In its original 1866 Linz version, Bruckner’s First Symphony is something of a cheeky chappy among the nine, a delightful romp of a symphony but also tender and affecting and rich in intimations of things to come. On record, it has been both lucky and unlucky; lucky in that it has had several very fine recordings, unlucky in that the single-disc versions have rarely stayed in the catalogues long before being deleted and (if lucky) tardily subsumed into some bulky nine- or ten-disc set.
The new Solti recording is glorious, one of the finest accounts of the symphony we have yet had and a possible candidate for an honoured place even in Sir Georg’s long and distinguished discography. There have been times in the past when Solti has seemed a restless Brucknerian, inclined to harry the music or drive it too hard. Here there is a thrilling sense of forward propulsion, apt to a young man’s work, yet nothing is forced or gratuitously aggressive. This is even true of the Scherzo which Solti takes extremely briskly. In theory, a conductor like Jochum (DG, 2/90 or EMI, 3/91 – complete sets only) should hold all the aces here, his tempo more leisurely, the detailing more characteristically Austrian. But not a bit of it. Solti’s reading is bursting with energy and an unaffected, honest-to-goodness feeling of well-being.
Solti’s is also a very sensitive performance and a very observant one. The slow movement’s lovely counter-subject is most beautifully played, the phrasing levitated with all the care and grace one looks for at the equivalent moment of the Seventh Symphony’s slow movement. Bruckner is, by and large, sparing of egregious gestures in this symphony as elsewhere, but where there is an unexpected harmonic or dynamic nuance to be registered, Solti and his players are as swift and sensitive in execution as they are musically observant.
The Chicago players are on superb form. It is difficult to imagine the symphony being better played than it is here. The Barenboim performance on DG is fine enough, but the new reading has a vibrancy and beauty about it, a quality of flawless yet unassuming virtuosity that is the mark of an elite orchestra at the very height of its powers. The many difficult, high-lying violin passages are played not only with surety, but with imagination. The playing of the violas and cellos is consummate in its eloquence.
In the circumstances, it would be difficult for the engineers to go wrong. But the recording, too, is of a piece with the rest. As Bruckner recordings go, it is of demonstration quality, ripe yet clear, immediate yet rich in atmosphere.
As for the extant single-CD versions, the Sawallisch and the Barenboim, only the Barenboim is competitive. His DG disc is much better value than the Solti. It is at mid price and also includes an extremely fine performance of Bruckner’s Te Deum. The Solti is at full price and offers short measure at 47 minutes. But who’s counting? Go for the Solti. Treat yourself whilst stocks last.'