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FERNANDO OLIVA   22/4/2004	Subject: ACCEPTING THE FURTWÄNGLER CHALLENGE. Message: Dear Friends, I got much negative opinions about the Furtwängler Symphonies, and I was so exciting to know them. I finally had my own "Furtwängler" experience. I have been listening to his 3rd. Symphony twice at home and at work. Here you are my opinion: Now as for the Fürtwangler 3rd. Symphony I confess you that I waited for some more terrible. I think there are works more dull than this Symphony from the post-romantic repertoire, for example the Respighi´s Drammatic Symphony. It´s really a bombast and pretentious work from the first to the last note. It´s a bad imitation to the Wagner and Bruckner music, although as wagnerian music is poor ochestrated and there is not enough spiritual to be a brucknerian work. The main problem is the Symphony would cast a message, a meaning, something... but the listener couldn´t know WHAT? and WHICH? . This Symphony is like a big, huge Cathedral built combining a lot of differents styles (from romanesque to Art-déco throughout Gothic and Renacentist) although using bad and cheap building materials. I think it also sounds like as a Black and White low budget "B" Peplum movie soundtrack. Only the slow movement have good ideas in spite the flute and the basoon playing "in stacatto" in the central section. The last moments are clearly inspired in the Wagner´s Parsifal Prelude. I am afraid this Symphony combine all ingredients to be praised some unexpected day by some snob intelectual people and coming back to the repertoire. Certainly, I am not joking when I confess you I prefer listening to this Symphony than the 12-tones or the experimental music. Fürtwangler was perhaps one of the best gifted conductors from the first half of the 20th. Century and specially on the Bruckner and Mahler repertoire, but as Composer sounds like he was entirely sure that he became a new Beethoven, and sure that his music are really so good and attractive. I am waiting for more opinions. As always, thanks in advance. Best wishes, Fernando. PS.- I am sorry, Peter. I am afraid I did a mortal sin. There´s no mercy for me!