In my humble opinion, this book a masterpiece in every respect. To begin with, Wübbelt is, for a German, a surprisingly lively writer. Not for him a cold analysis of his subject, but rather a story as lively and discursive as Tennstedt’s life itself was. The conductor’s story is told, I think, in a manner in which Wübbolt might have told it to friends and colleagues as he was writing it, a sort of “look what I discovered!” approach, and it works wonders.
Every chapter is a little jewel, chock full of pertinent information, expertly dovetailing narrative with character analysis. By the time we reach the post-War period, you almost feel as if you are living Tennstedt’s life with him, only in a telescoped, abbreviated fashion. And the book is beautifully laid out, with photos galore, all placed in the appropriate chronological order to match the text. Occasionally sidebars appear, but these are never distracting; they always provide pertinent information. Many of the documents Wübbolt describes are also reproduced and, since this is the English-language edition, he gives you the original on the left-hand page and then the full English translation on the right-hand one. It’s difficult to describe without actually seeing it yourself, but the whole book impresses you as a combination of biography and scrapbook.
If you’re a Tennstedt admirer, this book is a must. If you’ve only heard a few of his recorded performances and are curious, it’s also a must. But even if you’ve never heard of him before, the book is compelling, the portrait of a very complex, often materially helpless and emotionally wrought man who was able to infuse beauty, power and charisma into the most routine of standard classical works. You won’t be able to put it down, and it will probably make you a Tennstedt fan for life.
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Adz85
Fascinating insight into a great man
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2023
