The Greatest Recording Ever Made: 1st Poll for Bruckner

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Oddly I have never heard Haitink's 9, so I will seek it out. I have heard little of his cycle.

We're not talking about the 9th from his cycle but his second of three. You can make a nearly complete (3-9) cycle of Haitink's recordings outside the cycle. (See the "Alternative Haitink Cycle" here). There's no critical consensus on which alternative 6th one would include; I prefer Dresden others the BRSO version. On the 9th the consensus is clear: RCO over London.

KISS: Karajan and Jochum twice  . And Stan Skrow.

Did nobody nominate Skrowaczewski?

Love him as a conductor - but he's got no claim to having made "TGREM". Although by now I might just give up the idea that this is not a GRBROAT thread. 

[Daverz]

We're not talking about the 9th from his cycle but his second of three. You can make a nearly complete (3-9) cycle of Haitink's recordings outside the cycle. (See the "Alternative Haitink Cycle" here). There's no critical consensus on which alternative 6th one would include; I prefer Dresden others the BRSO version.

I may be mistaken, but I think I've heard (and enjoyed) the Dresden recording.  Both are on Tidal.  I'm not sure I could tell the difference blind.

Haitink Bruckner on Tidal:

Dresden Bruckner 6: https://tidal.com/album/12231612
BRSO Bruckner 6: https://tidal.com/album/80594065
1981 Bruckner 9: https://tidal.com/album/58971999 or https://tidal.com/album/21844236 (The Philips Years)

[Biffo]

I am totally confused as to what is going on but never mind.

I always associate Haitink with No 8. I heard him conduct it with the LPO and it is the greatest Bruckner performance I have ever heard, live or recorded. I have a complete Haitink 'cycle'  but it is made up of recordings from Amsterdam and Vienna - the 9th, with the Concertgebouw, dates from 1965 - presumably the later one is better.

No one has mentioned Tintner; he has usually had enthusiastic mentions in other Bruckner discussions. I only have his recording of the 1887 version of No 8; it is excellent but possibly doesn't come into the category of 'greatest ever'.

I have Wand's live Berlin recording of No 8. I made the mistake of reading the booklet notes first and was put off by the sycophantic gush. I am sure it is a fine performance but I haven't returned to it very often. I like his Brahms, symphonies 3 & 4, with No 3 being my favourite version for many years.

[Ken B]

Conversely, there's a strident edge to the sound of the Wand recordings on RCA that makes them unlistenable, to my ears.

+1 Worst Bruckner Ever