Bruckner's Abbey

[trung224]

  Personally, I found each composer (at least with composers I'm familiar with)  has at least one "whoreson" piece , which is very different with his composed trend. For Beethoven it is the Pastoral, Brahms with the Third Symphony, Dvorak with the Seventh Symphony, Mahler with the Fourth symphony, Bach with BWV 1052 and BWV 565, Sibelius with the Sixth Symphony, Chopin with the Heroic Etude. For Bruckner, I think it is the  Sixth, which has the usual Brucknerian Adagio, but other movements are  light and lovely Schubertian texture. I'm a Bruckner's admirer, but I found the Sixth problematic, because it's very hard to mix both character, monumental and earthy, into one. Many conductors ,who try to monumentalize it like Jochum, Karajan , fails completely. Most of successful performances I have heard almost take the Symphony like a classical symphony by speed up the Adagio like Klemperer, Keilberth, Stein, Wand on Profil or  slowing down all movement and mellow the contrast like Celibidache, Bongartz or Haitink on Profil. Both way creates the logic between movements but I missed some cosmic, mysterious quality of Bruckner music, especially in the Adagio.

[mszczuj]

  Personally, I found each composer (at least with composer I'm familiar with)  has at least one "whoreson" piece , which is very different with their composed trend.

What you call "their" is only yours.

[Karl Henning]

This day was a personal landmark: first time I ever listened to three Bruckner symphonies in a single day!

[Cato]

This day was a personal landmark: first time I ever listened to three Bruckner symphonies in a single day!

Yay team!   0:)

Besides #6, which ones did you hear?

[Karl Henning]

Eight & Nine. Woot!

[Cato]

Eight & Nine. Woot!

A few years ago I heard the Toledo Symphony (toledobass i.e. Allan plays with them) performing the Eighth Symphony in the Catholic cathedral there: wonderful experience.  My then 20-something son went along and enjoyed it, and he usually listens to "music" that sounds like people falling out of helicopters. 

I mentioned earlier that the Toledo Symphony will play the Symphony #2 at the same cathedral next month.

q.v.

[TheGSMoeller]

First Listen to this recording.
2013 is turning out to be The Year of Bruckner. This is the 10th recording of No.8 i've heard, and it's the greatest.
It's majestic, otherworldly, patient, broad, lyrical... I feel as if my descriptions could go on forever. The Adagio was frightening and poetic, an angelical-cosmic journey that at times took my breath away.
All I know is that this is the first recording that has opened my mind to the thought of the 8th not only being Bruckner's crowning achievement, but one from the entire genre.

[Cato]

First Listen to this recording.
2013 is turning out to be The Year of Bruckner. This is the 10th recording of No.8 i've heard, and it's the greatest.
It's majestic, otherworldly, patient, broad, lyrical... I feel as if my descriptions could go on forever. The Adagio was frightening and poetic, an angelical-cosmic journey that at times took my breath away.
All I know is that this is the first recording that has opened my mind to the thought of the 8th not only being Bruckner's crowning achievement, but one from the entire genre.

Many thanks for the information! 

I see it is a live performance: how much noise from the audience is there? 

[TheGSMoeller]

Many thanks for the information! 

I see it is a live performance: how much noise from the audience is there?

I dont recall any, Cato. Even during the Adagio, and if there was any noise it never distracted.

[jlaurson]

A.Bruckner
Symphony No.8
G.Wand / BPh
RCA

First Listen to this recording.
2013 is turning out to be The Year of Bruckner. This is the 10th recording of No.8 i've heard, and it's the greatest.
It's majestic, otherworldly, patient, broad, lyrical... I feel as if my descriptions could go on forever. The Adagio was frightening and poetic, an angelical-cosmic journey that at times took my breath away.
All I know is that this is the first recording that has opened my mind to the thought of the 8th not only being Bruckner's crowning achievement, but one from the entire genre.

Welcome to the club. This is in fact* the greatest Bruckner 8th. 

No, CATO, no audience noises that get in the way... these are very well recorded, and the audience was on its best behavior... probably spell-bound. By the time this recording was made, attending a B8 with Wand live was already a bit of a pilgrimage. Most everyone there knew what they were in for, and concentrated.


http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-7.html

(* by fact I mean: My opinion, a well-considered one, however, and informed by experiences of others)

[mc ukrneal]

Welcome to the club. This is in fact* the greatest Bruckner 8th. 

No, CATO, no audience noises that get in the way... these are very well recorded, and the audience was on its best behavior... probably spell-bound. By the time this recording was made, attending a B8 with Wand live was already a bit of a pilgrimage. Most everyone there knew what they were in for, and concentrated.


http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-7.html

(* by fact I mean: My opinion, a well-considered one, however, and informed by experiences of others)

I only have a handful of 8ths, but can corroborate the others - it IS a great recording. I think GSMoeller gives a good description of it too.

[TheGSMoeller]

Welcome to the club. This is in fact* the greatest Bruckner 8th. 

No, CATO, no audience noises that get in the way... these are very well recorded, and the audience was on its best behavior... probably spell-bound. By the time this recording was made, attending a B8 with Wand live was already a bit of a pilgrimage. Most everyone there knew what they were in for, and concentrated.


http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-7.html

(* by fact I mean: My opinion, a well-considered one, however, and informed by experiences of others)

Confirmed! 

Thanks for the links, Jens.

I only have a handful of 8ths, but can corroborate the others - it IS a great recording. I think GSMoeller gives a good description of it too.

Thanks, Neal. It's been a while since a first listen has truly captured my attention the way Wand/BPO's 8th just did. The main reason I bought this is because their 4th on RCA was quite magical, now I see their 7th and 5th in my immediate future.

[Karl Henning]

First Listen to this recording.
2013 is turning out to be The Year of Bruckner. This is the 10th recording of No.8 i've heard, and it's the greatest.
It's majestic, otherworldly, patient, broad, lyrical... I feel as if my descriptions could go on forever. The Adagio was frightening and poetic, an angelical-cosmic journey that at times took my breath away.
All I know is that this is the first recording that has opened my mind to the thought of the 8th not only being Bruckner's crowning achievement, but one from the entire genre.

Welcome to the club. This is in fact* the greatest Bruckner 8th. 

No, CATO, no audience noises that get in the way... these are very well recorded, and the audience was on its best behavior... probably spell-bound. By the time this recording was made, attending a B8 with Wand live was already a bit of a pilgrimage. Most everyone there knew what they were in for, and concentrated.


http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-7.html

(* by fact I mean: My opinion, a well-considered one, however, and informed by experiences of others)

More Danger in the Abbey . . . .

[Cato]

Okay, am I correct in deducing that even though Amazon lists the recording as coming out in 2001, this particular version is a new re-issue?

I also saw that there is a set with symphonies IV, V, VII, VIII, and IX.  I assume that this VIII which many are recommending is also the same as in the set?

i.e.

[asin]B006H4EXF6[/asin]

[jlaurson]

Okay, am I correct in deducing that even though Amazon lists the recording as coming out in 2001, this particular version is a new re-issue?

I also saw that there is a set with symphonies IV, V, VII, VIII, and IX.  I assume that this VIII which many are recommending is also the same as in the set?

No, and yes.

No: There are funny things going on with the availability and distribution (US vs. Europe) of Wand's Berlin Bruckner recordings on RCA... but the above shows the issue that's been around since 2001. Apart from similar looking Japanese SACD releases of the same recordings, nothing or little has changed... except that RCA may have cooked up a new batch.

Yes: That is the recording included in this set of all the five Wand-Berlin-Bruckner recordings. 4, 5, 7, 8 have a similar look; 9 I never saw outside the red mid-price RCA Red Seal Classics Library.

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

[MishaK]

This is in fact* the greatest Bruckner 8th. 

There can't ever be such a thing.  Especially not when there are the Boulez/VPO and Schuricht/VPO and Tennstedt to consider.

[Cato]

There can't ever be such a thing.  Especially not when there are the Boulez/VPO and Schuricht/VPO and Tennstedt to consider.

While perusing the Amazon listings of Wand/Berlin Philharmonic/ Symphony #8, I came across this:

[asin]B0079J26S4[/asin]

Any comments on the Hybrid SACD quality?

[MishaK]

While perusing the Amazon listings of Wand/Berlin Philharmonic/ Symphony #8, I came across this:

[asin]B0079J26S4[/asin]

Any comments on the Hybrid SACD quality?

I can't comment on the SACD quality. I only own the previous incarnation of the 8th from the Great Conductors series and a Japanese issue of the 9th (as well as an LP of the 9th). The 8th belongs in the pantheon of great Bruckner performances. An urgent reading that just grabs you from the first note and doesn't let go until the end. There is a nervous energy that permeates even the slow parts, so there is never a feeling of ponderousness or disconnection of the individual segments. A truly great performance. The 9th is very good too.

[jlaurson]

While perusing the Amazon listings of Wand/Berlin Philharmonic/ Symphony #8, I came across this:
Any comments on the Hybrid SACD quality?

I can't comment on the SACD quality. I only own the previous incarnation of the 8th from the Great Conductors series and a Japanese issue of the 9th (as well as an LP of the 9th). The 8th belongs in the pantheon of great Bruckner performances. An urgent reading that just grabs you from the first note and doesn't let go until the end. There is a nervous energy that permeates even the slow parts, so there is never a feeling of ponderousness or disconnection of the individual segments. A truly great performance. The 9th is very good too.

What he said.
Best Recordings of 2012 (#9)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-9.html

Though I would also say that I see this 8th as a complement to a fine Bruckner collection (which would include at least Wand  and one or two others among 8ths, alone), not (anymore) a cornerstone.

[Daverz]

I can't comment on the SACD quality. I only own the previous incarnation of the 8th from the Great Conductors series and a Japanese issue of the 9th (as well as an LP of the 9th). The 8th belongs in the pantheon of great Bruckner performances. An urgent reading that just grabs you from the first note and doesn't let go until the end. There is a nervous energy that permeates even the slow parts, so there is never a feeling of ponderousness or disconnection of the individual segments. A truly great performance. The 9th is very good too.

I wonder if the SACDs have the same transfer of the 9th as the 24/96 file from HDTracks.  The 24/96 file seems marginally better than the Japanese CD, but I'm not sure I could tell them apart in a blind test.

By coinkadink, I also just ordered the Schuricht Icon box.  (Sorry, I haven't answered the question, either.)