Karl Böhm

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Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor.

1 Conducting Career
2 Video Recordings of Operas (mostly now on DVD)
3 Audio Recordings of Operas (on CD)
4 Video Recordings of Orchestral Music (on DVD)
5 Audio Recordings of Orchestral Music (on CD)
6 Nazi Sympathies and Anti-Semitic Views
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Conducting Career

Born in Graz, Austria, Böhm studied law and earned a doctorate on this subject. He later studied music at the Graz Conservatory. On the recommendation of Karl Muck, Bruno Walter engaged him at Munich's Bavarian State Opera in 1921. Darmstadt (1927) and Hamburg (1931) were the next places he resided as a young conductor, before succeeding Fritz Busch as head of Dresden's Semper Opera in 1934. He secured a top post at the Vienna State Opera in 1943, eventually becoming music director.

Böhm's career prospered after the war, with his native country usually the locus of his work. The Vienna Philharmonic and the Salzburg Festival featured prominently. He additionally resumed ties in Dresden, at the Staatskapelle, and late in life began a relationship with the London Symphony Orchestra, accepting the title of President of that orchestra, which he held until his death. He received numerous honors, among them first Austrian Generalmusikdirektor in 1964. He was widely feted on his 80th birthday, ten years later; his colleague Herbert von Karajan presented him with a clock to mark that occasion. Böhm died in Salzburg.

Perhaps his greatest contribution to music lay in bringing to life the operas of his close colleague Richard Strauss. Böhm led the premieres of Strauss's late works Die Schweigsame Frau (1935) and Daphne (1938), of which he is the dedicatee, recorded all of the major operas (often making cuts to the scores), and regularly revived Strauss's operas with strong casts during his tenures in Vienna and Dresden, as well as at the Salzburg Festival.

Böhm was praised for his rhythmically robust interpretations of the operas and symphonies of Mozart, and in the 1960s he completed a landmark recorded cycle of the symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic. Böhm's brisk and plain way with Wagner won adherents, as did his readings of the symphonies of Brahms, Bruckner and Schubert. He also performed and made recordings of Alban Berg's operas Wozzeck and Lulu, before they gained a position in the repertory.

Actor Karlheinz Böhm, the conductor's son, is known for his role as the young Emperor Franz Joseph in the three Sissi movies.

[edit] Video Recordings of Operas (mostly now on DVD)

Notes: each "?" mark refers to one unknown principal cast member; roles are listed high to low voice.

Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail - Gruberová/Grist?/Araiza/Orth?/Talvela? - 1980, Munich - DG
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - Grist/Watson/Mathis/Berry/Wixell - 1966, Salzburg - TDK
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - Freni/Te Kanawa/Ewing/Prey/Fischer-Dieskau - 1976, Ponnelle movie - DG
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - ?/?/?/Prey/? - 1980, Tokyo - unknown label
Strauss-Jhn II: Die Fledermaus - Janowitz/Holm-R/Windgassen/?/Wächter - 1972, Schenk movie - Unitel
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - Hillebrecht/Grist/Jurinac/Thomas - 1965, Salzburg - TDK
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - Janowitz/Gruberová/Schmidt-T?/Kollo - 1978, Vienna - Unitel
Strauss-R: Elektra - Rysanek/Ligendza/Varnay/Beirer/Fischer-Dieskau - 1981, Friedrich movie - Decca
Strauss-R: Salome - Stratas/Varnay/?/? - 1974, Friedrich movie - DG
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Nilsson/Vickers/Rundgren - 1973, Orange - Kultur

[edit] Audio Recordings of Operas (on CD)

Notes: each "?" mark refers to one unknown principal cast member; roles are listed high to low voice.

Beethoven: Fidelio - Konetzni/Ralf/Schöffler/Alsen - 1944, live in Vienna - Andante
Beethoven: Fidelio - Ludwig/King?/Neidlinger?/Greindl? - 1963, live in Tokyo - Legato
Beethoven: Fidelio - Jones-G/King/Adam/Crass - 1970? - DG
Berg: Lulu - Lear/Johnson/Grobe/Fischer-Dieskau - 1968, incomplete - DG
Berg: Lulu - Silja/Mödl/Kmentt/Gutstein - 1968, live in Vienna, incomplete - Andante
Berg: Wozzeck - Goltz/Klein/Lorenz/Berry/Dönch - 1955, live in Vienna - Andante
Berg: Wozzeck - Lear/Stolze/Melchert/Fischer-Dieskau/Kohn - 1964 - DG
Berg: Wozzeck - Silja/Melkert/Uhl/Evans/Kremmer - 1971, live in Salzburg - Opera d'Oro
Einem: Der Prozess - della Casa/Lorenz - 1953, live in Salzburg - Orfeo
Mozart: La clemenza di Tito - Varady/Berganza/Schreier - 1979? - DG
Mozart: Così fan tutte - Danco/Simionato/?/?/?/? - 1949, live in Geneva - unknown label
Mozart: Così fan tutte - Seefried/?/?/?/?/? - 1954, live in Salzburg - Orfeo
Mozart: Così fan tutte - della Casa/Ludwig/Loose/Dermota/Kunz/Schöffler - 1955 - Decca
Mozart: Così fan tutte - Schwarzkopf/Ludwig/?/?/?/? - 1962, live in Salzburg - unknown label
Mozart: Così fan tutte - Schwarzkopf/Ludwig/Steffek/Kraus/Taddei/Berry - 1962 - EMI
Mozart: Così fan tutte - Janowitz/Fassbaender/Grist/Schreier/Prey/Panerai - 1974, live in Salzburg - DG
Mozart: Don Giovanni - ?/?/?/?/?/London - 1955, live in Vienna - unknown label
Mozart: Don Giovanni - ?/?/?/?/?/Valdengo - 1955, live in Naples - unknown label
Mozart: Don Giovanni - Nilsson/Arroyo/Grist/Schreier/Flagello/Fischer-Dieskau - 1967 - DG
Mozart: Don Giovanni - Tomowa-Sintow/Zylis-Gara/Mathis/Schreier/Berry/Milnes - 1977, live in Salzburg - DG
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail - Augér/Grist/Schreier/Neukirch/Moll - 1972? - DG
Mozart: Idomeneo, rè di Creta - Varady/Mathis/Schreier/Ochman - 1970s - DG
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - ?/?/?/Stabile/? - 1951, live in Naples - unknown label
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - Streich/Jurinac/Ludwig/Berry/Schöffler - 1956 - Philips
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - ?/?/?/Kunz/? - 1957, live - unknown label
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - ?/?/?/Böhme/? - 1958 - unknown label
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - ?/?/?/Berry/? - 1963, live in Tokyo - unknown label
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro - Mathis/Janowitz/Troyanos/Prey/Fischer-Dieskau - 1968 - DG 449 728-2
Mozart: Der Schauspieldirektor - Grist/Augér/Schreier/Moll - 1970? - DG
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte - Güden/Lipp/Simoneau/Berry/Böhme - 1955 - Decca
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte - Lear/Peters/Wunderlich/Fischer-Dieskau/Crass - 1964? - DG
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia - Grist?/Wunderlich/Wächter - 1966, live in Vienna - Myto
Strauss-Jhn II: Die Fledermaus - Janowitz/Holm-R/Windgassen/Kmentt/Wächter - 1972? - Decca
Strauss-R: Arabella - Reining/della Casa/Taubmann/Hotter - 1947, live in Salzburg - DG
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - Reining/Noni/Seefried/Lorenz - 1944, live in Vienna - Preiser
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - della Casa/Güden/Seefried/Schock - 1954, live in Salzburg - DG
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - Ludwig/Grist/Jurinac/Thomas - 1964, live in Salzburg - Myto
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - Rysanek/?/?/? - 1967, live in Vienna - Melodram
Strauss-R: Ariadne auf Naxos - Hillebrecht?/?/Troyanos/Thomas? - 1969 - DG
Strauss-R: Capriccio - Janowitz/Troyanos/Schreier/Prey/Fischer-Dieskau/Ridderbusch - 1971 - DG
Strauss-R: Daphne - Reining/Frutschnigg/Friedrich/Dermota/Alsen - 1944 - Preiser
Strauss-R: Daphne - Güden/Little/King/Wunderlich/Schöffler - 1964, live in Vienna - DG
Strauss-R: Elektra - Borkh/Schech/Madeira/Uhl/Fischer-Dieskau - 1961 - DG
Strauss-R: Elektra - Nilsson/?/?/?/? - 1965, live in Vienna - SRO
Strauss-R: Die Frau ohne Schatten - Rysanek/Goltz/Höngen/Hopf/Weber 1955, live in Vienna - Orfeo
Strauss-R: Die Frau ohne Schatten - Rysanek/Goltz/Höngen/Hopf/Schöffler - 1955 - Decca
Strauss-R: Die Frau ohne Schatten - Rysanek/Nilsson/Hesse/King/Berry - 1977, live in Vienna - DG
Strauss-R: Der Rosenkavalier - Schech/?/?/? - unknown label
Strauss-R: Der Rosenkavalier - Ludwig/Mathis/Troyanos/Adam - 1969, live in Salzburg - DG
Strauss-R: Salome - Jones-G?/Dunn?/Cassilly/Fischer-Dieskau - 1970, live in Hamburg - DG
Strauss-R: Salome - Rysanek?/?/Hopf?/Wächter? - 1972?, live in Vienna? - Opera d'Oro
Strauss-R: Die schweigsame Frau - Güden/Wunderlich/Prey/Hotter - 1959, live in Salzburg - DG
Verdi: Macbeth - Ludwig/Cossutta/Milnes/Ridderbusch - 1970, live in Vienna - Opera d'Oro
Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer - Jones-G/Esser/Stewart/Ridderbusch - 1971, live at Bayreuth - DG
Wagner: Lohengrin - Watson/Ludwig/Thomas/Berry/Talvela - 1965, live in Vienna - Golden Melodram
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Seefried/Seider/Schöffler/Kunz - 1944, live in Vienna - Preiser
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Jones-G/Kmentt/Adam/Helmsley - 1968, live in Bayreuth - Golden Melodram
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen: Das Rheingold - Silja/Burmeister/Soukupová/Windgassen/Neidlinger/Adam - 1966, live at Bayreuth - Philips
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Walküre - Rysanek/Nilsson/Burmeister/King/Adam/Nienstedt - 1967, live at Bayreuth - Philips
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen: Siegfried - Nilsson/Wohlfahrt/Windgassen/Adam/Böhme - 1966, live at Bayreuth - Philips
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen: Götterdämmerung - Nilsson/Mödl/Windgassen/Stewart/Greindl - 1967, live at Bayreuth - Philips
Wagner: Tannhäuser - Tebaldi/Pery/Beirer/Tagliabue/Christoff - 1950, live in Naples - Hardy
Wagner: Tannhäuser - Rysanek/Nilsson/Lustig/Cordes/Frick - 1956, live in Naples - Melodram
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Nilsson/Windgassen/Talvela - 1966, live at Bayreuth - DG
Weber: Der Freischütz - Janowitz/King/Holm/Ridderbusch/Crass - 1972, live in Vienna - Arkadia

[edit] Video Recordings of Orchestral Music (on DVD)

Mozart: Late Symphonies - Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony Orchestra - 1970s - DG 073 413-0 (set of 3 DVDs)
Mozart: Requiem - Janowitz/Ludwig/Schreier/Berry, Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Symphony Orchestra - 1970s - DG 073 408-1

[edit] Audio Recordings of Orchestral Music (on CD)

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 - Vienna Philharmonic - 1970s - DG 463 081-2
Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) - Janowitz/Schreier/Talvela, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Symphoniker - 1960s - DG 457 713-2 (2 CDs)
Mozart: Complete Symphonies - Berlin Philharmonic - 1950s and 1960s - DG 453 231-2 (10 CDs)
Schubert: Complete Symphonies - Berlin Philharmonic - 1970? - DG 471 307-2 (4 CDs)

[edit] Nazi Sympathies and Anti-Semitic Views

It is believed that Böhm was an early sympathizer of the Nazi party, although he never became a member. In November 1923 he stopped a rehearsal in the Munich opera house in order, reportedly, to watch Adolf Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch <ref>Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth, 109</ref>, although continuing with the music may not have been possible anyway. In 1930 he is said to have become angry when his wife was accused by Nazi brownshirts of being Jewish during the premiere of Schoenberg's opera Von Heute auf Morgen and to have stated that he "would tell Hitler about this" <ref>Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth, 109</ref>. When he was music director in Darmstadt and Hamburg he allegedly complained of "too many Jews" among the musicians he worked with <ref>Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth, 109</ref>. A more certain story is that in the wake of the Nazi annexation of Austria he gave the Hitler salute during a concert with the Vienna Philharmonic, ironically violating Nazi rules about places where the greeting was appropriate <ref>Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth, 109</ref>. After Austrians voted to ratify the annexation, or Anschluss, the Graz-born conductor allegedly declared that "anyone who does not approve this act of our Führer with a hundred-per cent YES, does not deserve to bear the honourable name of a German!" <ref>Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth, 109-110</ref>.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Karl Böhm at the Internet Movie Database

Preceded by: Fritz Busch	Principal Conductors, Dresden Staatskapelle 1934–1943	Succeeded by: Karl Elmendorff
Preceded by: Lothar Müthel	Directors, Vienna State Opera 1943–1945	Succeeded by: Franz Salmhofer
Preceded by: Franz Salmhofer	Directors, Vienna State Opera 1954–1956	Succeeded by: Herbert von Karajan