Bruckner's Abbey

[Roasted Swan]

Following an earlier thread I rooted around on the free download page of John Berky's extraordinarily comprehensive site abruckner.com.

https://www.abruckner.com/downloads/downloadofthemonth/

These downloads are quite often of passing interest - little known orchestra/conductors etc.  But scrolling down the "back catalogue" I spotted the series of recordings Gerd Albrecht made with the Czech PO for Exton.  These can be downloaded for free in FLAC format so sonically very good.  Albrecht is a fine Bruckner conductor and the Czech PO make just the right old-fashioned Central European warm sound.  Its really rather glorious and well recorded too.  Enjoyed listening to No.8 this afternoon very much......

[André]

Following an earlier thread I rooted around on the free download page of John Berky's extraordinarily comprehensive site abruckner.com.

https://www.abruckner.com/downloads/downloadofthemonth/

These downloads are quite often of passing interest - little known orchestra/conductors etc.  But scrolling down the "back catalogue" I spotted the series of recordings Gerd Albrecht made with the Czech PO for Exton.  These can be downloaded for free in FLAC format so sonically very good.  Albrecht is a fine Bruckner conductor and the Czech PO make just the right old-fashioned Central European warm sound.  Its really rather glorious and well recorded too.  Enjoyed listening to No.8 this afternoon very much......

If it's still available, try to locate the 8th under Jochum in Bamberg. A 1982 live performance of tremendous power. It was offered a few years back (5 or 6?), so scroll down a few years...

[Linz]

Yes Jochums Bamberg 8 is still there and he has added Flac links to it with the organ works in mp3

[André]

Yes Jochums Bamberg 8 is still there and he has added Flac links to it with the organ works in mp3

Go for it. Simply glorious, easily the best B8 Jochum did (IMHO of course  )

[Cato]

If it's still available, try to locate the 8th under Jochum in Bamberg. A 1982 live performance of tremendous power. It was offered a few years back (5 or 6?), so scroll down a few years...

Yes Jochums Bamberg 8 is still there and he has added Flac links to it with the organ works in mp3

Go for it. Simply glorious, easily the best B8 Jochum did (IMHO of course  )

Incredible coincidence!  This performance popped up yesterday, while I was searching for something else!

I assume this is the same performance:

https://www.youtube.com/v/adHIid54n38

[André]

I can't access your link, Leo (just a big blank). There are 2 Bamberg 8ths by Jochum in 1982: June 12 from St-Florian Abbey (coupled with the organ works), and September 15, live from NHK Hall, Tokyo. Both are formidable, but I like the slightly tauter Tokyo performance slightly more. Obviously sonics will be a consideration (the St-Florian reverb a factor). I haven't listened to them in a few years, so I've pulled them out for listening and I'm open to revise my order of preference  .

[ritter]

Cato's link must be from the NHK Hall, André (unless they were using Japanese characters in Linz, and the abbey has been refurbished by a brutalist architect   ).

[Linz]

The one from Berkies site is the St Florian recordinng  and the Altus recording is the NHK Hall recording

[Cato]

The one from Berkies site is the St Florian recording  and the Altus recording is the NHK Hall recording

Many thanks for the clarification!  The YouTube "channel" indicates it is the Japanese performance from September 1982.

[Roasted Swan]

Go for it. Simply glorious, easily the best B8 Jochum did (IMHO of course  )

Great tip - thankyou!  Jochum last/live No.5 with the Concertgebouw is my favourite version of that symphony bar none - extraordinary sense of journey and final arrival

[Cato]

Great tip - thankyou!  Jochum last/live No.5 with the Concertgebouw is my favourite version of that symphony bar none - extraordinary sense of journey and final arrival

Amen to that!

This Bruckner Trombone Quartet is something else!  A Dutch group, they are impressive!


https://www.youtube.com/v/Oj6rmmOek1M

[Roasted Swan]

I can't access your link, Leo (just a big blank). There are 2 Bamberg 8ths by Jochum in 1982: June 12 from St-Florian Abbey (coupled with the organ works), and September 15, live from NHK Hall, Tokyo. Both are formidable, but I like the slightly tauter Tokyo performance slightly more. Obviously sonics will be a consideration (the St-Florian reverb a factor). I haven't listened to them in a few years, so I've pulled them out for listening and I'm open to revise my order of preference  .

I've been listening to the St. Florian/Jochum/Bamberg No.8 this morning.  I do like a lot Jochum's emotional volatility in Bruckner - which I know some folk don't!  The St. Florian acoustic is not excessive at all and the detail in the recording is very good.  I'm not sure it would go to the very top of my list of favourites for No.8 though.  The sound of the Bamberg players is obviously good but the brass is a bit "plain" for my preference - the climactic passages don't ring out as I enjoy most.  Interesting "perils of live performance" moment in the 1st movement when it sounds as if a harp string breaks!

[André]

I've been listening to the St. Florian/Jochum/Bamberg No.8 this morning.  I do like a lot Jochum's emotional volatility in Bruckner - which I know some folk don't!  The St. Florian acoustic is not excessive at all and the detail in the recording is very good.  I'm not sure it would go to the very top of my list of favourites for No.8 though.  The sound of the Bamberg players is obviously good but the brass is a bit "plain" for my preference - the climactic passages don't ring out as I enjoy most.  Interesting "perils of live performance" moment in the 1st movement when it sounds as if a harp string breaks!

The harp is silent in the first movement.

[LKB]

The harp is silent in the first movement.

True, but that doesn't preclude a string breaking.

[Roasted Swan]

The harp is silent in the first movement.

Of course but when a harp string's gotta go, its gotta go!  Its a very distinctive sound - quite dry pop as it snaps back against the soundboard - 5' 33" into the 1st movement........

[André]

I believe you if you say so. All I hear is a quick 'tack' sound in the left channel. 

[foxandpeng]

Anton Bruckner
Symphony 5
Georg Tintner
RSNO

First run at a couple of days of #5. Any loved recs of relatively modern recordings appreciated. I make no apology for my advocacy of Tintner, and I also want to continue to hear Chailly and Inbal, but keen to hear your thoughts.

[Brahmsian]

Anton Bruckner
Symphony 5
Georg Tintner
RSNO

First run at a couple of days of #5. Any loved recs of relatively modern recordings appreciated. I make no apology for my advocacy of Tintner, and I also want to continue to hear Chailly and Inbal, but keen to hear your thoughts.

For the 5th, I am quite partial to Jochum (either Staatskapelle Dresden or Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks).

For another take that I really appreciate, try Celibidache and Munich (I find his approach hit and miss with Bruckner, but I think his 5th is one of the successful ones)

[LKB]

Anton Bruckner
Symphony 5
Georg Tintner
RSNO

First run at a couple of days of #5. Any loved recs of relatively modern recordings appreciated. I make no apology for my advocacy of Tintner, and I also want to continue to hear Chailly and Inbal, but keen to hear your thoughts.

Haitink is available in a few incarnations, my favorite being the studio recording with the VPO he made for Philips back in the '80's. Excellent sound and performance.

My imprint for B5 was von Karajan's, and I'm still fond of it. DG somehow found such hall resonance in the Philharmonie that it actually sound's good, probably the best analog recording I've heard from that venue. HvK had the measure of the work and l can't honestly point out any interpretive weaknesses, though some rather prominent critics disagree.

[foxandpeng]

For the 5th, I am quite partial to Jochum (either Staatskapelle Dresden or Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks).

For another take that I really appreciate, try Celibidache and Munich (I find his approach hit and miss with Bruckner, but I think his 5th is one of the successful ones)

Haitink is available in a few incarnations, my favorite being the studio recording with the VPO he made for Philips back in the '80's. Excellent sound and performance.

My imprint for B5 was von Karajan's, and I'm still fond of it. DG somehow found such hall resonance in the Philharmonie that it actually sound's good, probably the best analog recording I've heard from that venue. HvK had the measure of the work and l can't honestly point out any interpretive weaknesses, though some rather prominent critics disagree.

Thank you both!