[Dixielandjazz] Wilhelm Furtwängler (not OKOM, but MKOM)

[Anton Crouch]

Hello Steve

Jeremy Eichler's article is interesting and a few more points can be
mentioned. The movie "Taking sides" is not exactly new - it was made in
2001 and I saw it here in Sydney some time ago.

"Taking sides" is another of director István Szabó's look at the role of
the artist in Nazi Germany - "Mephisto" (1981) is a rather grimmer piece.

Eichler does not mention the final scene of "Taking sides" - documentary
footage of the real Furtwängler conducting for the Nazis. One is not left
in any doubt as to which side Szabó is on.

Jim Beebe mentions Herbert von Karajan - another VERY interesting "nazi"
conductor. Furtwängler loathed von Karajan and some of the droller scenes
of the movie are F's refusal to even speak his name - he is reduced to
"little K" (to distinguish him from the "big Ks" - Kleiber and Klemperer)

At a pinch, I can find a link between Furtwängler and OKOM. He was famous
for his "endless melody" interpretation of Wagner - not a bad phrase to use
in describing New Orleans jazz.

All the best
Anton