Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Wed, Jul 21 2010, 10:34AM
#2
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Bruckner 1-Abbado, VPO
Bruckner 2-Giulini, Vienna Symphony
Bruckner 3-Szell, CO/Sanderling, Leipzig Gewandhaus
Bruckner 4-Klemperer, Philharmonia
Bruckner 5-Sinopoli
Bruckner 6-Klemperer
Bruckner 7-Abbado, Lucerne DVD
Bruckner 8-Jochum BPO
Bruckner 9-Von Karajan, BPO
Thu, Jul 22 2010, 10:33AM
#3
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
http://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Symphony-Gustav-Mahler-pianos/dp/B0000021... Worth checking out is Bruckner's 3rd arranged for two pianos by Gustav Mahler.
Celibidache's 3rd on EMI is magnificent. His 6th on EMI is essential: no other conductor makes the case that the adagio is the greatest piece of music ever composed.
Meet Bruckner the Oscar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1dedt8ZHEE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okcQ1G0shZA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXHl_NLkd8&feature=related
Sat, Jul 24 2010, 7:22PM
#4
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Very few seem to mention Klemperer (Philharmonia/EMI), I like his account of the 4th, which he takes very quickly unlike his Beethoven and Mahler cycle where he is often accused of being slow. As for his 6th, I prefer the original LP to the CD which seems to sound very congested.
But the lp split the slow movement. Bruckner was one of the composers I got first on cd because of the blessed absence of split slow movements.
P
Fri, Jul 30 2010, 1:06PM
#5
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
In this discussion, no-one seems to have mentioned a greatly under-rated Brucknerian: Georg-Ludwig Jochum (brother of the more well-known Eugen).
He headed the Reichs-Bruckner-Orchester-Linz during WWII (the ensemble was a pet project of Hitler's and therefore benefited from the finest orchestral players drawn from all over Germany & Austria - and it shows).
Tahra brought out a splendid box of Bruckner symphonies split between him and Eugen (in 1996 - alas, nla).
He did record some Bruckner post-war, but for me his best readings are his extremely vivid wartime recordings. He recorded Nos 2, 5 and 6 during the war and they seeth and storm in a manner not unlike WF. The sound is also splendidly caught (in fact his 1944 5th symphony, recorded in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna sounds far better - both in terms of recording and interpretation - than Karajan with the VSO in the same venue ten years later (Orfeo).
He died in 1971, several years before brother Eugen.
If you get the chance to seek him out on CD (Nos 2 & 6 are available remastered onto CD from LP by a French company) you really should.
Bws,
Karafan
Sat, Jul 31 2010, 3:23PM
#6
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
For what it's worth, here are my recommendations:
For the early ones - 00, 0, 1 & 2 - you might pick what you find. They really aren't THAT good. Tintner on Naxos is a good choice.
No 3: Haitink/VPO (Philips)
No 4: Jochum/BPO (DG). You should also try Celibidache/München (EMI). His extremely slow tempi isn't to everybody's taste, but I find them wonderful, especially in the first movement.
No 5: Chailly (Decca) is actually the only one I've heard, sorry for that.
No 6: Klemperer/NPO (EMI)
No 7: Karajans last recording with VPO (DG) is beautiful, but I find marginally more warmth in Jochum/Dresden (EMI)
No 8: Karajan/VPO (DG)
No 9: Giulini/VPO (DG)
I also have one almost complete cycle (3-9) which I can recommend as it is now at budget price, Barenboim/Warner.
And don't forget Bruckner's three masses! Jochum/DG or Best/Hyperion.
Happy listening!
Sun, Aug 1 2010, 1:57PM
#7
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
There is a terrific box going the rounds for about twenty quid on Centurion Classics of both pre- and post-war recordings, all of which are interesting (Harold Byrns in the 1st, George Jochum in the 2nd) some of which are surprising (Rozhdestvensky in the '0'), and some truly great (Furtwaengler in No.8 &, finest of all, Schuricht in the 7th & 9th). The recordings are adequate to reasonable, and all performances, including Knappertsbusch's mauled version of the score in No. 3 are worth hearing to capture some idea of past and contrasting approaches to the composer.
Tue, Nov 2 2010, 12:12PM
#8
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
The new transfer of the great 1944 Furtwängler Berlin performance of Bruckner 9 is now available in a Pristine Audio transfer from Andrew Rose. The sound is now incredibly good (for its years) and I've had this performance in many different transfers (the last being DG). And only €9 for the download! One of my great classic recorded performances of all time.
Fri, Nov 5 2010, 12:42AM
#9
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I don't think these three live recordings of the 8th have been mentioned so far:
Giulini / BPO / Philharmonie, Berlin / 2/1984 / Testament
Barbirolli / Hallé / RFH, London / 20/5/1970 / BBC Legends
Horenstein / LSO / RAH, London / 10/9/1970 / BBC Legends
I have got to know these performances over the last year, having grown up on a diet of Karajan and Jochum (perhaps no bad thing). They have revealed great riches, in their different ways, and are well worth seeking out, although the Horenstein is getting a little difficult to find. To my mind, he is the greatest Bruckner and Mahler conductor bar none, even though he didn't always have the best orchestras or recording conditions. As for Giulini, those who have been recommending his Vienna recording should listen to this Berlin one; it is sublime. Barbirolli's is a bit of a special case, a very 'human' experience, and clearly a special occasion for the Manchester orchestra to display their talents to Londoners, with their beloved conductor just ten weeks before his death.
Tue, Nov 9 2010, 11:23AM
#10
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
Coming late to this discussion, I might have missed some details in the above, as there is quite a treasure of insights there (!).
Here are my additions:
No.2: Saarbrücken RSO, Wakasugi, Arte Nova: If you didn't hear this, you'll be surpriced of the energy generated in this usually slightly stiff work.
No. 3: Deuthsches SO Berlin, Nagano, HM: This is the original version of 1873, with some odd twists, but the playing is very intense with hints of folk dance. Very fresh.
No. 4: Philadelphia O, Sawallisch, EMI: I bet this is hard to find these days, but it is worth a hearing. You might have to turn up your volume a bit, this is a quite distant recording, but so beautiful!
No. 5: Go for the Sinopoli! I recently got the Wand/BPO of 1996 which is also something extra.
No. 6: NDRSO, Wand, RCA: Wand made two recordings live with one or two years between, the earlier one of, say 1986 (?) has the more tension. Also, I like Nagano on HM.
No. 7: Chailly RSO Berlin is unbeatable, I think.
No. 8: NSO of Ireland, Tintner, Naxos: I think there is so much bite to this recording that I prefer this 1887 version to the revised Haas edition that classic Karajan and Wand uses.
No. 9: Of the Barenboim box I think this is a lovely interpretation, which I prefer to Karajan (I might get shot for sayng so, I think). The sound of BPO is absolutely marvelous!
Enjoy!
Wed, Nov 17 2010, 4:05PM
#11
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
As a newbie I was really pleased to see this. It's a favourite exercise of mine. At the moment I'm thinking:
1. Solti. Much better than any of his other Bruckner I've heard
2. Stein/VPO. Or possibly Tintner
3. Jochum/Bav RSO. Or perhaps Tintner doing the 1873 version.
4. Celi/Munich. Just amazing textures, and that extraordinary coda
5. Jochum/RCO (1986). Apparently he encored the finale..... Honourable mentions for his Bav RSO recording and Sinopoli/Dresden
6. Celi/Munich. Almost makes the 6th sound as great as the rest.
7. Bohm/Bav RSO. Or Jochum/BPO (stereo version)
8. Karajan / VPO. Or possibly Jochum/Hamburg
9. Furtwangler (1944). Although I've never felt quite the same about it after the "Tube Tails" video of Danielle Nardini being sick to it....
Mon, Nov 22 2010, 11:25PM
#12
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
The recent Teldec recording of the 5th with Benhjamin Zander and the Philharmonia, which I recently borrowed from my library,is a fine performance ,propulsive yet not stinting on the music's grandeur and has excellent sound,spacious and resonant yet clear,plus an interesting talk by the conductor on a second CD about the work.
Tue, Nov 23 2010, 9:21AM
#13
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I can see why the second is not thought up there with the later symphonies, but I do get a lot out of Simone Young's version, as I do from her 8th which is again remarkable in its freshness and an alternative to the more burnished (i.e. thickly-upholstered and ear-splitting? more like a bombardment when all the brass come in) versions with VPO etc which usually make the cut in discussing Bruckner. I've yet to hear her 3rd and 4th and wonder if she'll be allowed to complete her cycle.
Tue, Dec 21 2010, 4:28PM
#14
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I would recommend:
Bruckner 4 and 7:
Gunter Wand, Berlin Philharmoniker, in RCA recordings (recorded in 2000)
Bruckner 9:
Chailly, RCO, Decca
Just amazing phrasing, playing, and great recorded sound, and one of the few recordings I've heard where you just listen to the music... and no complaints of the recording, conducting or anything
Mon, Jan 3 2011, 6:25PM
#15
RE: Individual Bruckner Symphonies
I love Gunter Wand's live recording of the 4th from 1998, with the Berlin Philharmonic on RCA, but have also just discovered Jochum's recording whilst working my way through the DG 111 Collector's Edition 2 box set and I am absolutely enthralled by it.
Thank you !!!. H.
hector