Search - Gustav Mahler, Carl Schuricht, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra :: Das Lied von der Erde

A disastrous incident

L. Johan Modée | Earth | 10/26/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This 1939 live recording, with Carl Schuricht conducting the Concertgebouw, is very famous for one, disastrous incident. After about 19 minutes of the finale, a incredibly stupid young woman in the audience stands up, walks up to the conductor's rostrum and says "Deutchland über Alles, Herr Schuricht," close to the microphone. It is all clearly audible on the recording, including the woman's Dutch accent.



One can just speculate about what could have motivated this bad behavior. Didn't she know that Mahler was of Jewish family, and for that reason despised by anti-Semitic Germans? Or didn't she realize that the performance itself showed that Schuricht did not approve such disgusting prejudices? Or was she a Nazist, filled with irrational hatred of Mahler's masterpiece? In any case, she destroyed this fine performance.



From an historical point of view, this is an interesting incident. And Schurichts interpretation is gripping. But the set cannot be recommended for those who want an interpretation free from a terrible distraction. As first choices, consider Kubelik (Audite), Horenstein (BBC legends) or Walter (SONY).



For Schuricht's interpretation: five stars. But as a recording, it deserves not more than one star. Blame the studpid woman för that outcome!"