I've read a message or two stating that Furtwangler didn't use a baton.
I am currently working on a thesis regarding Furtwangler and I came in
contact with hundrends of books, articles, photographs and videos of the
great conductor. In none of them I saw him conducting without baton.
Perhaps it is only a coincidence that someone saw him conducting without
a stick or it is only a memory slip. Just remember: Furtwangler's stick
technique was the terror of all musicians who performed with him and who
didn't know him very well. So he must have used a stick, don't you think
so?
Chris Muscat
University of Malta