Klaus Tennstedt

Speaker 20:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive. For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

Speaker 20:08

The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen ninety one, and the presenter was Sue Lawley.

Presenter0:30

My Castaway this week is a conductor. He was born sixty five years ago in what became East Germany, and after a career which saw him conducting most of that country's leading orchestras, he defected to the West. He was forty five.

Presenter0:43

Three years later he was acclaimed as an international maestro in a performance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He went on to conduct most of the world's top orchestras and became the principal conductor of the London Philharmonic. But with success came personal sadness. Six years ago he developed cancer of the vocal cords and was forced to resign his post.

Presenter1:03

Today his fight against illness is over, and his audiences are once more enjoying the intense mixture of emotion and physical energy, the balance between heart and intellect, which he brings to his performances. He is Klaus Tenstett.

Presenter1:18

It's um it's a very physical performance you give from from the podium. I I presume the last thing you think about when you're there is what you look like.

Klaus Tennstedt1:27

It is a mixture between physical things and things with the heart, you must have the balance.

Klaus Tennstedt1:35

Between hard and technique.

Klaus Tennstedt1:38

And so I

Klaus Tennstedt1:40

I hope I have the balance, and my audience they have the same feeling.

Presenter1:47

O one of your uh critics has said before now, although very fondly I'm sure, that you look like a kind of agitated crane when you're on the podium. Is that have you seen yourself? I mean, have you ever seen yourself on podium?

Klaus Tennstedt1:58

I am.

Klaus Tennstedt1:59

I've seen me in

Klaus Tennstedt2:01

Video? Maybe I do a little bit too much physically.

Presenter2:06

And when you when you've finished conducting, do you feel completely both physically and emotionally drained?

Klaus Tennstedt2:13

If uh maybe uh like a sportsman, I lose four or or five pounds.

Presenter2:21

In one performance.

Klaus Tennstedt2:21

Yes.

Klaus Tennstedt2:22

Yeah.

Presenter2:23

And what

Klaus Tennstedt2:23

Like work.

Presenter2:23

Uh

Klaus Tennstedt2:25

like it mala.

Klaus Tennstedt2:27

or six malle to the great works.

Presenter2:30

So what's the first record that you'll put on your grammar phone?

Klaus Tennstedt2:33

There's a word in in German.

Klaus Tennstedt2:35

This means

Klaus Tennstedt2:37

Stemstund, this is not to translate, you cannot translate. What what do you say for for this word?

Presenter2:44

I think it's sort of climax or finest finest hour, is it?

Klaus Tennstedt2:47

Yeah.

Klaus Tennstedt2:48

And it was with one of the.

Klaus Tennstedt2:52

Most difficult.

Klaus Tennstedt2:55

The symphony was the pastoral symphony.

Klaus Tennstedt2:58

By Beethoven.

Klaus Tennstedt2:59

We did it in two sessions.

Klaus Tennstedt3:02

And the orchestra was in such a wonderful form.

Klaus Tennstedt3:06

You know

Klaus Tennstedt3:07

It is technically is the symphony.

Klaus Tennstedt3:11

For the orchestra not difficult.

Klaus Tennstedt3:13

But other things, inside, you know, you must have this.

Klaus Tennstedt3:18

Yeah, I was so happy.

Klaus Tennstedt3:20

That's the the the first record what I.

Klaus Tennstedt3:23

Take to the

Klaus Tennstedt3:24

Dine.

Klaus Tennstedt3:25

That's all, that's very easy.

Presenter4:23

That was part of the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. six in F major, opus sixty eight, The Pastoral, played by the London Philharmonic, conducted by my castaway, Klaus Tenstedt.

Presenter4:35

When was the first time, my show, that you conducted in public?

Klaus Tennstedt4:39

It is almost a criminal story.

Klaus Tennstedt4:43

You know I was leader.

Klaus Tennstedt4:45

Violinist

Klaus Tennstedt4:47

In Orchestra?

Klaus Tennstedt4:48

In Halle, this town where Handel is born.

Klaus Tennstedt4:52

And one evening

Klaus Tennstedt4:54

The conductor of an modern opera.

Klaus Tennstedt4:59

was sick.

Klaus Tennstedt5:02

Yeah, nobody was there.

Klaus Tennstedt5:05

And I I knew this work very well.

Klaus Tennstedt5:09

And

Klaus Tennstedt5:09

They asked me, Can you?

Klaus Tennstedt5:12

conduct this opera. I never conduct in my life, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt5:17

I didn't know the reaction.

Klaus Tennstedt5:19

of the orchestra.

Klaus Tennstedt5:21

But I said, Okay, I'll do it.

Klaus Tennstedt5:24

And his performance?

Klaus Tennstedt5:26

was

Klaus Tennstedt5:27

Sure, not the best, but it was no cutters off.

Presenter5:31

How old are you?

Klaus Tennstedt5:33

Ten to three.

Presenter5:33

Hm. And your father was in the orchestra when you were.

Klaus Tennstedt5:36

Yes, my father was the leader in the second violins.

Presenter5:39

So what did he think?

Klaus Tennstedt5:39

What did he think? He was crazy, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt5:43

He was near a heart attack.

Presenter5:46

Did did he know then that it was you who was going to come out on the podium and conduct?

Klaus Tennstedt5:49

No before not he didn't know this.

Presenter5:52

No.

Presenter5:53

Did you know from that moment that conducting was?

Klaus Tennstedt5:56

Yeah, sure. The alternative for violin playing.

Presenter5:57

Yeah.

Klaus Tennstedt6:00

I I couldn't play anymore because between my finger.

Klaus Tennstedt6:04

Fingers was mm.

Klaus Tennstedt6:06

We say gun leong.

Presenter6:08

A growth

Klaus Tennstedt6:09

The app

Presenter6:10

Yeah.

Klaus Tennstedt6:11

And this.

Klaus Tennstedt6:12

It was not uh possible.

Klaus Tennstedt6:14

And uh people say I was a good violin player.

Klaus Tennstedt6:18

But I I was interested always.

Klaus Tennstedt6:23

for conductors.

Presenter6:25

Shall we have your second record? What's that to be?

Klaus Tennstedt6:28

The second record is the Symphony Number Six by Tchaikovsky.

Klaus Tennstedt6:34

And when I was a child, though fifteen years old,

Klaus Tennstedt6:38

The Second World War began.

Klaus Tennstedt6:42

and Hitler and.

Klaus Tennstedt6:44

His propaganda minister Gabbels.

Klaus Tennstedt6:47

They had forbidden.

Klaus Tennstedt6:49

In this moment, to play or do listen?

Klaus Tennstedt6:53

Russian music.

Klaus Tennstedt6:55

Jewish music.

Klaus Tennstedt6:56

Like Mendelssohn also.

Klaus Tennstedt6:59

Never.

Klaus Tennstedt7:00

Nothing was allowed.

Klaus Tennstedt7:04

And one day, my father

Klaus Tennstedt7:06

Came home?

Klaus Tennstedt7:07

From a friend?

Klaus Tennstedt7:08

And he came with

Klaus Tennstedt7:11

Six records, I said to my fellow, My God, what's this, six records?

Klaus Tennstedt7:16

Yeah, you said this is one symphony.

Klaus Tennstedt7:19

But I said, Father, we cannot heal this. It is forbidden, you know. What shall we do?

Klaus Tennstedt7:24

And then I said, Father, we go in bed.

Klaus Tennstedt7:29

With our old gramophone?

Klaus Tennstedt7:31

And we

Klaus Tennstedt7:33

Take over us, over

Klaus Tennstedt7:37

Our head.

Klaus Tennstedt7:39

A big sheet.

Klaus Tennstedt7:41

And then we listen.

Klaus Tennstedt7:44

And then really you listen.

Klaus Tennstedt7:46

And in the last movement my father said,

Klaus Tennstedt7:49

Son, listen.

Klaus Tennstedt7:50

This is one of the greatest orchestras in the world of Philadelphia.

Klaus Tennstedt7:55

Area.

Klaus Tennstedt7:57

That's it.

Klaus Tennstedt7:59

No, and forty years later.

Klaus Tennstedt8:02

Eye contact.

Klaus Tennstedt8:03

nineteen eighty one.

Klaus Tennstedt8:05

This orchestered the first time.

Klaus Tennstedt8:08

And since this time.

Klaus Tennstedt8:10

And

Klaus Tennstedt8:11

There every year.

Klaus Tennstedt8:13

And sure.

Klaus Tennstedt8:15

I told them the Philadelphia Ocassius story.

Presenter8:19

And did your father live to hear you conduct that?

Klaus Tennstedt8:22

No, no, no. He's he he died.

Klaus Tennstedt8:26

Uh sixty two.

Klaus Tennstedt8:28

It's a pity.

Presenter9:31

Part of the last movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. six in B minor Opus seventy four, the Patatique, played by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormondy, and first heard by Klaus Tenstrett in his teens under the Eiderdown, one of the forbidden Russian composers.

Presenter9:48

You were thirteen, Maestro, when war broke out. Did you find yourself taking a an active part in the Hitler Jugend, or did you manage to get out of that?

Klaus Tennstedt9:56

No, no, never. My father was an enemy of the Nazis. I grew up.

Klaus Tennstedt10:02

against them. Sure in the school we we had uh the false history, you know. It was usual, but my father that always.

Klaus Tennstedt10:13

Don't believe them.

Presenter10:14

Ha ha.

Presenter10:15

It was all obvious here a very long time ago. Ha haven't you become, quite recently, the the first German to conduct the Israeli Philharmonic?

Klaus Tennstedt10:23

Oh yes, this was so fantastic. But it was not so easy that I could come to Israel in my age, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt10:33

I can be a young Nazi.

Klaus Tennstedt10:36

But I could come to them and

Klaus Tennstedt10:40

From the first moment on.

Klaus Tennstedt10:43

It was a friendship. It was unbelievable.

Klaus Tennstedt10:46

And uh from the Israeli Philharmonic.

Klaus Tennstedt10:49

In connection with the Knesset, I got the the highest uh present from this country.

Klaus Tennstedt10:57

That means thirty-six.

Klaus Tennstedt10:59

Trees

Klaus Tennstedt11:00

That means pinions, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt11:03

Good luck.

Presenter11:03

They planted thirty-six trees in your honour.

Klaus Tennstedt11:06

It is mine.

Presenter11:06

A d

Klaus Tennstedt11:08

The thirty six trees are mined near Jerusalem.

Klaus Tennstedt11:13

It's all mine, you know, when I when I died five hundred years later.

Klaus Tennstedt11:18

My trees are there.

Klaus Tennstedt11:21

No.

Presenter11:22

They're there to wish you long life, aren't they? That's the custom.

Klaus Tennstedt11:22

That's a wonderful thing.

Klaus Tennstedt11:24

That's the good.

Presenter11:25

Yeah.

Klaus Tennstedt11:26

Oh mind.

Presenter11:27

Oh, main. Let's have your third record there. What's that?

Klaus Tennstedt11:27

Ha ha ha.

Klaus Tennstedt11:32

This is long, long ago. I heard

Klaus Tennstedt11:35

A record

Klaus Tennstedt11:36

Uh by Schultz?

Klaus Tennstedt11:38

With the Vienna Philharmonic and the great Bugit Nielsen.

Klaus Tennstedt11:44

And Sabamy.

Klaus Tennstedt11:45

That's all, this is very interesting for me.

Klaus Tennstedt11:48

Although today.

Klaus Tennstedt11:50

It was a fantastic record.

Presenter12:50

Birgit Nielsen singing the finale of Richard Strauss's Salome with the Vena Philharmonica, conducted by Sir George Schulte.

Presenter12:58

After you were discovered, as it were, Klaus Tenstedtt, as a conductor, you went on to become the music director of the Dresden Opera and the State Orchestra in Schwerin, and then you conducted most of the major East German orchestras. But you've said since that you felt stifled. Can you explain that to me?

Klaus Tennstedt13:16

Soon, I never

Klaus Tennstedt13:18

could play what I want.

Klaus Tennstedt13:21

You know?

Klaus Tennstedt13:22

The Communism Party.

Klaus Tennstedt13:25

What's

Klaus Tennstedt13:26

Always with you. And sure, also in the orchestra there were communism and uh communism people.

Presenter13:33

So you were always controlled, you were always told what you could do.

Klaus Tennstedt13:35

You always told what you

Klaus Tennstedt13:37

And the main thing for my escape was I couldn't go out as a gas conductor uh to New York or to London or or nothing.

Presenter13:48

So how long did it take you? How long were you thinking about defecting before you actually did it?

Klaus Tennstedt13:55

Oh, we thought about this all these years, but our families were in East.

Klaus Tennstedt14:02

And

Klaus Tennstedt14:03

Then suddenly

Klaus Tennstedt14:06

It came the wall.

Klaus Tennstedt14:09

You know?

Klaus Tennstedt14:10

And then we were thinking about an escape.

Klaus Tennstedt14:13

Every day.

Klaus Tennstedt14:15

But it was not the possibility.

Presenter14:17

And how did you do it in the end?

Klaus Tennstedt14:19

Yeah, then uh one day I got a visa.

Klaus Tennstedt14:23

to Sweden. And from Sweden I organized the escape for my wife.

Klaus Tennstedt14:30

Because I could go to Sweden.

Klaus Tennstedt14:33

only alone, without my wife.

Klaus Tennstedt14:37

And then I took a flight.

Klaus Tennstedt14:39

And some people there?

Klaus Tennstedt14:42

Sure, for m for a lot of money.

Klaus Tennstedt14:46

They organized escapes, very dangerous.

Presenter14:49

But over the wall?

Klaus Tennstedt14:50

No.

Klaus Tennstedt14:51

My wife got a Wisfaltz passport over Hungaria.

Klaus Tennstedt14:56

and Chase Lovakia.

Presenter14:59

And so she came out and joined you.

Klaus Tennstedt15:00

And then she came out.

Presenter15:02

And have you been back now since since it's all opened up?

Klaus Tennstedt15:04

Yeah, yeah.

Presenter15:06

How did you feel when you first went back?

Klaus Tennstedt15:10

Oh, all this.

Klaus Tennstedt15:12

bad things, you know, the the buildings are terrible.

Klaus Tennstedt15:18

Facaded all the streets and

Klaus Tennstedt15:21

Good enough to eat, but what kind of eating?

Speaker 415:26

Hmm.

Klaus Tennstedt15:27

Maybe you like English food.

Speaker 415:29

Uh

Klaus Tennstedt15:29

Uh

Presenter15:29

Yeah.

Presenter15:32

I think we better have another record there.

Klaus Tennstedt15:34

For me, Jesse Norman is one of the greatest uh singers today in the world.

Klaus Tennstedt15:40

Maybe like

Klaus Tennstedt15:42

Bugged Needsome in the past, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt15:45

And I would make

Klaus Tennstedt15:47

With Jesse Norman Wagner record.

Klaus Tennstedt15:52

So what can we do?

Klaus Tennstedt15:54

Jess is it.

Klaus Tennstedt15:55

I never sing God of the Mo.

Klaus Tennstedt15:59

That is too much for me.

Klaus Tennstedt16:01

And I said, Jessie, please.

Klaus Tennstedt16:04

Do it for me. You has not

Klaus Tennstedt16:07

And to sing the whole ring.

Klaus Tennstedt16:10

You know, only the wonderful, unbelievable finale and so.

Klaus Tennstedt16:18

She said, Yes, I did it.

Klaus Tennstedt16:20

I miss I think it is a a great performance.

Presenter17:23

The finale of Wagner's Goethe Demeron, sung by Jesse Norman with the London Philharmonic, conducted by Klaus Tenstett. So there you were in the early seventies, Maestro, just about middle-aged, virtually unknown in world terms, I mean, uh uh but well known obviously in East Germany. Tell me about your explosion on the international scene. How did that come about?

Klaus Tennstedt17:45

Sometimes in a key.

Klaus Tennstedt17:48

The manager from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, he heard me.

Klaus Tennstedt17:52

And he said, You must come to Toronto.

Klaus Tennstedt17:56

I did

Klaus Tennstedt17:57

Completely unknown, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt18:00

And

Klaus Tennstedt18:01

I went to Toronto and it was a big success.

Klaus Tennstedt18:05

And then come Boston.

Klaus Tennstedt18:07

I thought, My God, the Boston Symphony, okay.

Klaus Tennstedt18:10

Okay.

Klaus Tennstedt18:11

And then I said, I want to make one of the most difficult works, Buchner Eight.

Presenter18:19

They were letting you choose, were they?

Klaus Tennstedt18:21

Yeah, and after the

Klaus Tennstedt18:24

It was a, I must say, an unbelievable success.

Klaus Tennstedt18:28

And the next time

Klaus Tennstedt18:30

The most dangerous critic.

Klaus Tennstedt18:32

He wrote in the Boston Globe.

Klaus Tennstedt18:35

Buchna?

Klaus Tennstedt18:37

B S O

Klaus Tennstedt18:38

Tang that once in a lifetime.

Klaus Tennstedt18:41

And then it was very, very easy.

Presenter18:43

And then you've got invitations from across the world.

Klaus Tennstedt18:44

Invitation.

Klaus Tennstedt18:46

For the magic five and uh so that means uh

Klaus Tennstedt18:51

New York, at Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston.

Presenter18:54

And you accepted all these invitations.

Klaus Tennstedt18:56

And then it was not far away.

Klaus Tennstedt19:00

That's London Symphony August um yeah, London Symph Symphony.

Klaus Tennstedt19:06

Make such ears, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt19:08

And I conduct there.

Klaus Tennstedt19:11

And it was so funny.

Klaus Tennstedt19:13

In the intermission I saw.

Klaus Tennstedt19:16

On my table, a prospect.

Klaus Tennstedt19:19

From the London Philharmonic.

Klaus Tennstedt19:22

So

Klaus Tennstedt19:23

And then the way was not far.

Klaus Tennstedt19:27

to come in connection with the London Philharmonic.

Presenter19:30

It was, I think, nine years after you'd become this kind of overnight sensation that that you eventually became the principal conductor and the musical director of the London Philadelphia.

Presenter19:41

It it's been called a love affair between you. What is it? I mean, what is the nature of this love affair between you and that Augustine?

Klaus Tennstedt19:48

Maybe that is a secret, I I can't say this.

Klaus Tennstedt19:53

This orchestra is so flexible and

Klaus Tennstedt19:58

It is a romantic orchestra.

Klaus Tennstedt20:02

And I feel I am a romantic conductor, so we

Klaus Tennstedt20:06

We are good together, you know.

Presenter20:08

It's said that you you tell them, or at least when you did when you were rehearsing Marla's Eighth earlier this year, that they're the best orchestra in the world. Now, did you mean that, or do you say that to all the orchestras you work with?

Klaus Tennstedt20:19

Now, uh I think uh you must be careful with superlatives, sure.

Klaus Tennstedt20:25

But I think no orchestra in the world can Mahler better play than London Philharmon.

Klaus Tennstedt20:32

That's true, that's my feeling, you know.

Presenter20:34

Let's pause for some more music.

Klaus Tennstedt20:36

Minor six is a special symphony for me.

Klaus Tennstedt20:40

Because I have the feeling.

Klaus Tennstedt20:42

Not only me.

Klaus Tennstedt20:44

I have the feeling

Klaus Tennstedt20:45

The sixth Mala is Malas.

Klaus Tennstedt20:48

Biography

Klaus Tennstedt20:50

of his

Klaus Tennstedt20:51

Terrible life.

Klaus Tennstedt20:53

And uh he would be

Klaus Tennstedt20:56

One of the greatest composer

Klaus Tennstedt20:59

But people in the past they said you are one of the greatest conductor.

Klaus Tennstedt21:04

And he hates

Klaus Tennstedt21:06

Yeah, and now, thanks God, we have an unbelievable.

Klaus Tennstedt21:11

Mala Renaissance. And though

Klaus Tennstedt21:14

It is also an highlight with the London Philharmonic to make the sixth mala.

Klaus Tennstedt21:21

The Most Difficult Symphony

Klaus Tennstedt21:24

So grandiose, I'm not happy about it.

Presenter22:24

The finale of Mahler's Symphony No. Six in A minor, played by the London Philharmonic, conducted by my castaway, Klaus Tenstett.

Presenter22:31

It was in nineteen eighty five, Maestro, that you discovered you had cancer of the vocal cords. Um what happened? What what were the first signs that you had of it?

Klaus Tennstedt22:42

It was um

Klaus Tennstedt22:44

In Philadelphia the voice.

Klaus Tennstedt22:47

Was thus inverse?

Klaus Tennstedt22:49

During the reverses.

Klaus Tennstedt22:51

In my baith.

Speaker 422:53

Uh

Klaus Tennstedt22:53

Was very afraid.

Klaus Tennstedt22:55

And we went to the doctor.

Klaus Tennstedt22:58

The Revell Nown Doctor in Philadelphia.

Klaus Tennstedt23:01

And he said, you must go home?

Klaus Tennstedt23:05

Very fast.

Klaus Tennstedt23:07

And then on Doctor in the

Klaus Tennstedt23:09

University Hospital.

Klaus Tennstedt23:12

He um make a control.

Klaus Tennstedt23:15

and said, Yes, you have cancer.

Klaus Tennstedt23:18

And then I I got uh seventy.

Klaus Tennstedt23:21

And then one

Klaus Tennstedt23:23

Was okay.

Klaus Tennstedt23:25

And then it came the other. But I I couldn't uh get more.

Klaus Tennstedt23:30

uh radiations, you know. It was Finnish.

Klaus Tennstedt23:34

And

Klaus Tennstedt23:36

I must have operation.

Presenter23:39

How many operations did you have in the

Klaus Tennstedt23:40

Seven.

Presenter23:42

But how how did it affect you as a as a person? Did it change you? Must have

Klaus Tennstedt23:48

Maybe

Klaus Tennstedt23:50

You become more serious.

Klaus Tennstedt23:53

You think more?

Klaus Tennstedt23:55

About your life.

Klaus Tennstedt23:57

And that's good for music.

Klaus Tennstedt23:59

You know?

Presenter24:00

Shall we have the next record?

Klaus Tennstedt24:03

Yeah.

Klaus Tennstedt24:04

That's very strange and very special. You know, I was.

Klaus Tennstedt24:09

Violinist?

Klaus Tennstedt24:10

And I had my own

Klaus Tennstedt24:14

Stringwatted.

Klaus Tennstedt24:15

Ent.

Klaus Tennstedt24:17

Sometimes I I heard uh a record.

Klaus Tennstedt24:21

From uh the second string quartet by

Klaus Tennstedt24:25

Leos Yanacek.

Klaus Tennstedt24:27

And I love Jonacek.

Klaus Tennstedt24:29

I heard this the first time in the original version.

Klaus Tennstedt24:34

I was breathless, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt24:36

And we tried it in and

Klaus Tennstedt24:39

After five minutes we said, Okay, forget it.

Klaus Tennstedt24:43

Enough.

Klaus Tennstedt24:44

And that's the reason that I would like to bring this record.

Klaus Tennstedt24:49

to the density.

Presenter25:51

The end of the fourth movement of Janicek's String Quartet No. two, Intimate Letters, played by the Janacek Quartet.

Presenter25:58

How is your violin playing these days, Maestro? Do you ever pick one up and play?

Klaus Tennstedt26:03

I never play. I I can't hear me, you know, when when you're not uh practice every day.

Klaus Tennstedt26:09

Then forget the violin. I know enough about violin playing and the orchestra string player.

Klaus Tennstedt26:17

They believe me.

Klaus Tennstedt26:18

You know, that's the secret. Um to develop a sound with an orchestra.

Presenter26:24

And we've said that that's a a draining experience f for you, but is it is it also what you live for, uh those moments of performance and the moment it's over and you know that you and your orchestra have done something supremely well? Is that the joy of your life, that moment?

Klaus Tennstedt26:43

A nice feeling, yeah. This is not the only joy. No, no.

Klaus Tennstedt26:47

Music is not the only joint for me.

Klaus Tennstedt26:50

I think

Klaus Tennstedt26:51

There are more more things.

Klaus Tennstedt26:53

Between heaven and earth, you know?

Presenter26:57

Tell me about your other joys.

Klaus Tennstedt26:59

History

Klaus Tennstedt27:01

Antique.

Klaus Tennstedt27:03

Paintings

Klaus Tennstedt27:04

Impersionismus.

Klaus Tennstedt27:07

Reading

Klaus Tennstedt27:09

I have na about a thousand books.

Klaus Tennstedt27:13

Important books for me.

Presenter27:15

Then what about your wife?

Klaus Tennstedt27:17

Yeah, that's my hobby, my biggest hobby.

Presenter27:19

Uh

Klaus Tennstedt27:20

Sometimes.

Presenter27:23

You'd find it difficult to manage without her, though, wouldn't you?

Klaus Tennstedt27:26

Yeah, without you, forget it.

Presenter27:29

Uh

Presenter27:31

Let's have your seventh record.

Klaus Tennstedt27:33

The name is Nigel Kennedy, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt27:36

And uh one day my company

Klaus Tennstedt27:39

came to me and said.

Klaus Tennstedt27:41

You must do?

Klaus Tennstedt27:43

Go on.

Klaus Tennstedt27:44

One duel.

Klaus Tennstedt27:45

To do the very difficult promise violin concerto with Nigel Kennedy.

Klaus Tennstedt27:51

And I looked in a newspaper.

Klaus Tennstedt27:55

And I saw

Klaus Tennstedt27:57

Tell her about the punka.

Klaus Tennstedt27:59

And has it whistled man to make?

Klaus Tennstedt28:03

Palms Wernen concerned.

Klaus Tennstedt28:05

Yeah, my said.

Klaus Tennstedt28:06

Believe us, he is fantastic.

Klaus Tennstedt28:11

Alan said, okay.

Klaus Tennstedt28:12

And for the first minute in the first session.

Klaus Tennstedt28:17

Nigel Kennedy was an utter.

Klaus Tennstedt28:21

Other person.

Klaus Tennstedt28:23

and other men.

Klaus Tennstedt28:25

Absolutely serious.

Klaus Tennstedt28:28

He is fantastic.

Klaus Tennstedt28:30

Men?

Klaus Tennstedt28:31

A fantastic violinist.

Klaus Tennstedt28:33

I think one of the best today.

Klaus Tennstedt28:36

And he said about me?

Klaus Tennstedt28:39

That's my big monster.

Presenter29:41

Nigel Kennedy playing the beginning of the third movement of Brahm's violin concerto in D Op. seventy seven with a London Philharmonic conducted by Klaus Tenstedt.

Presenter29:50

How are you going to cope? Klased Enchett on this desert island.

Presenter29:55

Will you be able to look after yourself?

Klaus Tennstedt29:57

Know why I have to be alone?

Klaus Tennstedt30:01

There, that's honey!

Klaus Tennstedt30:03

I I I I cannot be alone and uh

Klaus Tennstedt30:07

I cannot, like Robinson Crusoe, build a.

Speaker 430:12

Uh-huh.

Klaus Tennstedt30:12

A little house or so.

Klaus Tennstedt30:15

I would be helpless, you know.

Klaus Tennstedt30:18

I would

Klaus Tennstedt30:20

Go in the ocean.

Presenter30:22

You drown yourself.

Klaus Tennstedt30:26

So this question is uh not possible for me. You know, the the desert island is

Klaus Tennstedt30:32

Baby, a big dream.

Klaus Tennstedt30:35

Nothing else.

Presenter30:37

Do do you do you have a a dream left uh in your musical career? Is there is there one orchestra or one piece of music or one opera that you still long to conduct?

Klaus Tennstedt30:51

Maybe uh

Klaus Tennstedt30:53

Once, but I I think it's not possible.

Klaus Tennstedt30:55

Um

Klaus Tennstedt30:57

I don't have time enough. Maybe the ring.

Klaus Tennstedt31:01

I work now.

Presenter31:02

Let's have your last record.

Klaus Tennstedt31:04

Many, many years ago I heard.

Klaus Tennstedt31:07

Filestaff record

Klaus Tennstedt31:09

Conducted by

Klaus Tennstedt31:11

Atuho Toscanini.

Klaus Tennstedt31:13

You know that's the big Milanos Gala.

Klaus Tennstedt31:17

And they built a piccola scala that means a

Klaus Tennstedt31:22

More

Klaus Tennstedt31:23

In team.

Presenter31:24

Intimate.

Klaus Tennstedt31:25

Intimate, yeah?

Klaus Tennstedt31:27

And the opening of this house was Falstaff.

Klaus Tennstedt31:31

And that does come in.

Klaus Tennstedt31:34

And for me.

Klaus Tennstedt31:36

A Tuscany was.

Klaus Tennstedt31:38

Maybe the

Klaus Tennstedt31:40

The greatest opera conductor.

Klaus Tennstedt31:43

And this foul stuff was.

Presenter32:47

Giuseppe Valdengo singing part of the finale of Verdi's Falstaff with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ottoro Tosconini.

Presenter32:56

So which of those eight records, Maestro?

Presenter32:59

Is the one that you would choose as being more important to you than any of the others?

Klaus Tennstedt33:04

Think all the eight.

Klaus Tennstedt33:06

Are important, and you say I can bring this all these recordings?

Klaus Tennstedt33:12

To the desert island.

Presenter33:14

You can take all it, but if you had just one.

Klaus Tennstedt33:15

But if you had just one. I cannot hear every day the same recording when I am there.

Klaus Tennstedt33:23

Alone.

Klaus Tennstedt33:25

My goodness, does this terror?

Presenter33:27

This is purgatory.

Presenter33:29

If the tide came in and swept away seven of the records and there was just one left.

Klaus Tennstedt33:32

I've seen one

Klaus Tennstedt33:35

For me

Klaus Tennstedt33:37

It's the sympathy number six.

Klaus Tennstedt33:40

Pamala.

Presenter33:43

And a book sitting on the beach you already have, you see, the the Shakespeare and the Bible.

Klaus Tennstedt33:48

Tell me, tell me, what what shall I read when I have only one book?

Presenter33:54

Well you got the whole works of Shakespeare in English.

Klaus Tennstedt34:00

Then I I take my dictionary.

Klaus Tennstedt34:03

Please after

Klaus Tennstedt34:04

On the island.

Presenter34:05

Right.

Klaus Tennstedt34:06

Okay, no, but uh

Klaus Tennstedt34:08

One of my my

Klaus Tennstedt34:10

Bestseller is Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann.

Klaus Tennstedt34:14

It is such a fantastic

Klaus Tennstedt34:16

about modern music, you know.

Presenter34:18

and a luxury.

Klaus Tennstedt34:20

If the island is a little

Klaus Tennstedt34:23

Hilly?

Klaus Tennstedt34:25

Then I take with me.

Klaus Tennstedt34:27

A very, very expensive.

Klaus Tennstedt34:30

Mountain pack.

Presenter34:33

to go round and round in circles.

Presenter34:39

A mountain bike is yours, and let me say, Maestro, Klaus Tenstedt, thank you very much indeed for letting us hear your desert island discs.

Klaus Tennstedt34:48

Thank you.

Speaker 234:56

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.