Bruckner's Abbey

[kishnevi]

I don't have all those worthies in the First--I have Tintner,  Wand (Cologne), Jochum (EMI), Karajan.  As was the case with Nos. 2 and 3, I first heard the First in Tintner's performance,  which in the case of all three easily convinced me that the music was not really worth listening to.  Jochum was nothing to write home about, but Wand did wake me up to the possibilities in those three symphonies.   It is, however, only Karajan that I actually like in those first three symphonies.

[mahler10th]

...Wand did wake me up to the possibilities in those three symphonies...

I thought Wands Bruckner 1 to be the most 'dynamic' of what I listened to.  Tintners, the most evenly thought out.  Hiatink was full on, Jochum was a wee bit high in the trebles, Chailly was as uneven as the symphony itself, Maazel was as smooth and big as a highly polished smooth thing which is big.   

[Karl Henning]

I keep needing to pick my jaw up off the floor; the Adagio from the Sixth is utterly exquisite.

[Mirror Image]

I keep needing to pick my jaw up off the floor; the Adagio from the Sixth is utterly exquisite.

I've had that feeling before. That Adagio from the 6th really is something otherworldly.

[Mirror Image]

Agreed, underrated is quite correct!

Bruckner supposedly said that "Die Sechste is die Keckste" i.e. "The Sixth is the sassiest."  Not only in the thematic material but also in its treatment contrapuntally and harmonically there is an edge-pushing "sassiness" throughout. 

Listen for instance to the final minutes of the slow movement, where the sad little funeral march has returned, which then gives away to an ascension and a farewell of hopefulness.  For me these few minutes are a blissful shattering, especially as the decades tick away.

Didn't some musicologist give the 6th the subtitle of The Saucy Maid?

[jlaurson]

Didn't some musicologist give the 6th the subtitle of The Saucy Maid?

No... but there's an unattributed (as far as I know) tag of "Das kecke Beserl" to the FIRST, which would be translated to the "Saucy Maid". The similarity is the word "keck" -- which was taken out for the Sixth (verifiably by Bruckner himself) because it rhymes, in its superlative form ("Keckste") with Sixth ("Sechste").

[Daverz]

Comparing the Toshiba EMI CD issue of Schuricht's VPO 9 with the HDTracks 24/96 download.  If I had to say something, the 24/96 files sound marginally warmer and more spacious.  I think everyone else can probably safely go with the cheaper recent SACD release (which includes the 8th) or the even better deal of the Schuricht Icon box, which includes the 3rd.  I'll probably get the Icon box anyway.

[Mirror Image]

No... but there's an unattributed (as far as I know) tag of "Das kecke Beserl" to the FIRST, which would be translated to the "Saucy Maid". The similarity is the word "keck" -- which was taken out for the Sixth (verifiably by Bruckner himself) because it rhymes, in its superlative form ("Keckste") with Sixth ("Sechste").

Yes, you're right, Jens. Thanks for the information. The 6th is nicknamed The Philosophical is what I read. What's the story of this nickname?

[Cato]

Comparing the Toshiba EMI CD issue of Schuricht's VPO 9 with the HDTracks 24/96 download.  If I had to say something, the 24/96 files sound marginally warmer and more spacious.  I think everyone else can probably safely go with the cheaper recent SACD release (which includes the 8th) or the even better deal of the Schuricht Icon box, which includes the 3rd.  I'll probably get the Icon box anyway.

I recall a review of Schuricht's recordings of Bruckner from the 1950's (maybe early '60's), where the writer called the conductor "no nonsense" and "straight-forward."

I had an Angel or Seraphim LP with the Ninth and it was most excellent: I wonder if the above mentioned CD is the same performance.

Yes, you're right, Jens. Thanks for the information. The 6th is nicknamed The Philosophical is what I read. What's the story of this nickname?

It comes, if I am remembering correctly, from an American critic named Engel, who wrote for Chord and Discord the journal of the Bruckner Society of America.   When I joined, they sent me back issues from the early 1950's, and his essay was in one of the issues. 

No, I no longer have those!   0:)

Anyway, the name (and I think Engel was not quoting anybody) does not come from a Bruckner contemporary.  It was Engel's idea.

[Daverz]

Yes, you're right, Jens. Thanks for the information. The 6th is nicknamed The Philosophical is what I read. What's the story of this nickname?

I've seen "Pastoral" -- I think this was on the back of a Skrowaczewski CD -- but this was probably just a confused cover designer.    I've also seen "Apocalyptic" for the 8th (not used anymore, says Wikipedia).  And Wikipedia gives "Symphony of Pauses" for No. 2, which I hadn't seen before.

I had an Angel or Seraphim LP with the Ninth and it was most excellent: I wonder if the above mentioned CD is the same performance.

Yes, it's the same recording.  I still have the Seraphim Lp, fuzzy muzzy surfaces and all, and even there the quality of the recording shines through.

[Cato]

And Wikipedia gives "Symphony of Pauses" for No. 2, which I hadn't seen before.

Oh yes!  As opposed to what I wrote above about "The Philosophical," Bruckner contemporaries are responsible for Die Pausensymphonie.  It was meant to be a nasty comment.

Thanks for the information on the Schuricht, Daverz!

[Mirror Image]

Thanks Cato and Daverz for the feedback. I don't take them names seriously just like I don't take the nicknames given to Mahler's symphonies seriously. I think the only name Bruckner gave any of his symphonies was his 4th The Romantic. Is this right?

[kishnevi]

Oh yes!  As opposed to what I wrote above about "The Philosophical," Bruckner contemporaries are responsible for Die Pausensymphonie.  It was meant to be a nasty comment.

Thanks for the information on the Schuricht, Daverz!

I'm not sure about Pausensymphonie--I would think Posaunensymphonie might be more apt, if equally trite.

[trung224]

I think it's a fair assessment (or at least an understandable one) to not think of Haitink as a great Bruckner conductor if one doesn't know the late recordings. If you compare his unofficial, scattered SACD semi-cycle (4-8, currently, with five different orchestras on five different labels, 5, 6, and 7 of which are out of this world) to his first integrale, there's a tremendous improvement in spirit and certainty and the inherently compelling quality. Compared to that, the OOP Philips cycle is just solid.

A Survey of Bruckner Cycles
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-survey-of-bruckner-cycles.html

The idea the Sixth is an underrated favorite, I've been pushing since I've been writing about it. Happy to see that I'm hardly alone in that assessment.

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2007/05/dip-your-ears-no-80b-bruckner-6.html
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/01/ionarts-at-large-youthful-bruckner-with.html

Wonderful list, jlaurson. But I would add the incomplete cycle from Janowski on Pentatone.

[jlaurson]

  Wonderful list, jlaurson. But I would add the incomplete cycle from Janowski on Pentatone.

Thanks - Good point -- and will do, when it's complete and/or boxed. (Just like Young & Bolton.)

[jlaurson]

Ionarts-at-Large: Gergiev's First Time
Gergiev's first concert after officially being announced and presented as the incoming Principal Conductor of the MPhil couldn't have been more symbolic...

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/02/ionarts-at-large-gergievs-first-time.html

[Cato]

The Toledo Symphony continues its recent tradition of playing the symphonies of Bruckner in Rosary Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic diocese of Toledo.

This year they play the Second Symphony.

See:

http://www.toledosymphony.com/1213-season/bruckner-program-notes/

[Sergeant Rock]

The Toledo Symphony continues its recent tradition of playing the symphonies of Bruckner in Rosary Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic diocese of Toledo.

This year they play the Second Symphony.

Cato, do you know if Allan (toledobass) is still a member of the orchestra?

Sarge

[Papy Oli]

A 70's Documentary on Bruckner :

http://youtu.be/TuR91m2ksaE

[mahler10th]

A 70's Documentary on Bruckner :

http://youtu.be/TuR91m2ksaE

Brilliant, thanks very much for that.  I will watch it shortly!