Bruckner 8 debate anyone??

[Cato]

Interesting!

The DG Jochum never sat well with me; but the EMI I've always found refreshingly earnest, perhaps because of that "rawness" you note.

(That having been said, Jochum would still be in my "alternative favourite" list, vs. my "main" preferences for the symphony.)


I'm also intrigued by the Horenstein. May I ask for more details?

I recall it being from the 1950's on VOX, and the sound was not the best, but the performance was most excellent, full of power and emotion.  It could not have been the BBC CD from 1970: I recall using my Nowak score with the VOX, and the BBC CD uses the Haas.

The Jochum DGG remains my favorite: as I said, the process of imprinting may be causing bias here!

[King Karajan]

I can't believe I forgot Jochum! I have always prefered the Dresden "rawness" to the BPO set. I find the BPO a tad slick in that cycle.

[DarkAngel]

Besides the excellent Jochum DG/EMI complete Bruckner sets if you ever see this CD for decent price don't hesitate to buy!
Older versions in good mono sound that pre date the DG set versions

[DarkAngel]

King Karajan
Wanted to make sure your HVK Bruckner 8th collection is complete.....
Besides the DG/VPO, DG/BPO, and EMI/BPO versions for CD there is also an essential performance on DVD:



Contains 1979 VPO performance of Bruckner 8th at St Florians church (Bruckner studied here) and even more essential is the VPO 1978 Bruckner 9th
which will amaze even HVK critics with its tremendous intensity and power........

[eyeresist]

Contains 1979 VPO performance of Bruckner 8th at St Florians church (Bruckner studied here) and even more essential is the VPO 1979 Bruckner 9th
which will amaze even HVK critics with its tremendous intensity and power........

That's the one to which AndyD and I referred (I think the 9th was 1978). Also contains a powerful performance of the Te Deum. A must for Brucknerians!

[Haffner]

That's the one to which AndyD and I referred (I think the 9th was 1978). Also contains a powerful performance of the Te Deum. A must for Brucknerians!

It's fantastic. All of it.

[DarkAngel]

That's the one to which AndyD and I referred (I think the 9th was 1978). Also contains a powerful performance of the Te Deum. A must for Brucknerians!

Yes that is the one, you are correct that 9th was done in 1978.......original post corrected

It is a must for Bruckner collectors......especially if your forum name is King Karajan 

[jlaurson]

Besides the excellent Jochum DG/EMI complete Bruckner sets if you ever see this CD for decent price don't hesitate to buy!
Older versions in good mono sound that pre date the DG set versions

Crimeny.... are you telling me that those are DIFFERENT from the ones in the DG box? I had my hands on them for cheap, once, and gave it away since I thought I had them already in the box. Argh.

[Renfield]

King Karajan
Wanted to make sure your HVK Bruckner 8th collection is complete.....
Besides the DG/VPO, DG/BPO, and EMI/BPO versions for CD there is also an essential performance on DVD:



Contains 1979 VPO performance of Bruckner 8th at St Florians church (Bruckner studied here) and even more essential is the VPO 1978 Bruckner 9th
which will amaze even HVK critics with its tremendous intensity and power........

Since this is a good excuse to indulge in some Karajanophilia, in which - despite my not being named "Karajanfield" - I do specialise, permit me to add that there is another Bruckner 8th by Karajan, with the VPO, from the 1957 Salzburg Festival on Orfeo.

(As well as, IIRC, an incomplete "experimental stereo" one, but I don't think it has been officially issued.)


Re the 1979 8th (the DVD one), I don't prefer it to the 1988 or either of the 1957(s), but very mighty it is indeed.

And I fully agree about the 1978 9th, likely Karajan's best - out of four - overall.

[Haffner]

Since this is a good excuse to indulge in some Karajanophilia, in which - despite my not being named "Karajanfield" - I do specialise, permit me to add that there is another Bruckner 8th by Karajan, with the VPO, from the 1957 Salzburg Festival on Orfeo.

(As well as, IIRC, an incomplete "experimental stereo" one, but I don't think it has been officially issued.)


Re the 1979 8th (the DVD one), I don't prefer it to the 1988 or either of the 1957(s), but very mighty it is indeed.

And I fully agree about the 1978 9th, likely Karajan's best - out of four - overall.

Is the DG/BPO 8th from 1988? In any case, it's a great one.

For me, only the Celibidache 9th comes near (or might even) match the Karajan 1978 or BPO/DG Karajan. The Karajan(s) make it for me not only for their power, but for the Adagios...it seemed like alot of care was taken to produce that movement, in both recordings.

But I still haven't heard the Giulini (EXPENSIVE!!!).

[DarkAngel]

Besides the excellent Jochum DG/EMI complete Bruckner sets if you ever see this CD for decent price don't hesitate to buy!
Older versions in good mono sound that pre date the DG set versions

This Jochum 2CD set contains 1949 Bruckner 8th performance, the Jochum DG boxset is 1964 performance

[ChamberNut]

I'll be making a visit to the downtown library today after work (only a few blocks away).......I'll be on the lookout for some 8ths! 

[ChamberNut]

WOW!  I've taken down notes, and just here alone on this thread, there are well over 30 different recordings so far recommended!   

[bhodges]

Add me to the list of those who think this symphony is very special.  I first encountered it through Haitink's recording with the Concertgebouw (on LP!), and IIRC the first time I heard it live was with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic in the early 1980s (a very good performance, by the way).

And yes, I'm one of those who have multiple recordings, including these:

Karajan/Vienna
Karajan/Berlin
Chailly/Concertgebouw
Haitink/Concertgebouw
Welser-Möst/Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester
Boulez/Vienna
Giulini/Vienna
Celibidache/Münchner Philharmoniker
Szell/Concertgebouw
Wand/NDR
Furtwängler/Vienna (1944)
Skrowaczewski/Saarbrucken
Szell/Cleveland

--Bruce

[Haffner]

On my list are the Haitink and Giulini, both of which I've heard SO much about.

[Renfield]

Is the DG/BPO 8th from 1988? In any case, it's a great one.

For me, only the Celibidache 9th comes near (or might even) match the Karajan 1978 or BPO/DG Karajan. The Karajan(s) make it for me not only for their power, but for the Adagios...it seemed like alot of care was taken to produce that movement, in both recordings.

But I still haven't heard the Giulini (EXPENSIVE!!!).

1988 -> VPO (DG)

And which 9th? There's two (CD versions) on DG.

[Haffner]

1988 -> VPO (DG)

And which 9th? There's two (CD versions) on DG.

The one from the box..hold on:

(the 8th is pretty darn good as well from this set)

[Lethevich]

Presumably the Bamberg one?

Indeedie. It's a gripping take, but without the extremes of dynamics that he imposed on the music earlier on.

[Renfield]

The one from the box..hold on:

(the 8th is pretty darn good as well from this set)

You should also hear his earlier one, then.

I don't want to derail the thread on the 8th symphony: suffice to say, it packs a "different" sort of punch.


Agreed on the DG BPO 8th, it's very good, if a little too lean, mean, killing machine for my taste (compared to the '57, '88).

Indeedie. It's a gripping take, but without the extremes of dynamics that he imposed on the music earlier on.

I have to hear that Jochum again; I recall having heard it once, but remember neither the when, or the where.

[drogulus]

     Last night at work I listened to the Karajan/BPO EMI recording, which doesn't get much comment here. I guess it's considered a lesser performance next to the other Karajans. Still, something about it really gets to me, even through the antique sound (from '57, but not a good '57).