Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Thu, Apr 1 2010, 7:40AM
#2
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Everyone has their personal favorites...#1 and below (I don't like 'em), #2 Giulini (Testament), #3 Gielen (Hanssler), #4 Bohm, Wand, Celibidache (Decca, RCA, EMI), #5 Welser-Most (EMI), #6 Klemperer, Gielen, Skrowaczewski (EMI, Hanssler, Arte Nova), #7 Karajan (EMI, DG) I've only heard a portion of the Bohm with Vienna on DG and I believe it to be a contender, #8 Karajan (DG), #9 Skrowaczewski (Reference Recordings)...Regards...Lee
Thu, Apr 1 2010, 10:58AM
#3
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I'd have to go with Karajan's last recording of 7 with the VPO on DG, but for me his 1950's version of 8 with the BPO still reigns supreme over his later DG versions.
As for 9, I think Wand is pretty unbeatable.
Thu, Apr 1 2010, 1:25PM
#4
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I like Riccardo Mutis recording with BPO on EMI very much.It is a thrilling performance.
There are lots of other great Bruckner recordings but another that really stands out is Karajans first recording of the ninth with BPO on DG. I have never heard a disc with more glorious orchestral playing.Absolutely stunning!
Thu, Apr 1 2010, 1:47PM
#5
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Nobody has mentioned Tintner, generally very well received by most critics and public, but in the opposite sidewalk others consider his perfomances completely overrated. Recently I listened the 7, and for my profane ears it worked OK.
Thu, Apr 1 2010, 2:32PM
#6
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I didn´t mention that it was Mutis recording of the fourth I was referring to.
As for Tintner I have listened to some of his recordings and think they are very good, as for instance of the third symphony.
Thu, Apr 1 2010, 3:55PM
#7
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
The Knappertsbusch/VPO recording of the 5th is interesting because it uses the old,discredited Josef Schalk version of the work which alters the orchestration somewhat and has a massive and disfiguring cut in the finale.
It's a fascinating reminder of the bad old days when many conductors used doctored versions of the Bruckner symphonies. A more recent recording of the Schalk version with Leon Botstein and the LPO on Telarc is available, but I have not heard it.
Fri, Apr 2 2010, 8:40PM
#8
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Philippe Herreweghe has recently recorded period instrument ! performances of the 4th and 7th with his Champs Elysees orchestra. I borrowed the 4th from my library recently but I could barely hear any difference between it and modern instrument orchestras.
It's a pretty good performance, though, but in no way superior to those of such great Bruckner conductors as Karajan,Boehm,Jochum,Wand, Knappertsbusch, Haitink and others. What next? "Authentic recordings of the Richard Strauss tone poems and Stravinsky's Petrushka,Firebird and Rite of Spring.
HIP is being carried to ridiculous lengths.
Fri, Apr 2 2010, 11:44PM
#9
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I like the Tintners and he's got some interesting views on the whole "version" question. If you get the set you'll get two different looks at the adagio of #3. Recordings and playing are excellent. He uses three different orchestras, which is not necessarily a plus.
When all's said and done, no matter who I hear playing Bruckner, once I put on my Jochum recordings I feel like I've come home.
Sun, Apr 4 2010, 3:23PM
#10
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Amazing to see that no one has yet mentioned Furtwangler in this repertoire.
Sun, Apr 4 2010, 6:58PM
#11
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
For individual Bruckner symphonies, I've boiled it down to thus...
1. Sawallisch (Orfeo) 2. Giulini (Testament) 3. Barenboim (Teldec) 4. Jochum (DG) 5. Horenstein (BBC) 6. Nagano (naive) 7. Karajan/VPO (DG) 8. Jochum (DG) 9. Jochum (EMI)
Mon, Apr 5 2010, 1:55AM
#12
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Talking about Furwangler´s Bruckner, allow me to quote a paragraph of the excellent article about the great conductor that appears on Classical Notes “In the Beethovensaal a concert is about to begbegin, but the theater is empty, relieved of its usual audience studded with Nazi elite seeking a brief cultured respite from the stresses of war. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is on stage, awaiting its cue. Conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler stands awkwardly on the podium. The vague meandering of his baton summons the first shadowy note of Bruckner's Ninth Symphony. A Radio Berlin engineer starts his Magnetophon. The most extraordinary orchestral recording of the century has just begun”.
Of course is impossible to state which was THE best orchestral recording of the century; but this performance from 1944 seems to be high octane Bruckner. I´m still looking for this CD, since I don´t want to buy one copy of “labels” like Classica D´oro and the sort.
Mon, Apr 5 2010, 8:40AM
#13
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Bliss said the following
"I have the two Bohm recordings of the 4th in only the 78 & LP
format (Decca for the LP) but I think both recordings are available on
CD, but the VPO version is the one to seek out"
Agree about the superb VPO version but does my memory serve me correctly that in the 78 version it was necessary to play the side containing the Scherzo of No.4 both both before and after the trio in order to provide the repeat because that Scherzo section appeared on only one of the sides (maybe round-about side 15)? While you are at it, do you also have the contemporary 78s of Bohm's No.5 and was the same true of that Scherzo?
Mon, Apr 5 2010, 7:01PM
#14
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I´ve listened to Celibidaches recording of the seventh twice this weekend and I think it is a great performance.Robust,powerful.visionary.Very good orchestral playing and you can really sense how involved Celibidache is in this music and how much he knows about it.
Tue, Apr 6 2010, 9:20AM
#15
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I found Tinter's cycle generally a bit dull, but his recording of the Zeroth is the best I've heard so far (compared with Skrow and Rozhd).
For the First, I like Karajan's vigorously Romantic approach. I also love him leading the Berlin brass in the Third.
I don't like Bohm's Decca 4th; it sounds sprawling and crude to me. I do value his DG 7th and Bavarian Radio 8th, however. In the 4th, I often enjoy a Viennese recording led by the little-known Milan Horvat. This is the rarely heard Nowak edition, where the horn call returns at the very end.
I thought I would enjoy the famous Giulini 9th, but it was just too SLOW! No detectable pulse. Of other recordings, I should mention Wakasugi on Arte Nova is a little-known delight, rich and warm in performance and sound.
I also like the DG DVD set of Karajan conducting 8, 9 and the Te Deum. Magnificent sound and playing, great sweeping interpretations. Might be even better without the visual distractions.
I know he's wacky, but Celibidache's recordings are very interesting, and very pleasurable to many of us. As for more mainstream choices, I would favor
4th - Bohm or Wand
7th- Sanderling is lovely.
8th - Wand with Berlin. Boulez *sounds* great (not that this means anything).
9th - no one has mentioned the properly legendary Walter, which also sounds pretty good (late 50s recording).
The 5th is a great symphony, and I would go with the Knappertbusch VPO myself. Or Sinopoli. For the wonderful 6th, Klemperer is definitiive.