Bruckners 6th

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'll also put in a vote for the Celibidache - Munich Phil on EMI. This is a conductor I tend to stay away from - too much mysticism and too many slow tempi for my liking - but this version is both stunningly recorded and stunningly played, with a beautiful ear for balancing the orchestral choirs. The slow movement is in fact about five minutes longer than Klemperer's, but it works, and the other three movements are taken at standard tempi. You get six tracks to the CD as numbers 1 and 6 are for "applause." If you don't want to hear the applause, play tracks 2-5 by themselves.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I wasn't aware that they had every released #7 on CD.

Well in Japan they do anyway. I didn't even know Solti recorded these works with Vienna before today.

[M forever]

The Barenboim recording with the BP is surprisingly good. A lot of his Bruckner is not really musically interesting, very general with little insights into the inner structure of the music, just nice widescreen sound provided by the BP. But the 6th is really good. It is a piece which doesn't play itself so well, not in a technical sense, but some of the musical content is not easy to make sense of, especially in the finale. One can hear that Barenboim really put some thought into how he could make this work well musically. Which I find interesting, just like his Mahler 7 which is another piece that is not easy to make sense of, but he did in his recording with the SB.

[DarkAngel]

Klemperer remains supreme in this symphony and it is difficult to know why so many recordings just do not seem to get it right or near to right.

Clearly, it has little to do with timing, perhaps, more to do with phrasing, articulation, orchestral placing, etc.

I also like the Klemperer as clear first choice in Bruckner 6th, the EMI remaster has very fine sound and performance is exciting and the rythms and phrasings of Klemperer just seem to flow better than others.

If slower timings are preferred as mentioned before try to get the Celi EMI 6th.........or just bite the bullet and get the Celi EMI Bruckner boxset, it is a revelation for Bruckner fans.

[M forever]

What kind of revelation is that supposed to be?

[Mark G. Simon]

The revelation is in just how slow musicians can play before the instruments drop out of their hands.

[Sergeant Rock]

What kind of revelation is that supposed to be?

I could answer that question but...it would be like painting a bull's-eye on my body and asking M to use me for target practice. So I'll just keep my mouth shut. 

Sarge

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I could answer that question but...it would be like painting a bull's-eye on my body and asking M to use me for target practise. So I'll just keep my mouth shut. 

Sarge

I don't think M needs that much practice anymore, Sarge. He is quite an accomplished shot as it is.

So - do tell us... 

[Sergeant Rock]

So - do tell us... 

Oh, your're a devilish tempter    I won't answer now though. I had a splendid meal tonight with a copious amount of local, and quite good, Chardonnay, as well as several after dinner whiskeys (the Dew!). Perhaps tomorrow.

Sarge

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Oh, your're a devilish tempter    I won't answer now though. I had a splendid meal tonight with a copious amount of local, and quite good, Chardonnay, as well as several after dinner whiskeys (the Dew!). Perhaps tomorrow.

Sarge

As an experienced soldier you obviously know a lot about evasive manoeuvres. 

Alright - I can wait...  0:)

[DarkAngel]

What kind of revelation is that supposed to be?

I will provide the target.........

Like watching a slow motion film of a bird in flight where all types of previously unseen details and harmonious movements are now revealed, with Celi EMI you are now aware of sound details and related structures that were previously obscured or not emphasized by others, you are mesmorized by the beauty of the sound and see it in a different perspective. The surprising thing it that Celi can acheive this while still producing powerful towering climaxes that are very exciting and dramatic......not dull and boring as many would think. It is not just the slowing of tempos but his unique revelation of new details and phrasing by Celi that breathes new life into Bruckner

Celi is not for the new Bruckner listner, Celi can be much better appreciated after one has a feel for Bruckner symphonies and wants to explore deeper.
Also the early DG Bruckner works by Celi are much more conventional sounding, the later EMI style is what I am referring to above.

[Gustav]

I will provide the target.........

Like watching a slow motion film of a bird in flight where all types of previously unseen details and harmonious movements are now revealed, with Celi EMI you are now aware of sound details and related structures that were previously obscured or not emphasized by others, you are mesmorized by the beauty of the sound and see it in a different perspective. The surprising thing it that Celi can acheive this while still producing powerful towering climaxes that are very exciting and dramatic......not dull and boring as many would think. It is not just the slowing of tempos but his unique revelation of new details and phrasing by Celi that breathes new life into Bruckner

Celi is not for the new Bruckner listner, Celi can be much better appreciated after one has a feel for Bruckner symphonies and wants to explore deeper.
Also the early DG Bruckner works by Celi are much more conventional sounding, the later EMI style is what I am referring to above.

you are referring to the EMI Bruckner 6th? Actually, tempo-wise, the only "slow" part of that recording is the second movement, the speed of the rest of the movements are quite "typical". So I don't know why you are saying the 6th is a great representation of Celi's "slow" approach.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Hmmm, I have never felt Celi's EMI Bruckner is slow. I have 4, 7 and 8 while the timings suggest that they are slow (especially in #8), listening to it doesn't make it feel any slower than any of my other recordings.

[Gustav]

Hmmm, I have never felt Celi's EMI Bruckner is slow. I have 4, 7 and 8 while the timings suggest that they are slow (especially in #8), listening to it doesn't make it feel any slower than any of my other recordings.

maybe you were intoxicated again well, how can you not hear the difference of the 32 minute finale of the 8th? According to abruckner.com that's the record for the longest finale of the 8th ever recorded! I'd like to know what your "any other recordings" are.

[PerfectWagnerite]

maybe you were intoxicated again well, how can you not hear the difference of the 32 minute finale of the 8th? According to abruckner.com that's the record for the longest finale of the 8th ever recorded! I'd like to know what your "any other recordings" are.

Wand took 26 in his NDR recording (non-Luebeck) and Giulini about 25 so the difference is 6-7 minutes. In a movement that long it is not a big deal, well I don't think so anyway. Look at the finale of Mahler's 9th, some take it in about 20 minutes and some take close to 30.

[FredT]

Tintner or Skrowaczewski are terrific. There is also a recording on Haydn House by Steinberg and the BSO. Steinberg was one of the very best Bruckner conductors ever. His Pittsburgh 7 needs a good CD release...awesome!

[DavidW]

Skrowaczewski is great, but I haven't heard a Bruckner 6th that I didn't like.

[Gustav]

Skrowaczewski is great, but I haven't heard a Bruckner 6th that I didn't like.

same here!

[Danny]

Don't know if its been mentioned, but Joseph Keilberth's version with the BPO from '62 is also an amazing version. Also enjoy Blomstedt's interpretation with the SFSO from the 80's.

[mahler10th]

What?  What what what?
Only one mention of the Karajan set?  Shocking.  It by far outshines the rest!!  By a million miles.  However, I am interested in the post which says there is fine detail to be had in the monstrously slow plodder that was Celibidache, so I'll listen to that again.
But Karajan mastered Bruckner in the 70's (I think offhand) and theres hardly a finer performance to be found out there.