Erich Kleiber in Havana 1943

12 April 1943

Havana

Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto (Jorge Bolet)

[+Mozart, Symphony No.33 in B flat major, K. 319 & Wagner, Meistersinger overture]

Orquesta Filarmónica de la Habana/Erich Kleiber

The extract is from: Erich Kleiber, a memoir (1957) by John Russell

Custodio, music critic, in Noticias de Hoy (14 April 1943)is full of praise for Kleiber.

Dr. Agustin Batista, president of the Patronato Pro Música Sinfónica (Board for Symphonic Music), delivered some courageous words, which we warmly applauded, to summarize the season and speak of the future. The focus of his remarks was precisely the personality of Eric Kleiber and his prospects for remaining in Havana, at the helm of our symphonic music Eric Kleiber has agreed to dedicate himself to this task, which would place the Philharmonic Orchestra among the foremost in Latin America. However, he has set a condition that does him credit, not only as an artist but also as a progressive man and a profound democrat: that the orchestra cease to be a private organization and become an official entity, supported and sustained by the Cuban state and reaching not only the wealthy class, as has been the case until now, but also the people themselves, through the organization of large public concerts and extensive radio broadcasts. In short, Kleiber does not want to devote his valuable energies and vast experience to an exclusive and limited audience like the one that currently attends the Philharmonic's evening concerts. His work in Cuba should benefit all the people, both those who can afford a ticket and those who must listen to that artistic emotion on their radios from the most remote corner of the island. Otherwise, Kleiber—quite rightly—will leave in search of greater understanding, in Mexico or Buenos Aires, where symphony orchestras are already fulfilling this high mission of bringing great music to the masses.