Bruckner's Abbey

[Geo Dude]

I suggest Skrowaczewski for a full set.  You can get it for $50 on Amazon.

That's a bit out of my price range right now, but the reviews are good.  It's on the wish list.

[Daverz]

That's a bit out of my price range right now, but the reviews are good.  It's on the wish list.

Well, it's ceratainly not as cheap, even per disc, as the Wand set on Sony, but it does include Symphony No. 0 and the Symphony in F.  The latter is not essential, but I think 0 is.

[Sergeant Rock]

The Karajan and Wand sets both seem interesting...

Interesting, yes, and the only major Bruckner sets that are currently cheap. In a poll the forum ran a few months ago, Wand was the overwhelming choice. See the results here. I did my own "Deathmatch" between the two sets. The result was inconclusive, with Karajan clearly the better performance and/or recording in half the symphonies, Wand the winner in the other half:

1-Wand

2-Karajan

3-Karajan

4-Wand 

5-Tie

6-Karajan  (although neither is a favorite recording)

7-Karajan

8-Wand

9-Wand


Sarge

[Mirror Image]

6-Karajan  (although neither is a favorite recording)

What's your favorite recording of the 6th, Sarge? I was always fond of Chailly's, though Klemperer's is excellent as well.

[Sergeant Rock]

What's your favorite recording of the 6th, Sarge? I was always fond of Chailly's, though Klemperer's is excellent as well.

I have sixteen recordings of the Sixth. Favorites: Klemperer, Celibidache, and Norrington (for something completely different). I've recently acquired Leitner and Haitink/Dresden, both enthusiastically recommended by folks here, but I haven't heard them yet.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

I have sixteen recordings of the Sixth. Favorites: Klemperer, Celibidache, and Norrington (for something completely different). I've recently acquired Leitner and Haitink/Dresden, both enthusiastically recommended by folks here, but I haven't heard them yet.

Sarge

The Haitink/Dresden is quite good indeed. I give it an 8 out of 10 if I were to give it a rating. The 6th is one of my favorite Bruckner symphonies.

[Brahmsian]

Interesting, yes, and the only major Bruckner sets that are currently cheap. In a poll the forum ran a few months ago, Wand was the overwhelming choice. See the results here. I did my own "Deathmatch" between the two sets. The result was inconclusive, with Karajan clearly the better performance and/or recording in half the symphonies, Wand the winner in the other half:

1-Wand

2-Karajan

3-Karajan

4-Wand 

5-Tie

6-Karajan  (although neither is a favorite recording)

7-Karajan

8-Wand

9-Wand


Sarge

Thanks Sarge!  I was always curious to see the results of the "Deathmatch".    Does that mean you threw the discs in the fireplace for the Karajan's 1, 4, 8 & 9, while tossing Wand's 2, 3, 6 and 7, while keeping both for the 5th?    C'mon Sarge, a deathmatch is a deathmatch!    Alternatively, you can just forward the losing recordings to Winnipeg, Canada!!!   

[Sergeant Rock]

C'mon Sarge, a deathmatch is a deathmatch!

[Brahmsian]

Perhaps it is time to bring out your machine gun.  That would be the proper way!   

[Renfield]

Re: the 4th, you prefer that Wand to the DG BPO Karajan, Sarge?!

I recall you loving the - arguably sublime - EMI Karajan, but I find enough room in my heart for the DG as well, myself. 0:)


(Not that the early Wand is bad, by any means. I just think both Karajans top it; the EMI roughly tied with the Berlin Wand.)

[Sergeant Rock]

Re: the 4th, you prefer that Wand to the DG BPO Karajan, Sarge?!

I recall you loving the - arguably sublime - EMI Karajan, but I find enough room in my heart for the DG as well, myself. 0:)


(Not that the early Wand is bad, by any means. I just think both Karajans top it; the EMI roughly tied with the Berlin Wand.)

Karajan's EMI Fourth is my favorite Fourth--has been since it's American release on Angel in a three LP box in the early 70s (coupled with the Seventh).  Four years later I bought the LP of the DG Fourth, expecting improved sound and a similar performance. I was bitterly disappointed. Sonically it wasn't nearly as attractive to me, and worse, Karajan shaved almost three minutes off the timing of the first movement, which damaged the great chorale at the heart of the movement. Compared to the EMI Fourth, I found it cold and unfeeling. Hearing the CD thirty-sxi years later didn't change my iinitial impressions.

Sarge

[Renfield]

Interesting! I agree that it's a very different performance, and quite clinical (cf. the Shostakovich 10th from that era).

But it's beautiful in a strange, albeit somewhat manufactured, way that wins me over. By comparison, Wand's is just good.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I have a few Bruckner recordings on hand (Jochum 3 and 7, Giulini 9) but would like to pick up a full set of the symphonies and really dig in to these works; preferably at budget price.  The Karajan and Wand sets both seem interesting, and I am interested in thoughts on those, but I'm also open to other suggestions.

Jochum/Dresden is cheap, and startlingly good:



[asin]B00004YA0T[/asin]

[Daverz]

Jochum/Dresden is cheap, and startlingly good:

If you buy the Brilliant Classics issue you get Skrowaczewski's Symphony No. 0 as a bonus.

...but I see that the BC set is now 10 bucks more than the EMI set from Amazon sellers.   And the Karajan set is cheaper still.  I think I'd give the nod the Karajan set as I suspect the price will eventually go back up.

[kishnevi]

Amazon is giving a pre-release  price of $33.74 (US release is 18 October), haven't checked across the pond prices.

Apparently this includes "Die Nullte" but not Helgoland, unlike the already available Warner box, which has Helgoland but not "Die Nullte". 

Although, since the Wand set is sitting in my "need to listen to" pile, I'll not be in a hurry to get either version.

[Sergeant Rock]

Amazon is giving a pre-release  price of $33.74 (US release is 18 October), haven't checked across the pond prices.

At Amazon UK it's the equivalent of $55. Amazon DE $66.

Apparently this includes "Die Nullte" but not Helgoland, unlike the already available Warner box, which has Helgoland but not "Die Nullte"

Amazon UK is showing Helgoland, Te Deum and Psalm 150 along with Die Nullte.

Sarge

[Lilas Pastia]

That's a bit out of my price range right now, but the reviews are good.  It's on the wish list.

Take heart: I just bought the Wand set on Amazon for peanuts:

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos 1 - 9
Sold by: BlowItOutaHere
Condition: new
Quantity: 1
$19.12 each
Item subtotal: $19.12

[Renfield]

Interesting! I agree that it's a very different performance, and quite clinical (cf. the Shostakovich 10th from that era).

Wait a minute, that's not true! Wrong decade.

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that. A better comparison to the DG Bruckner 4th would be his Mahler 4th, perhaps.

[MishaK]

Amazon is giving a pre-release  price of $33.74 (US release is 18 October), haven't checked across the pond prices.

Apparently this includes "Die Nullte" but not Helgoland, unlike the already available Warner box, which has Helgoland but not "Die Nullte". 

According to arkivmusic, it does include Helgoland: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=587952

I would have been rather surprised if it didn't, since the original release and the original single CD with Symphony 1 already included Barenboim's first recording of Helgoland.

[Geo Dude]

Karajan's EMI Fourth is my favorite Fourth--has been since it's American release on Angel in a three LP box in the early 70s (coupled with the Seventh).  Four years later I bought the LP of the DG Fourth, expecting improved sound and a similar performance. I was bitterly disappointed. Sonically it wasn't nearly as attractive to me, and worse, Karajan shaved almost three minutes off the timing of the first movement, which damaged the great chorale at the heart of the movement. Compared to the EMI Fourth, I found it cold and unfeeling. Hearing the CD thirty-sxi years later didn't change my iinitial impressions.

Sarge

Thanks for this.  When I ordered the Karajan set I supplemented it with an EMI recording of the fourth.