston); Strauss: Aus Italie (Berlin)
n.d.: Brahms: Symphony no. 1; Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel; Beethoven: Symph. no. 9 (St. Petersburg)
n.d.: Wagner: Faust Overture; Scriabin: Symphony no. 3 (St. Petersburg)
n.d.: Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Moscow)
n.d.: Mozart-Koussevitzky: Concerto for Bass (Serge Koussevitzky); Scriabin: Symphony no. 3 (Moscow: composer in audience, who received "great ovation.")
Nov.: Brahms: Symphony no. 4; Charpentier: Impressions d'Italie (Blüthner Orch.)
Oct. 31: Glück: Iphigenia Overture; Bach-Respighi: Sonata in e for violin (Serato); Schönberg: Pelleas und Melisande (Blüthner Orch.: Scherchen in audience.)
"Only six years later under Oskar Fried's direction it became a great success and since that time it did not cause the anger of audiences." Schönberg.
Nov. 17: Kiev
Dec. 11?: Beethoven: Piano Concerto (Wüllner) (St. Petersburg)
Dec. 15: Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique (Kiev)
1911
Jan: Haydn: Symphony no. 7; Berlioz: Harold in Italy (Oskar Nedbal); Stenhammar: Piano Concerto no. 2 (composer at the piano.) (Berlin)
Jan 23 or 24: Mozart: Figaro Overture; Busoni: Turandot Suite; Pfitzner: Rose vom Liebesgarten, Act I (premiere: Helena Forti, Elisabeth Ohlhoff, Maria Serte van Eyken, Johannes Sembach, Willy Merkel, Reimar Poppe); Mahler: Symphony no. 7 (Berlin)
Feb. 23: Mahler: Symphony no. 7; Charpentier: Louise: Air (Marie-Louise Debogis); Mozart: Figaro Overture (Berlin: Blüthner Orch.)
n.d.: St. Petersburg
May : Paul August von Klenau: Symphony no. 3; Mozart: Concerto for Two Pianos (Rosina and Josef Lhevinne); Berlioz: Roman Carnaval Overture (Berlin)
Sep. 25: Beethoven: Funeral March; Mahler: Symphony no. 2. Mahler Memorial concert. (Berlin: Gesellschaft: Frieda Hempel, Hertha Demlow, Johannes Messchaert.)
Oct. 26: Busoni: Turandot Suite (world premiere of appendix "Verzweiflung und Ergebung.") (Bösendorfer Orch., Deutsches Theater, Berlin)
Nov. 27: Schumann: Manfred Overture; Bach: Cantata: Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56; Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin: Gesellschaft, Andrejewa von Skilondz, Olga del la Bruyère, Rudolf Berger, Johannes Messchaert.)
1912
Jan. 19: Busoni: Fantasia Contrappuntistica for orchestra and organ (orch. by Frederick Stock: Egon Petri, organ); Berceuse elegiaque; Piano Concerto (composer at the piano.) (Berlin: Schönberg and Webern in audience.)
n.d.: Mahler, Fried, Pfitzner: Lieder (Eva Lessman; pianists: Fried & Klemperer). (Berlin)
Mar: 29 Berlioz: Roman Carnaval Overture; Delius: Paris; Fried: Three Orchestral Songs (Eva Lessmann); Liszt: Mazeppa (Berlin: Gesellschaft.)
Oct.: Beethoven: Consecration of the House Overture; Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no. 3; Mahler: Symphony no. 1 (Berlin)
Oct. 18: Bruckner: Symphony no. 7; Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Berlin premiere.) (Berlin Phil.; Charles Cahier, Paul Seidler)
Nov. 15: Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain (German premiere); Mozart: Abduction from the Seraglio: Contance's aria (Gertrude Foerstel); Delius: Lebentanz (world premiere of revision); Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Berlin)
Dec. 18: von Reznicek: Schlemihl (conducted by composer); Schumann: Cello Concerto (Pablo Casals); Liszt: Faust Symphony (Felix Senius) (Berlin Phil.)
1913
Jan.3: Busoni: Brautwahl Suite (world premiere, from manuscript); Liszt: Piano Concerto no. 1 (Wilhelm Backhaus); Fried: Auswanderer (from ms.) (Berlin Phil.)
Jan.18: Busoni: Turandot; Saint-Saëns; Rimsky-Korsakov (St. James Theatre, London)
Feb. 4: Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Maria Freund); Symphony no. 9 (German premiere. Berlin Phil. Webern in audience.)
Mar. 27: Beethoven: Cantata Meeresstille und glückliche fahrt; Piano Concerto no. 4 (Sandra Droucker-Galston); Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Philh., Bruno Kittel Choir; Eva Lessmann, Maria Freund, C. L. Lauenstein, Arthur H. van Eweyk)
May 3: Weber: Euryanthe; Delius: Lebentanz; Berlioz: Fantastique (Milan La Scala.)
May 4: Berlioz: Fantastique; Busoni: Turandot; Liszt: Mazeppa (Milan La Scala.)
June 22: Schönberg: Lied der Waldtaube (Marya Freund, Paris: Fried substituted for Alfredo Casella).
Sep. 28: Saint-Saëns: Symphony in a (conducted by composer); Africa Fantasy & Wedding Cake (Saint-Saëns, piano); Two Songs (Clare Dux, Saint-Saëns); Violin Concerto in b (Henri Marteau); Les Barbares Overture (Berlin Phil.)
1914
Jan. 5: Wolf: Christnacht; Bruckner: Psalm 150; Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Phil. Kittel conducted Wolf & Bruckner; Rita Bergas, Gerturd Steinweg, Anna Reichner-Feiten, Hermann Gürtler, Sydney Biden.)
n.d.: Helsinki.
n.d.: Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (Riga)
Mar. 17 Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel; Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique; Bruckner: Symphony no. 7; Busoni: Indian Fantasy (Ferruccio Busoni) (Munich) Rilke present.
Oct: Beethoven: Egmont Lieder (Claire Dux); Triple Concerto (Freie Orch., Berlin)
n.d.: Beethoven: Leonore Overture no. 3, Two Romances for Violin & Orch. (Lambinon); Liszt: Les Preludes, Hungarian Rhapsody no. 14 (Blüthner Orch., Berlin)
1915
Feb. 7: Beethoven: Consecration of the House Overture; Symphony no. 5; Piano Concerto no. 5 (Artur Schnabel) (Berlin Phil.)
1916
Jan. 16 Sibelius: Symphony no. 4; Busoni: Indian Fantasy (Egon Petri); Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (Berlin Phil.)
Oct. 28: Wagner: Meistersinger Overture, Tannhäuser: Wolframs Ansprache; Strauss: Don Juan; Wagner: Am stillen Herd; Götterdämmerung: Funeral March, Kaisermarch. (Berlin Phil., Ernst Kraus, Waldemar Straegemann.)
1918
May 5 & 6: Liszt: Mazeppa; Fried: Erntelied; Mahler: Symphony no. 2 (Berlin Phil., Elisabeth Schumann, Ottilie Metzger-Lattermann.)
Dec. 26: Beethoven: Egmont Overture; Mozart: Violin Concerto in E flat (Michael Press); Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Phil., Lotte Leonard, Ida Harth zur Nieden, Rudolf Laubenthal, Sydney Biden.)
1919
Jan. 1: Beethoven: Egmont Overture; Mozart: Violin Concerto in E flat (Michael Press); Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Phil., Lotte Leonard, Ida Harth zur Nieden, Rudolf Laubenthal, Sydney Biden.)
Sep. 26: Mahler: Symphony no. 9 (Vienna Symphony Orch.)
"In the evening to Mahler's Ninth. Bad performance, as Fried exaggerates everything more and more. I stood through it for 4 Crowns, which left me very tired."
Alban Berg. Arthur Schnitzler in audience.
Oct. 20: Mahler: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin) Hans-Jürgen von der Wense to Eduard Erdmann: "Fried- the only musician today whom I revere - will give the Mahler 9th."
1920
Mar. 19: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Charles Canter, Karl Fischer-Niemann, Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
n.d.: Warsaw (Emil Telmanyi, violin.)
Sep. 24: Mahler: Symphony no. 2 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna) Beginning of Mahler cycle in which Fried directed 8 Symphonies and other works.
Sep. 30: Mahler: Symphony no. 3 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 4: Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Marie Gutheil-Schoder), Symphony no. 5 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 7: Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Hermann Weil), Symphony no. 6 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 11: Mahler: Kindertotenlieder (Helge Lindberg), Symphony no. 7 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 15: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Eleanor Reynolds-Schlosshauer, Richard Schubert, Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 17: Mahler: Symphony no. 2 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 18: Mahler: Symphony no. 9 (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Oct. 21: Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole (played twice, at beginning and end of concert); Daphnis et Chloé 2nd Suite; Shéhérazade & Deux Mélodies hébraïques (Marya Freund) (Vienna Symphony Orch.) Ravel present. Before rehearsals, Fried heard Ravel and Eduard Steuermann play through the Mother Goose Suite and Rhapsodie Espagnole on the piano at Alma Mahler's home.
Nov. 15 & Dec. 18: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Berlin Phil., Charles Cahier, Richard Schubert)
Dec. 7: Mahler: Das klagende Lied (Konzertverein Orch., Vienna)
Dec. 20: Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé 2nd Suite; (German premiere); Liszt: Piano Concerto no. 1 (Walter Gieseking); Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (Berlin Phil.)
1921
Jan. 31: Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Lelio (Berlin Phil.) Lelio was staged.
Mar. 7: Haydn: The Seasons (Berlin Phil., Elisabeth Schumann, Helge Lindberg, Paul Kuhn, Staatsoper Chorus.)
n.d. Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (First foreign artist invited to the USSR by Lenin. Workers' concert at Bolshoi Theater, Moscow.)
1922
n.d.: Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique (Oslo Philharmonic)
Dec.: Mahler: Symphony no. 2 (Vienna)
1923
Jan 1-10 (c.): concert series with Scherchen. works by Mahler, Ravel, Schönberg, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Rome)
1924
Jan.: Berlioz, Strauss, Wagner (St. Petersburg)
n.d.: Beethoven: Symphonies nos. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9; Piano Cto. no. 5 (Seiliger); Coriolan & Leonore Overtures 1 & 3; Violin Concerto (Daniil Karpilowsky) (Moscow)
n.d.: Liszt: Faust Symphony; Mazeppa; Piano Concerto no. 2 (Heinrich Neuhaus). (Moscow)
Feb.: St. Petersburg
Oct.: Beethoven (five concerts): The Nine Symphonies; Piano Concertos nos. 4 & 5; Violin Concerto; Ah Perfido; arias from Fidelio. (St. Petersburg) Medtner was to be soloist in one of the concertos, but Fried was expelled from Russia earlier.
n.d.: Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe Suites (Riga)
n.d.: Mahler: Symphony no. 8 (Berlin Philharmonic)
1925
Nov.: Stravinsky: Firebird Suite (Berlin Symphony)
1926
Jan. 5, 6, or 7: Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto no. 1 (Vladimir Horowitz: European debut.) (Berlin Symphony)
Jan.: Strauss: Tod und Verklärung, Ein Heldenleben, Alpine Symphony (Leningrad: first local performance of the latter two works.)
Jan. 19: Prokofiev: Love of Three Oranges Suite (Moscow, premiere.)
Feb.: Debussy, Ravel (Berlin)
Mar.: Hermann Götz: Symphony in F (Berlin Symphony)
1927
May 26: Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Nina Koshetz, Lina Falk, Georges Thill, A. Mozjoukine); Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (Paris Opera: Stravinsky is present.)
Oct.: Bruckner: Symphony no. 7; Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe Suites (Milan: in a series shared with Toscanini.)
Sep. 30: Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Wireless [BBC] Orch., London)
Nov. 15: Delius: Appalachia? (London) Delius is present.
Nov. 17: Weber: Euryanthe Overture; Brahms: Piano Concerto no. 2 (Artur Schnabel); Liszt: Faust Symphony (Widdop) (London, Royal Philharmonic)
"The greatest pianistic success of my entire career." Artur Schnabel.
Nov. 21: Stravinsky: Rite of Spring; Beethoven: Symphony no. 9. (Berlin Phil., Emmy Land, Jenny Sonnenberg, Eugen Transky, Wilhelm Guttmann, Kittel Choir.)
n.d.: Russian tour: Delius?, Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (Moscow)
Dec. 31: Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Phil., Emmy Land, Hertha Demlow, Eugen Transky, Hermann Schey, Kittel Cho.)
1928
Jan.: Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex (Düsseldorf: According to Kurt Weill, it was reported in newpapers that the performance was "cancelled due to internal politics".)
Mar.: Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (Moscow)
Mar. 16 & 18: Brahms: Symphony no. 1; Stravinsky: Firebird Suite; Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe Suite (New York: New York Symphony).
1929
Feb. 14-20: Lisbon. (Jose Viana da Mota is pianist in an unspecified work.)
Feb 20: concerts in Madrid.
May: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Paris, one of two concerts)
1930
Jan. 10: Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique (Wireless [BBC] Orch., London).
Apr. 3: Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel; Hindemith: scene from Cardillac (Dorothy Silk); Holst: Concerto for 2 violins (Adila Fachiri, Jelly D'Aranyi: world premiere); Brahms: Symphony no. 1 (Royal Philharmonic, London).
Apr. 4: Mehul: La Chasse du Jeune Henri Overture; Mahler: Symphony no. 4; Haydn: Harpsichord Cto. in D (Wanda Landowska); Liszt: Mazeppa (BBC S.O. London broadcast) Fried substituted for Beecham. Barbirolli at rehearsal on the 23rd.
June 28: Mozart: Symphony no. 39; Bossi: Interludes; Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (Milan: La Scala)
Oct. 7: Haydn: The Seasons (Berlin Phil., Wolf, Roswänge, Schey, Kittel Cho.)
1931
Mar. 6: Bartók: Rhapsody no. 2 for violin & orchestra (Berlin/German premiere, Maurits van den Berg); Mahler: Symphony no. 9 (Berlin Radio Orchestra)
Mar. 11: Beethoven: Coriolan Overture; Brahms: Concerto no. 2 (Walter Gieseking); Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (BBC SO, London).
Mar. 15: Wagner: Tannhauser Overture; Ireland: Mai Dun; Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 6 (BBC S.O., London)
Mar. 18: Beethoven: Fidelio Overture, Symphonies nos. 4 & 9. (BBC, London)
"Go with Mummy to BBC. Beethoven concert conducted by Oscar Fried. Fidelio, 4th and 9th symphonies. The first two were played beautifully. But Fried seemed to frighten the orchestra in the 9th. He altered scoring right and left. 1st mvt, impressivel, 2nd mov. too fast, the 3rd too slow. Last movement was notable for fine singing of Nat.[ional] Chorus and soloists [Baille, Desmond, Widdop, Falkner]. All considering it was adisappointing performance of the conductor's. He was raging all the way through the 9th there is no reason why he should blame the whole orch. and chorus for the slips of the 4th horn (Cb scale (3rd movement) & tympani (2nd mov.)."
Benjamin Britten.
June: Bologna: Participant at the Martucci Festival.
Aug: Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 (Lodz Philharmonic)
1932
Feb 24: Mozart: Symphony no. 39; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto no. 3 (composer at the piano); Beethoven: Symphony no. 5 (Berlin Phil.) Horszowski at the rehearsal.
Aug: Leningrad
1933
Mar.: Buenos Aires.
1934
Jan. 17: Berlioz: Romeo & Juliette (Jones, Szantho, Farrington, BBC S.O., London.)
n.d.: Opera conductor in Tbilisi. Later settles in Moscow.
1935
Jan. 27: Mahler: Symphony no. 9 (BBC S.O., London)
"[...] listen to what seems a fine performance by BBC orch. under Oscar Fried (tho' without the suavity & rhythm of the Wien Phil) of Mahler's wonderful 9th Symphony. I could listen to this for hours. The end is really very moving."
Benjamin Britten.
n.d.: Russia: Fried reportedly gave 75 concerts throughout the country.
1936
Feb. 1: Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (Desmond, Widdop, BBC S.O., London)
1937
Rec.: Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (All Soviet Radio Orch., Moscow)
July 5, 1941 Death in Moscow during the bombings of the Nazi air force.
--Allan Evans ©2004.

Oscar Fried on Mahler (Musikblatter des Ansbruch, vol.1, no1,
p.16-17)
It was in 1904. Schalk, who was planning the first performance of my das Trunkene Lied under the aegis of the concerts of the Society of Friends of Music, had invited me to come to Berlin for te rehearsals. I consented, and in the course of the very first conversation, Schalk asked me whether I had already called on Director Mahler. I said no... But straightaway next day - it was the final rehearsal of Das Trunkene Lied - Schalk came up to me and informed me that Director Mahler had expressed to make my acquaintance... When I now thus saw him before me, this master in his own house, so unjustify feared and maligned, my first impression I can only call extraordinary beautiful. Above all the impression was very strong on a human level. This man looking at me, through stern and forbidding spectacles, and yet with a child-like curiosity and with that unadulterated frankness which is concerned only to fathom out and penetrate the essential humanity in other people - this man, with his child-like and yet utterly mainly head, struck me as positively beautiful to look at. His gaze, which penetrated everything and laid bare the innermost being, the deep bell-like voice, his mouth whose fine cut spoke of unshakable energy, while its almost feminine line testified to kindness and inner >warmth, and not least the intensity of gestures and of his whole being - all this together made him irresistible... I had just succeeded professor Gernsheim as director of the famous Stern Choral union in Berlin, and was firmly determined to break with the centuries-old tradition of this more than conservative Society... Now, Mahler was planning a performance of St. Elizabeth; and his interest in my project was all the stronger in that he was proposing a staged performance in the Opera Theatre. The manner in which I intended to interpret St. Elizabeth, and which I explained to Mahler in all my characteristics vehemence and concern for the innermost spiritual recesses of a work of art, seems to have met with such wholehearted approval on his part that he immediately said to me: "you shall conduct my second Symphony in Berlin. I shall come to hear it myself. you will make an excellent job of it. I saw him for the last six months before his death. he was about to go to America. On the way there, between Berlin and Hamburg, he visited me at Nikolassee. But not a word was spoken or either his or my plans for the future. He merely played in the garden with my child.
Berlin 08.10.1871-Moscow, 05.07.1941
Half a legend, he highly influenced Dmitri Shostakovich
All these artists passed unnoticeable, like they never existed at all.
1932 Polydor Pathetique Fried pays attention towards the constant diabolic tremolo in the development section, timpani ostinato, amazing trumpets in the climax section.
He makes such a cry in the climax
His US tour of 1933-1934 brought to nothing, and he decided to emigrate to Russia, the decision, which became fatal for him.
He conducted the Mahler cycle in Vienna.
Klemperer played the celesta part in Fried’s performance of Mahler’s Sixth in Berlin in 1908.

[Grane]

Очень рад появлению темы об Оскаре Фриде - музыканте удивительном и, увы, сейчас уже почти забытом. Клемперер писал о нем: "Это был гениальный дирижер и интересный композитор" (цитирую на память, могу немного наврать, но слово "гениальный" помню хорошо, т.к. Клемперер такими определениями не бросался). Да, увы, записей Фрида очень немного. Помимо упоминавшихся Вами Девятой Бетховена, Фантастической Берлиоза и Второй Малера, мне удалось заполучить еще несколько. В 1993 году я сделал две большие передачи о Фриде на радио "Орфей", в 1996 - еще одну, к 125-летию. В то время был еще возможен доступ к общей фонотеке Всесоюзного радио, и я (для работы - но и для себя тоже) переписал все, что там было из неизвестного мне. Кроме Сороковой Моцарта с Госоркестром СССР (1937 год), это еще три записи, сделанные в Европе в 20е годы: Шестая Чайковского и обе сюиты "Пер Гюнт" с Берлинским оркестром и "Шехерезада" с Лондонским. Кстати, Сороковая (насколько я знаю) еще никогда не издавалась и существует только в фондах. Совсем недавно обнаружил СD фирмы ZYX-MUSIC (№ PD 5025-2, 1998 г.) с фридовской записью сюиты из "Жар-птицы" Стравинского (Berliner Philharmoniker, 192. Помимо этого, у меня есть довоенная немецкая пластинка (на 78 об.) с его Eine kleine Nachtmusik Моцарта (к сожалеию, только первые две части - второй пластинки из комплекта нет). Лет пятнадцать назад в одном московском антикварном магазине видел еще одну того же времени фридовскую пластинку - увертюра Зуппе "Поэт и крестьянин". Увы, не купил - время было тяжелое... Где маэстро похоронен, не знаю. Зато знаю, где он жил в последние годы - в Музфондовском доме на улице бывшего Готтвальда (его соседом по подъезду был композитор Юлиан Крейн, от которого я это и узнал). В изданной в 60е годы книге "Густав Малер. Письма. Воспоминания" есть воспоминания Фрида о Малере (в великолепном переводе С.Ошерова передана очень специфическая речь Фрида). О Фриде есть интересная статья в книге Николая Аносова, а также в книге Гавриила Юдина "За гранью прошлых дней. Из воспоминаний дирижера" в главе "Зарубежные дирижеры в Советском Союзе (20е-30е годы)". М.И.Паверман рассказывал мне, как по его приглашению Фрид дирижировал в Свердловске (в конце 30х годов) Девятую Бетховена (кстати, он играл ее с малеровскими ретушами в оркестровке, привозил свой комплект отредактированных оркестровых партий). Ну вот, пока все. Буду рад, если эта информация пригодилась. PS: Да, кстати, небольшая поправка: Фрид не OsCar, a OsKar - не совсем обычное написание, тем не менее именно так. И еще.Сейчас еще живы люди (хотя их осталось очень мало), заставшие Фрида. Лично знаю двоих: это легендарный трубач Сергей Петрович Попов (игравший под управлением Фрида в Госоркестре) и однофамилец Фрида, композитор Григорий Самуилович Фрид, в молодости бывавший на многих его концертах. Обоим сейчас за девяносто...

[Desdichado]

А ещё Фрида неплохо знали А.В. Гаук и Б.Э. Хайкин, о чём и поведали, каждый по-своему, в своих книжках...

[Desdichado]

Очень рад появлению темы об Оскаре Фриде - музыканте удивительном и, увы, сейчас уже почти забытом. Клемперер писал о нем: "Это был гениальный дирижер и интересный композитор" (цитирую на память, могу немного наврать, но слово "гениальный" помню хорошо, т.к. Клемперер такими определениями не бросался)...

Клемперер писал даже "гениальнейший"!

[nibelung]

40-я Симфония Моцарта С Оскаром Фридом (оркестр Всесоюзного Радио, 1937-й год) вышла сейчас впервые на американской фирме Arbiter. Запись в формате wav я выкладываю.
Величайшую филофонистическую редкость 20-го века наши радийщики продали американцам. И они её выпустили в свет.

[Ganz]

Вот тут много Фрида выложено: http://classicmusical.ucoz.ru/ Причем даже такие записи, которые никогда не выходили на CD