Arthur Goldschmidt
Arthur Goldschmidt, Conductor, (1902 – 1970).
Early life.
Fritz Nathan Jakob, also Arthur Goldschmidt was born on the 13th January, 1902 in Berlin.
After attending Gymnasium, he studied at University and at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik where his teachers included Walter Fischer, Organist of the Berliner Dom and Leo Blech, then General Music Director of the Berlin Staatsoper. In 1922, he became Blech’s assistant at the Staatsoper and then Korrepetitor at the Deutsche Oper, Charlottenburg to which Blech had briefly moved. His duties there included conducting the off-stage band and playing Celesta in the orchestra, principally for performances of ‘Der Rosenkavalier.’
Engagement in Braunschweig and other musical activities in 1922 and 1923
In 1922, Goldschmidt had an engagement as Kapellmeister at the Staatstheater Braunschweig conducting opera and operetta. He is also recorded as having conducted Lehar’s ‘Frasquita’ at the Thalia Theatre Berlin with Hermann Jadlowker as Graf Mirabeau in 1923.
Also at this time, Goldschmidt became a pioneer of radio broadcasting carrying out acoustic tests of studios and singers. On October 29th 1923 he shared in the making of broadcast history as piano accompanist to the ‘cellist Otto Ureck playing Kreisler’s Andantino in the very first radio programme transmitted on any German radio station – the ‘Funk-Stunde Berlin’.
Debut with the Berlin Philharmonic.
On 27th March 1924, aged 22, probably at the recommendation of Leo Blech, Goldschmidt made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in a programme including Weber’s ‘Freischuetz’ overture, Liszt’s Symphonic Poem ‘Orpheus,’ Wagner’s ‘Fliegender Hollaender’ overture and Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony.
The following season he conducted four further programmes with the Berlin Philharmonic in repertoire by Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorak (his ‘cello Concerto with the orchestra’s first ‘cellist, Gregor Piatigorsky making his concerto debut with the orchestra), Tchaikovsky and Wagner.
According to ‘Aufbau’ magazine this series was ‘unforgettable’ (Arthur Goldschmidt, der in der
Vorhitlerzeit eine Reihe unvergessener Konzerte mit den Berliner Philharmonikern gab). Almost all the other reviews were extremely positive with a common theme attesting to his calm authority and restrained but vital direction. In musical circles he was described as a musicial of fine sensitivities such as one seldom encounters (ein feinempfinddender Musiker, wie man ihn selten findet.’ Otto Rothe, Vereinigte Berliner Theater-Agenturen, 23.12.23).
Other conductors in these seasons included Furtwaengler, Szell and Klemperer.
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Fritz Goll, Kiel Theatre Yearbook 1925/26 |
Engagement in Kiel and later activity in Germany and Switzerland.
For the 1925/26 season Goldschmidt joined the conducting staff of the Buehnen der Landeshauptstadt Kiel alongside the young Eugen Jochum. Conducting ‘Carmen’ and ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’ as well as operettas by Leo Fall, Jean and Robert Gilbert, August Reichhardt and Oscar Straus.
Becoming ever more difficult for artists of Jewish heritage to obtain engagements in German state theatres, Goldschmidt accepted an offer as musical director of the Filmpalast in Chemnitz, the second largest cinema in Germany where he had a full-size symphony orchestra at his disposal for the accompaniment of silent films. His work there was frenetic devising scores for a new film every week and conducting two performances a day. He composed passages linking various sections of these scores himself.
With the arrival of ‘talkies’ such cinema orchestras were no longer needed and his activities in Chemnitz ceased.
In 1927 and 1928, Goldschmidt appears to have undertaken conducting engagements in Zurich and Bern.
In the early 1930s, Goldschmidt is reported to have conducted a few concerts with the ‘Orchestra of Unemployed Musicians’ in Berlin.
Emigration to Italy, marriage, France, war service and flight to Switzerland.
In 1933 Goldschmidt emigrated to Italy. Living in Rome he met his future wife, the photographer Vera Jablonowsky.
At that time, foreigners were excluded from employment in Italy so he and Jablonowsky took an apartment in the Via Nazionale where she had a photography studio and Goldschmidt set up a facility for singers to make private recordings with him as piano accompanist. In 1937, he and his wife moved to Paris. At this time Goldschmidt changed his first name from Fritz to Arthur. Until the outbreak of war, they continued their work in photography and recording.
On the outset of war, they were interned as German citizens at Villemalard (Loire et Cher) until December 1939 when Goldschmidt volunteered to join the 1ier regiment étranger d’infanterie (the Foreign Legion). He was sent to Saida, Algeria for 13 months’ military training and then was returned to France (Marseille) for demobilisation in January 1941 after France had signed the armistice with Germany. Vera had managed to flee from Paris a few days previously and they went to live at Cassis-sur-Mer.
Eventually the Vichy authorities caught up with them but leaving a few hours for them to prepare for transportation, the couple made their escape walking from village to village towards the Swiss border. After two failed attempts, Goldschmidt managed to enter Switzerland and claim asylum. He was sent to the labour camp at Adliswil.
During this time he was much in demand as a pianist and accompanist in other camps and refugee homes and gave many organ recitals in Protestant churches. While in Switzerland he was helped by his cousin Clemens Oppenheimer and his wife Klara who lived in Ascona. On June 1st, 1945, with the assistance of the authorities in Bern in recognition of his war work, he conducted a concert with members of the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich in a programme of Mozart and Schubert with the Swiss pianist Sara Novikoff.
At that time, foreigners were excluded from employment in Italy so he and Jablonowsky took an apartment in the Via Nazionale where she had a photography studio and Goldschmidt set up a facility for singers to make private recordings with him as piano accompanist. In 1937, he and his wife moved to Paris. At this time Goldschmidt changed his first name from Fritz to Arthur. Until the outbreak of war, they continued their work in photography and recording.
On the outset of war, they were interned as German citizens at Villemalard (Loire et Cher) until December 1939 when Goldschmidt volunteered to join the 1ier regiment étranger d’infanterie (the Foreign Legion). He was sent to Saida, Algeria for 13 months’ military training and then was returned to France (Marseille) for demobilisation in January 1941 after France had signed the armistice with Germany. Vera had managed to flee from Paris a few days previously and they went to live at Cassis-sur-Mer.
Eventually the Vichy authorities caught up with them but leaving a few hours for them to prepare for transportation, the couple made their escape walking from village to village towards the Swiss border. After two failed attempts, Goldschmidt managed to enter Switzerland and claim asylum. He was sent to the labour camp at Adliswil.
During this time he was much in demand as a pianist and accompanist in other camps and refugee homes and gave many organ recitals in Protestant churches. While in Switzerland he was helped by his cousin Clemens Oppenheimer and his wife Klara who lived in Ascona. On June 1st, 1945, with the assistance of the authorities in Bern in recognition of his war work, he conducted a concert with members of the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich in a programme of Mozart and Schubert with the Swiss pianist Sara Novikoff.
Meanwhile his wife, Vera had not managed to enter Switzerland and had been interned at the notorious camp at Gurs in South-West France. Neither knew if the other had survived until they were reunited in Paris after the war.
Post war career
In post-war France Goldschmidt made a career conducting throughout the country and North Africa (Casablanca). He conducted numerous concerts in Paris from 1946 onwards with orchestras including the Orchestre Colonne, Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise, Orchestre de la Societe du Conservatoire, the Pro Musica (chamber orchestra) and the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra.
These concerts took place in the Theatre des Champs Elysees, Salle Gaveau, Conservatoire de Paris, Theatre de L’Empire and outside Paris at the Chateau de Sceaux and at Versailles.
As well as Bach and Mozart, Goldschmidt’s repertoire included works by Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Tchaikovsky.
Photo from the Leipzig Gewandhaus programme.
International career 1954-6
In 1955, Goldschmidt conducted the Orchestra della Radio e Televisione Svizzera Italiana at the Settimani Musicali at Ascona with Yehudi Menuhin as soloist in Bach’s Violin Concerto in E major and Mozart’s 4th Violin Concerto K.218.
Acknowledged as one of the leading French conductors of the day he was invited to return to Germany after 20 years’ absence to conduct the Dresden Staatskapelle in April 1954 and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in October 1956 in a programme including Messiaen’s ‘Les Offrandes oubliées’ as well as other orchestras abroad such as the Salzburg Mozarteum with whom he toured with a production of Menotti’s ‘The Consul.’
Recording activities
A feature of his work in Paris was his prolific activity in the recording studio for labels such as His Master’s Voice, Pathe Marconi, Period, Ades, Ducretet-Thomson, Felsted etc. He was particularly valued as a Mozart conductor but recorded also may works by Bach (which he edited himself). His recording of Bach’s Concerto for 4 Harpsichords won the Grand Prix du Disque). He also recorded works by Haydn, J.C.F. and C.P.E. Bach and Vivaldi. Operatic repertoire included excerpts from ‘Tancrede’ by Campra with the distinguished young French-Canadian baritone Louis Quilico and the Ensemble Instrumental de Provence and Mozart arias with the outstanding black American tenor, Charles Holland.
Soloists
One of his most frequent instrumental soloists was the composer and pianist Marguerite Roesgen-Champion whose Concertino for harpsichord and orchestra he also recorded. Another regular soloist in both concerts and recordings was the violinist Devy Erlih who was soloist also on Goldschmidt’s foreign tours.
Musical personality and repertoire
Goldschmidt’s performances are characterised by great vigour, taste and energy similar to his mentor Leo Blech’s but without the latter’s sometimes excessive rubato characteristic of the earlier era. Indeed, his Mozart interpretations look forward to the cleaner modern original-instrument style of performance.
The great French Trumpet player, Roger Delmotte recalled at the age of 95 a tour he made with Goldschmidt through Germany, Switzerland and Austria around 1960 with Bach's B minor Mass. Bach was less played in France at that time and Delmotte valued his association with Goldschmidt who knew the music extremely well as a kind of revelation. Goldschmidt explained it to him by way of analysis and the German tradition. Delmotte added that Goldschmidt was ‘tres musicien’ and tried do do the best for the music without self-aggrandizement and that he has kept a ‘tres bon souvenir’ of him.
Although never having met Goldschmidt, the prominent Alsatian composer and administrator Rene Koering remembered having heard warm tributes to Goldschmidt by musicians such as the conductor Ernest Bour, Devy Erlih (q.v.) and intriguingly the composer and conductor Berthold Goldschmidt (1903 – 1996) – no relation - who had known him in pre-war Berlin.
Final years
At the height of his career, Goldschmidt suffered a heart attack which ended his activities as a conductor. He became a teacher, fondly remembered by his students, advisor to a recording company and to a music library.
In 1970 at the age of 68 he had a second heart attack which he did not survive.
Historical neglect and recent revival of interest
Many talented musicians whose careers were blighted by the second World War were subsequently forgotten and this was no less so than in the case of Arthur Goldschmidt. No photo, revue or biography of him seemed to be readily accessible in France where even leading music critics wondered if his recordings hadn’t been made by a more celebrated conductor under a psuedonym as was quite usual in those times (1).
Interest in Goldschmidt has nonetheless awakened recently with the re-issue of recordings on the ‘Forgotten Records’ label and many other recordings on BnF (Bibliotheque national de France) now available on streaming services such as Qobuz. These attest to him being in the words of one reviewer, Joseph A. Moore, of Casals Classical Records “a very fine underrated conductor...delivers deft, stylish playing of wit and sparkle from this great French orchestra” (Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire.’)
Sources
A personal family memoir by Alice Goldschmidt Hochschild.
Notes
(1). Personal communication from a French music professional, 9th June 2020.
References and Acknowledgements
Anne Webber, Looted Art Commission, www.lootedartcommission.com
Rob Hochschild, Associate Professor Liberal Arts and Sciences, Berklee College of Music
Dr. J.G. Stephen Fein, Dphil. ‘Hitler’s refugees and the French Response.’
Aufbau magazine.
Christine Jolivet Erlih.
Echospore.de
http://echospore.de/Goldschmidt_FritzNathanJakob.shtml
Katja Vobiller, Archiv, Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker. Www.berliner-philarmoniker.de
Karin Jaeckel Neumann, TheaterMuseumKiel e.V. Archivleitung
Annette Thomas, Landesarchiv, Berlin. Www.landesarchiv-berlin.de
Tobias Niederschlag, Leiter Konzertbüro/Künstlerische Planung, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. www.gewandhausorchester.de
Elisabeth Telle, Historisches Archiv, Sächsische Staatstheater. www.semperoper.de
Arthur Goldschmidt OCLC WorldCat Identities
http://worldcat.org.ezproxy.uindy.edu/identities/lccn-no2007031014/
Classical Recordings Quarterly (Marguerite Roesgen-Champion and Arthur Goldschmidt) https://tinyurl.com/y6w6z5n6
Forgotten Records
https://forgottenrecords.com/en/catalogue/conductor/Goldschmidt%2C%20Arthur
Arthur Goldschmidt on You Tube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_Ad-W_ow79jlkYtGd6SvYMq3wiYzlHm2
French Discography, Bnf Data.
https://data.bnf.fr/en/13826455/arthur_goldschmidt/
Chantal Cazaux, Redactrice en chef, L’Avant-Scene Opera.
Roger Delmotte, personal recollection OF A.G.
Rene Koering, report of contemporary opinions on A.G.
And also Philippe Cuper, Hugues Gall, Prof. Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi, Beatrice Larsen, John Mordler. Pamela Rosenberg, Nicholas Snowman, Rupert Swyer and many others.
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