Bruckner's Abbey

[Le Buisson Ardent]

I just had my first listen to this Bruckner 8th, which I think is Boulez's only commercial Bruckner recording:



So far, I think this is the best fast and dramatic version of the 8th I've ever heard. It has the same virtues as the Barenboim/BPO that I like, but Boulez doesn't rush the coda the way Barenboim does, and the sound is generally better than the rather airless sonics DB gets.

In particular, the tempo relationships, particularly in the sprawling last two mvts., are perfectly judged here. Thus, there's really no sense of "sprawl" at all - everything fits together just like it should. Makes me wish Boulez had done more Bruckner!

One of the standout performances of Bruckner's 8th, IMHO. It's certainly on the quicker side, but the Wiener Philharmoniker really does shine under Boulez's direction. I, too, wish Boulez had done more Bruckner. I would've loved to have heard him in the 5th and 6th especially.

[Valentino]

Thanks for the headsup on the Boulez 8. A must that I didn't know of. I very much like the clarity he brings to Wagner and Mahler.

[Roasted Swan]

One of the standout performances of Bruckner's 8th, IMHO. It's certainly on the quicker side, but the Wiener Philharmoniker really does shine under Boulez's direction. I, too, wish Boulez had done more Bruckner. I would've loved to have heard him in the 5th and 6th especially.

Isn't this the same performance/recording that is on video too?

[LKB]

Somewhere  I have airchecks on CD-R of Boulez conducting the VPO in #7 and #9 from around 2005, courtesy of the late and much- missed Drasko.   Will have to try dig them out, see if they're still playable.

I'm mostly ignorant of Boulez' conducting, so if he brought something new to Bruckner's table that's all the more reason to investigate, starting with no. 8. Thanks for these posts, all. 

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Isn't this the same performance/recording that is on video too?

It very well could be the same performance. I'm not sure, though.

[lordlance]

One of the standout performances of Bruckner's 8th, IMHO. It's certainly on the quicker side, but the Wiener Philharmoniker really does shine under Boulez's direction. I, too, wish Boulez had done more Bruckner. I would've loved to have heard him in the 5th and 6th especially.

There are performances of the Fifth, Seventh and Ninth by Boulez:

Ninth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDyw8FbebCk [Cannot be embedded]

[Cato]

For me too much of the time this music is presented as some kind of religious experience that has to be encountered with cerebral piety.  Give me those Chicago brass anytime!!

Yes!!!

I've had time to listen to the three first movements of the new LP remaster of the Barenboim Chicago 4 «Romantic». It's well recorded and mastered. Bruckner in a fun blows your hair back way.

Heh-Heh!  You remind me of an old magazine ad (for Memorex or, more likely, speakers of some kind), where a listener is sitting in a large, deep armchair in front of two speakers and his clothes and hair seem to be blown back by a 100 mph wind!   

One of the standout performances of Bruckner's 8th, IMHO. It's certainly on the quicker side, but the Wiener Philharmoniker really does shine under Boulez's direction. I, too, wish Boulez had done more Bruckner.

I wonder whether a full set of the symphonies was contemplated, but for some reason, financing or time or perhaps lack of interest on the part of Boulez prevented it.


Recently, I revisited Eugen Jochum's Symphony #1:

Full of energy, even though it is almost 60 years old!   

[Valentino]

I have that one in a cardboard CD box set. Thank you for the tip!

[brewski]

This afternoon I listened to Bruckner's Sixth Symphony, live with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and conductor John Storgårds, whom I don't know that well. He did a beautiful job, and the Frankfurt brass section, especially, were magnificent.

At the end, someone gave Storgårds a bouquet, and he strode through the orchestra and gave the flowers to the ensemble's bassoonist, who was terrific.

No idea how long the concert will be posted, but they often leave them on their YouTube channel for years.

-Bruce

[Cato]

This afternoon I listened to Bruckner's Sixth Symphony, live with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and conductor John Storgårds, whom I don't know that well. He did a beautiful job, and the Frankfurt brass section, especially, were magnificent.

At the end, someone gave Storgårds a bouquet, and he strode through the orchestra and gave the flowers to the ensemble's bassoonist, who was terrific.

No idea how long the concert will be posted, but they often leave them on their YouTube channel for years.

-Bruce

Many thanks for the link!

It is nice to know that orchestras are playing Bruckner's works during the 200th anniversary of his birth!

(I know that some are not!    )

[Roasted Swan]

That's very interesting.  Storgårds is here quite frequently with the BBC SO - predominantly in Nordic repertoire - where I kinda have him pegged as accurate-but-not-terribly-exciting - his Nielsen cycle had nothing actually wrong with it, just never seemed to catch light at any point.  Compared e.g. with Oramo.  But then he was a late substitution in a program that included Shostakovich 5th, which was really very good indeed, one of the best I've heard.  So you think maybe he just needs the right material.  I never thought of him for Bruckner, but you never know - maybe.  Let's see if he does any more.

to the bolded above - much my impression too.  He's done a couple of Korngold recordings on Ondine(?) - A Sinfonietta and a Zemlinsky Seejungfrau - both very well played and utterly sane interpretations.  But for me nothing to turn the head or get my pulse racing.  But I felt the same about his DSCH 12&15 on Chandos.  To be fair all of those mentioned discs have been praised by others.......

[LKB]

There are performances of the Fifth, Seventh and Ninth by Boulez:

Ninth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDyw8FbebCk [Cannot be embedded]

I sampled the first movement of that Fifth with the CSO, and was mainly... irritated. I'd rather not remark further concerning that performance just now, though l might circle back to it at some point.

The Seventh with the VPO is, l think, quite good, though a few imperfections are present as in any live performance. I'd recommend it without hesitation. One oddity l noticed is that the VPO seem to be playing at A=440, instead of their traditional pitch standard of A=443. This didn't bother me at all, but l am slightly curious as to the reason.

[Cato]

The Ninth Symphony with the latest tweaking of the Finale by (Professor John Phillips) was played in Japan a few days ago to sold-out crowds.  Eliahu Inbal was the conductor.

According to a report on YouTube from somebody who was present...

I just heard a TMSO performance in Tokyo.Inbal's conducting was so energetic that it was hard to believe he was 88 years old.They were building wonderful music for the finale of the fourth movement.The performance could not have been more convincing, and I would like to pay my utmost compliments to the members of the TMSO, Maestro Inbal, and Professor Phillips for his unflagging research...

...The entire audience was listening intently and not a single noise was heard during the performance. Wonderful experience.

A recording is planned from another performance scheduled in October.

From Professor Phillips:

"We've also just had confirmed that the Hallé Orchestra of Manchester will be performing and recording the work for release on their own label, performing it on 26 October 2024, under their new conductor Kahchun Wong."

[calyptorhynchus]

News has come that William Carrigan has died. 

[Atriod]

Has anyone heard Remy Ballot conduct Bruckner? If so suggestions for the best of his performances to start with?

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Has anyone heard Remy Ballot conduct Bruckner? If so suggestions for the best of his performances to start with?

I own and have heard the entire Ballot box set. But let me say if you like Celibidache's later recordings of Bruckner, then chances are you'll also like Ballot's approach. So assuming you like Celibidache, I would start with the 2nd symphony. His performance completely opened my ears to this symphony and it's become a favorite of mine. Also, equally beguiling is the 6th. Interesting side note, Ballot was Celibidache's last student.

[Atriod]

I own and have heard the entire Ballot box set. But let me say if you like Celibidache's later recordings of Bruckner, then chances are you'll also like Ballot's approach. So assuming you like Celibidache, I would start with the 2nd symphony. His performance completely opened my ears to this symphony and it's become a favorite of mine. Also, equally beguiling is the 6th. Interesting side note, Ballot was Celibidache's last student.

I've been a long time fan of Celibidache and Bruckner, the live Sony recordings were a more recent discovery and will be the purchase of a decade: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?msg=1547725

Regarding Ballot someone else I share similar taste with on another board praised his Symphony 2 and 6 but I wanted some more opinions since Hurwitz has the three he reviewed on Classics Today as "CD From Hell." And from his Youtube videos he does rate Celibidache's EMI and Sony Bruckner fairly highly.

[Cato]

News has come that William Carrigan has died. 

Oh my goodness!  He responded to something on FaceBook which I had written not too long ago!

He was also a physicist:  https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/william-carragan-troy-hvcc-obituary-bruckner-19509418.php

[Le Buisson Ardent]

I've been a long time fan of Celibidache and Bruckner, the live Sony recordings were a more recent discovery and will be the purchase of a decade: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?msg=1547725

Regarding Ballot someone else I share similar taste with on another board praised his Symphony 2 and 6 but I wanted some more opinions since Hurwitz has the three he reviewed on Classics Today as "CD From Hell." And from his Youtube videos he does rate Celibidache's EMI and Sony Bruckner fairly highly.

If you have a Spotify account (or you can go to YouTube), you can always sample some of Ballot's Bruckner. Truth be told, I couldn't careless what Hurwitz says about anything. His ears aren't mine and vice versa. I love the Ballot cycle and I'm going to continue to enjoy it regardless of what someone else says about it.

[Cato]

If you have a Spotify account (or you can go to YouTube), you can always sample some of Ballot's Bruckner. Truth be told, I couldn't careless what Hurwitz says about anything. His ears aren't mine and vice versa. I love the Ballot cycle and I'm going to continue to enjoy it regardless of what someone else says about it.

So there!   


Amen!  😇  You remind me of my mother's opinion, after I had bought an Alois Haba record from a mail-order house:

"Is there something wrong with our record player?  None of that sounds right!"

"No, it's supposed to sound like that: it's quarter-tone music."

"Well, it sounds like everything's broken."

No, not broken, just unusual! 😇