Great Bruckner 5

Bagis and John, there's another Maazel rendition of Bruckner's 5th, this time with the VPO in the mid-70's, that is also worth listening to. It's been released on CD by the Australian label Eloquence.  

Bagis,

I entirely agree with you on Maazel, I think he's a tremendous conductor and one of the great living musical talents. Unfortunately, he is not very well understood in some circles, and sometimes he meets with unjustified (in my opinion) scathing criticism. But then, this is not a rare occurrence with powerful and uncannily gifted personalities: Karajan, Horowitz and Bernstein, amongst others, have carried this burden. Best regards !  

On the subject of Maazel recordings (since we seem, in that way the forum encourages, to have strayed...), I've always thought the Vienna Philharmonic Mahler 4th on Sony a wonderful achievement, and I first got to know and love Berlioz's Harold in Italy through the Berlin Philharmonic recording with Wolfram Christ (c/w an excellent Roman Carnival overture) on DG - a recording long deleted, and crying out for reissue on the DG Originals label, I'd have thought.

I can't help adding a few words on Daniel Barenboim, partly mindful that his first complete Bruckner cycle with the Chicago Symphony is just about to be released at budget price by DG in their Collector's Edition series. A number of the Berlin Philharmonic Bruckner readings on Teldec I greatly admire too: I think the 5th, 8th and 9th especially fine. I remember the 5th and 9th being given very good reviews when they first appeared. He's a great musician, though I suppose not always a predictable podium presence, and sometimes his approach can ruffle feathers. (I saw him conduct the complete Brahms symphonies with the Berlin Staatskapelle in London some years back and had very mixed feelings: some laboured point-making, I felt, mixed in with some winningly immediate expression.) But for all that he's a thinker amongst conductors. I'd rather things seem to me to go awry than orchestras play on smooth unthinking autopilot under him. Much of the work with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is superb, too. I loved the Tchaikovsky 5th they issued, both as CD and accompanying DVD, where the music-making is fresh, deeply felt, and on Barenboim's part deeply considered. It's one to play - CD and DVD - to Barenboim doubters. The recent Decca CD of Tchaikovsky 6 c/w the Schoenberg Variations I also thought superbly persuasive.

I think Barenboims frequent lack of energy arises out of his frquent inability to achieve any rhythmic lift. I would not dare compare him with Giulini as I see no comparison.

The Maazel recordings came after his first signing for DGG and include an equally exciting Franck symphony and a superb Capriccio Espagnole with the BPO that I do not think has ever been equalled, well not from what I've heard.

There, I've been positive about a conductor I find difficult to like these days.

Bruckner never managed to become my cup of tea, despite the immense love I have for Wagner. I think he took only the surface of the features of the great music of the Meister and, then, he constructed a very "squared" edifice of a very expected musical journey, contrary to the amazing and full of surprises Wagner's works. To me, his music, as great as it is, it seems like a huge, but empty, cathedral. To my surprise, quite a few musicians dislike or are indifferent for him. I recall, when I met once Bernstein, in the seventies, he told me that he almost detested Bruckner for guiding, in a dictating way, the listener to the very austere structure of his works, without leaving any room for the different, the unexpected. That's why Bernstein refused to perform his music, since he wanted to perform works who liberate the conductor to "paint" a work full of surprises, twists and unexpected resolutions.

However, the fifth is a great work, by any standard. The way it starts is a revelation, but, then, it goes...as usual, black and white (crescendo, decrescendo and so on).

As for the performances on record: I always liked Karajan, because BPO is in the highest form at that period and this great conductor he knew that this so strict and tight music should be played with the utmost esthetic values. So, he gives any possible "gloss" in the orchestra playing, so that, at least, one may enjoy the sheer beauty of the music, without being bothered by the rest... that much. Lately, I found the SACD recordings of Van Zweden on Exton and Janowski on Pentatone are quite convincing too, with inferior orchestras obviously, but with truly excellent production values. I am surprised nobody seems to care about Wand, Celibidache, Schuricht, Knabertsbusch and so on.

Anyway, for the taste, "chacun a son gout" or in more british terms, "as you like it"! (Personally, I admire Maazel, but very rarely he managed to thrill me. Jochum too). So, it's ein bischen (a little bit, as the germans would say) futile to try to trace great recordings for all and everyone.

Happy journey, though, in your quest.

Parla

I agree with you, Troyen1, about Knappertsbusch, but some of my friends (and not only) get excited even when they hear his name. So, for them, who cares for discredited editions.

Wand's recordings use to be generally considered as a kind of benchmark. At least, his ninth on RCA is truly monumental. My mother, more than 10 years ago, happened to listen once to the last (third) movement, when I played in my high-end equipment, and she told me : "if I listen to this one more time, I think I will find myself...up there". I follow her comment and never played it again. She is still around, at 85 plus. I, myself, confine my listening to Ninth's  nervous scherzo, which, however, still sounds somehow ominous.

As for other great Bruckner conductors. I think the Brucknerians (and not only) have to indulge in the recordings of the rather young female conductor named Simone Young, who has already recorded most of the Symphonies on OHEMS, in SACD and with brilliant production values. Her orchestra (the Hamburgers) is not top class, but it sounds as such, under her baton. I hapenned to see her in Berlin, when, at the last minute, she has to replace Mariss Jansons, who fell ill. She was supposed to conduct Bruckner's Third and she delivered a totally unexpected magnificent account, beyond anyone's belief, attracting some standing ovations. Of course, mentioning Jansons, his recordings with The Orchestra, the great Concertgebouw, cannot be ignored, even if his tempi may be found rather quick and his approach not that Gothic.

I also happen to admire and enjoy very much P. Jarvi's account of the two so far Symphonies he has recorded (7 and 9) on RCA, in marvellous SACD sound. On the same label, in SACD as well, Harnoncourt's rather strange approach on the few Symphonies he has recorded (the 5th is included) are worth listening. Nagano's 4th on Sony is a very rewarding experience and so on.

Anyway, let's stop here for the moment.

Parla