Any thoughts on the completion of Bruckner's 9th?

I find myself in agreement with John saying he's not quite sure if it works and Ganymede saying he hasn't yet grasped the architecture of that new last movement.

Having said that, I find I can get the structure alright of the first 3 movements after listening to HVK and the BPO's 1966 recording on Galleria a few weeks ago. So perhaps a couple more listenings are needed. My feeling on a first listening though is that the 4th movement isn't particularly strong in the thematic department. Plenty of variation mind which does 'feel' right on the other hand.

I wonder also if the way the 3rd movement ends in the original might have something to do with our cautious response. There is an enormous climax in the 3rd movement (which ends c. the 20 minute mark in the Rattle) and then a very long coda - about 4 minutes. Both these two things do seem to give the original version a sense of finality.

Hmm........jury out?

Mark

(PS There's some good stuff posted by Bliss and Chris from what the reviewers had to say over on the composers' methods thread, for anybody who doesn't know).