Bruckner's 6th Symphony - Blind Comparison

[mc ukrneal]

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[TheGSMoeller]

All groups have been sent through PM. If you didn't receive links to a group and want to participate please let me know, the more the merrier.

[Ken B]

All groups have been sent through PM. If you didn't receive links to a group and want to participate please let me know, the more the merrier.

What a lot of work Greg. We're in your debt.

I'm really keen to learn the results.

[TheGSMoeller]

We're in your debt.

I'll accept cookies. Peanut butter or ginger will do.

[Brahmsian]

Completed all the A group 'first listen', where I don't really rate or pay too much focus on which is my favourite....just listen. 

All pretty good, with really only one performance that I for sure know is my 'lesser favourite'. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Completed all the A group 'first listen', where I don't really rate or pay too much focus on which is my favourite....just listen. 

All pretty good, with really only one performance that I for sure know is my 'lesser favourite'. 

Great, Ray! Excited to see your results. Let me know when you're ready for another group. 

[Brian]

D1
This is an odd soundscape. The trumpet, horn, and other brass leads, plus timpani, are really forward, as if the trumpeter in the intro is sitting, say, next to the podium. Other soloists are occasionally spotlit. I wonder if this is live? That would account for the sound and the occasional lack of orchestral sync in big tutti sections.

Overall, I like this account. Or I think I do; maybe I'm just really glad to be listening to this music again. There is a lot of quality detail here, like the churning basses at 4:20, which I haven't heard elsewhere. Because of the sound, the orchestra doesn't cohere as an ensemble; it sounds more like a bunch of soloists. Super exciting and mighty fine, though.

I think I will assign scores on my second listen, and edit them in at that point.

D2
Though I like the pace, the orchestral phrasing at times tends toward robotic, like the cellos at the very start. Like the (American?) oboist. The violins hit a rough patch around 11:00-12:00. Generally speaking, I'm not a huge fan of this violin section, although they're altogether drowned out of the coda by the brass and timpani, though overall this is another very good performance which will make scoring hard. Big slowdown in the last couple bars. Greg, you weren't kidding about including nothing but good recordings, were you? It would be easier if there were some stinkers!

D3
The quickest so far by a lot, revealing just how successful this piece can be under a number of different conditions. I have liked all three so far, and this conception is high-quality. Another very prominent trumpet soloist. Lighter texture than D2, or maybe the sound quality is like that: that is, in the big climaxes, you can hear much more stuff going on than just the overpowering brass. Does not sound like a chamber orchestra, however.

D4-6 tomorrow. Scores... maybe this weekend.

[TheGSMoeller]

*crickets*

Since no scores have been posted I was wondering if the links working for everyone? And did everyone that wanted to participate get the links?

Just checking in on a quiet thread. 

[Brahmsian]

*crickets*

Since no scores have been posted I was wondering if the links working for everyone? And did everyone that wanted to participate get the links?

Just checking in on a quiet thread. 

Hi Greg, the links are working fine, at least for me.

Went through my first run of listens.  Will go through the 2nd run this weekend! 

[TheGSMoeller]

Hi Greg, the links are working fine, at least for me.

Went through my first run of listens.  Will go through the 2nd run this weekend! 

Cool, Ray! 

[Brahmsian]

Finishing up my 2nd full listen to Group A.

So far, I have an outright favourite, and two outright bottom (least favourites - although I still enjoyed the performances).

I have to give my #2, #3 and #4 favourites one more listen, as they are really, really close.  Then I think I'll be ready to post my results. 

[Brahmsian]

Ready to post my results for Group A, but wonder if I should wait before divulging? 

[TheGSMoeller]

Ready to post my results for Group A, but wonder if I should wait before divulging? 

Please post! 
This thread needs some results.

[Brahmsian]

Group A - 1st Round - Maestoso 1st movement

Favourites (ranked from highest points to lowest)

1. A5 - 6 points - Great overall, dynamics are fantastic, well played but with punch, great sounding brass

2. A2 - 5 points - Very good energy, perhaps just a tad slow, but not a downfall because of that. Great dynamics, and I found this to have the best strings sound.

3. A3 - 4 points - Overall clean and well performed, nice woodwinds

4. A4 - 3 points - Fast and furious! Finishes off with tremendous emphasis, love the Mach speed in the coda.  Best recording quality.  The cohesion and unity in the orchestra is a bit lacking at times, IMO.

5. A6 - 2 points - Excellent colour and clarity from woodwinds, found it to be the best woodwinds in the bunch. However, this performance to me seems a bit sluggish.  Strings at times sound distant and thin to my ears.  So it is poorest on sound quality and dynamics.

6. A1 - 1 point - Quite sluggish, not enough momentum, especially in the key moments, overall sound quality and dynamics are OK.

[André]

I'll be watching this thread with much interest. I don't know if my own favourites are part of the menu, so it will be a voyage of discovery through different ears !

[TheGSMoeller]

I'll be watching this thread with much interest. I don't know if my own favourites are part of the menu, so it will be a voyage of discovery through different ears !

Ray, thank you for your comments/scores.

Andre, please frequent this thread often. Would love to see more discussions on this piece here.

[André]

One of my fave Bruckner works. Only problem is I write on a tablet, therefore have no ability to downloand/listen to url clips.

Also and probably more important, I am of a different persuasion when it comes to comparing versions: I never listen to a single movement, rather the whole work. In the case of the sixth grave misconceptions can arise from a movement by movement listening. That is especially the case with the first version of the work (Swoboda's) or with conductors like Klemperer, who tend to take fast movements moderately, and slow movements...moderately (!). The 'centre of gravity', crucial to Bruckner symphonies, can be affected and the whole perception may be lost  or altered.

That being said, the sixth is the most 'classical' of the symphonies, therefore the least prone to architectural distortions induced by a movement-by-movement listening.

This thread it is a very valuable exercise and I look forward to read all comments !!

[akiralx]

*crickets*

Since no scores have been posted I was wondering if the links working for everyone? And did everyone that wanted to participate get the links?

Just checking in on a quiet thread. 

I never got any links, just a PM about Group D.  Not sure how to locate the files on Dropbox.

[TheGSMoeller]

I never got any links, just a PM about Group D.  Not sure how to locate the files on Dropbox.

Check your PM, friend. I re-sent them. 

[akiralx]

Check your PM, friend. I re-sent them. 

Hi, Gregory - these just appear as text not as links, I PM'd you.