Bruckner's cycles

Started by gmstudio, November 26, 2007, 08:44:43 AM

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SonicMan46

Quote from: André on February 06, 2020, 03:15:30 PM
I think the Jochum set has become dated both in conception and sound. Jochum's best Bruckner performances come from the very last years of his life. Nos 5, 7 and especially 8 and 9 from Amsterdam, Bamberg, Munich are among the greatest ever made.

The Wand is a good spic&span cycle, but his later recordings with the NDR (Hamburg) on RCA probe much deeper. I'm not too keen on his last recordings from Berlin, where his view is impressive but the results appear close to fossilization.

I enthusiastically recommend the Haitink set. Nos 4 and 9 are not his best takes on the work, but the rest is prime Bruckner.

This very inexpensive set is one of the best for most of the symphonies (except an old, mono 2nd), superbly played and recorded:

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Buy another no 2 and a no 0 (not included here) to supplement.

Hi André - thanks for your comments above - I read several reviews on the Rögner Brilliant Box, a compilation - also, several commenters on Amazon mentioned 'audience coughs' - are some of these performances 'live' and is there a lot of audience noise, especially applause after each symphony?  Just me, but have never enjoyed a lot of audience input on my CDs - thanks for any comments.  Dave :)

André

Hi Dave! Except for no 2, all of these recordings are from a recording studio. No applause, no coughs, no extraneous noises. No 1 is conducted by Neumann, no 2 by Konwitschny (live), no 3 by Sanderling and the rest by Rögner in excellent digital sound.

SonicMan46

Quote from: André on February 08, 2020, 06:46:29 AM
Hi Dave! Except for no 2, all of these recordings are from a recording studio. No applause, no coughs, no extraneous noises. No 1 is conducted by Neumann, no 2 by Konwitschny (live), no 3 by Sanderling and the rest by Rögner in excellent digital sound.

1+ - thanks again!  Dave

SonicMan46

Only two years since the last posting here, but there has been a LOT of interest in the 'listening thread' in the relatively new CPO offering of Bruckner's Symphonies conducted by Mario Venzago - his approach is summarized below, i.e. the use of a number of smaller orchestras and 'attempts' to recreate the 'sound stage' that these works may have been performed in Bruckner's time.  I'm currently listening to Symphonies Nos. 1 to 4 on a Spotify playlist and enjoying, BUT at the same time reading a variety of reviews (see attachment, if interested) - comments have been quite MIXED from admiration for a 'different approach' to these performances to downright abhorence of the effort. SO, just curious what the Brucknerians in the forum think?  Dave :)

QuoteAs 19th century repertoire is increasingly played on original instruments and in period style, the late Romantic symphonies of Anton Bruckner have become the subject of historically informed performance practice. While some conductors have attempted this transformation in isolated cases, Mario Venzago has treated each of Bruckner's symphonies (with the exception of the "Studiensymphonie") to authentic practices with different orchestras, to re-create the varied ensemble sounds and performance styles appropriate to their time periods. Considering that Bruckner's experiences with orchestras spanned three decades, he would have witnessed the growth of the orchestra and the introduction of improved instruments, which clearly influenced his decisions when he composed and revised each work. (Source)

 

foxandpeng

Quote from: SonicMan46 on January 17, 2022, 08:47:59 AM
Only two years since the last posting here, but there has been a LOT of interest in the 'listening thread' in the relatively new CPO offering of Bruckner's Symphonies conducted by Mario Venzago - his approach is summarized below, i.e. the use of a number of smaller orchestras and 'attempts' to recreate the 'sound stage' that these works may have been performed in Bruckner's time.  I'm currently listening to Symphonies Nos. 1 to 4 on a Spotify playlist and enjoying, BUT at the same time reading a variety of reviews (see attachment, if interested) - comments have been quite MIXED from admiration for a 'different approach' to these performances to downright abhorence of the effort. SO, just curious what the Brucknerians in the forum think?  Dave :)

 

This is great, Sonic, thank you. I'll read this with interest. I'm not sure I can describe myself as a Brucknerian, because it has been some years since I last seriously listened to the symphonies. I've been using this cycle as my reintroduction, and I am very much enjoying them as far as the end of #3.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

SonicMan46

Quote from: foxandpeng on January 17, 2022, 10:57:52 AM
This is great, Sonic, thank you. I'll read this with interest. I'm not sure I can describe myself as a Brucknerian, because it has been some years since I last seriously listened to the symphonies. I've been using this cycle as my reintroduction, and I am very much enjoying them as far as the end of #3.

Well, I would not claim to be a Brucknerian myself - up until listening to the Spotify playlist mentioned today, the last time for me was 2 years ago when André and I were discussing the Rögner set on Brilliant which I did purchase and play then (the only other box still in my collection is Haitnik) - but I'll be curious about comments on Venzago - will finish off that playlist in the next few days.  Dave :)

André

I have heard 3 of them and didn't like them at all. Listening on Spotify is fine, as this is a case of caveat emptor IMO.  :)

foxandpeng

Quote from: André on January 17, 2022, 12:15:45 PM
I have heard 3 of them and didn't like them at all. Listening on Spotify is fine, as this is a case of caveat emptor IMO.  :)

There's no doubt that Venzago's cycle is a 'different' Bruckner, but taking that on board and understanding it for what it is, I am enjoying. Hearing the Chailly and Tintner alongside, is how I remember Bruckner, however.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Mirror Image

Quote from: foxandpeng on January 18, 2022, 01:50:18 PM
There's no doubt that Venzago's cycle is a 'different' Bruckner, but taking that on board and understanding it for what it is, I am enjoying. Hearing the Chailly and Tintner alongside, is how I remember Bruckner, however.

For an "out of the box" Bruckner interpretation, I think Venzago fits the bill. Will he make me forget about Karajan or Haitink? Absolutely not, but there's always room for different interpretations, especially in symphonies as vast as those of Bruckner.

foxandpeng

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 18, 2022, 01:58:09 PM
For an "out of the box" Bruckner interpretation, I think Venzago fits the bill. Will he make me forget about Karajan or Haitink? Absolutely not, but there's always room for different interpretations, especially in symphonies as vast as those of Bruckner.

Agreed. This feels like a lighter, stripped back Bruckner. It has its place as a different interpretation, but won't supplant more mainstream approaches.

I need to poke Haitink.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy