In the Shadow of the Giants — Conducting in Germany and Austria (1900–1950) — Andrea Bedetti

In the Shadow of the Giants by Andrea Bedetti reconstructs one of the decisive eras in the history of interpretation: the great tradition of orchestral conducting in Germany and Austria between 1900 and 1950. The volume traces the protagonists, aesthetic ideas, recordings and historical transformations that shaped the modern understanding of the conductor.

The book

Between the end of the nineteenth century and the post-war period, German and Austrian conducting experienced an extraordinary era. Through a broad historical reconstruction, analysis of major recorded documents and comparison between different conceptions of the conductor’s art, Andrea Bedetti tells an artistic story in which interpretation, culture and European history are constantly intertwined.

The great conductors of the Austro-German tradition

From Felix Weingartner to Wilhelm Furtwängler, from Bruno Walter to Otto Klemperer, and on to Karl Böhm, Eugen Jochum and Herbert von Karajan, the book compares personalities, schools and concepts of sound that transformed conducting into a true form of musical thought.

History, interpretation and discography

The volume explores formal rigor, spiritual tension, the relationship with the score, the search for orchestral sound and the impact of the political and cultural fractures of the twentieth century. Historical recordings become essential documents for understanding not only how these conductors interpreted the repertoire, but also how the very idea of musical performance changed during the first half of the century.

Andrea Bedetti

Andrea Bedetti presents a study for classical-music enthusiasts, scholars of performance and discography, and readers interested in twentieth-century European musical culture.

Foreword by Giovanni Acciai

The volume includes a foreword by Giovanni Acciai.

GRooVE back Parallel

GRooVE back Parallel is the editorial series curated by GRooVE back Magazine and published by MCC Group, devoted to monographs, essays and studies on music, its protagonists, performance history, discography and listening culture. In the Shadow of the Giants inaugurates the series.

Available editions

Print + digital book
Digital book

Bibliographic details

Author: Andrea Bedetti
Foreword: Giovanni Acciai
Publisher: MCC Group
Series: GRooVE back Parallel
Publication date: July 24, 2026
Language: Italian
Pages: 282
ISBN-13: 979-8252881706
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 13.97 × 1.7 × 21.59 cm
Weight: 299 g