[1/20/2011] The Bi-weekly Listening and Appreciation Thread: Bruckner's 8th

[mahler10th]

I have her recording of the original version of the 4th, which is superb. The Hamburg orchestra ... for the most part the only other source for recordings of original Bruckner versions is Tintner, whose scrawny Scottish and Irish bands really bother me.

Ach Mensch, your response was going so well until the last sentence.  It is fairly challenging for any Scotsman (me) to be silent when ones National Orchestra is described as 'scrawny'.  It may be that I will have to ask you to step outside, and I will have my Claymore with me...

[mahler10th]

Yes, the metadata reads Kent Nagano and here is a picture of the MP3's embedded cover:

Hopefully this solves things.

[The Diner]

Heck, I'll download this too. Then I'll have three versions.

[Octo_Russ]

I think i'll give my Sinopoli discs a spin



I'll let you know what i think.

[Opus106]

It must be from that series, which got me interested in Brahms' 4th: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,9698,00.html

[mahler10th]

It must be from that series, which got me interested in Brahms' 4th: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,9698,00.html

It is indeed.  Here's the link:

http://dw-world-od.streamfarm.net/Events/dwelle/dalet/monuklassik_folge5.mp3

Right click and save as.

[Cato]

I will be hearing the Nowak edition as conducted by Eugen Jochum.

Many thanks for the topic!   

[MishaK]

Ach Mensch, your response was going so well until the last sentence.  It is fairly challenging for any Scotsman (me) to be silent when ones National Orchestra is described as 'scrawny'.  It may be that I will have to ask you to step outside, and I will have my Claymore with me...

They sound quite nice for Mackerras.  Not for Tintner though.

[Cato]

Ach Mensch, your response was going so well until the last sentence.  It is fairly challenging for any Scotsman (me) to be silent when ones National Orchestra is described as 'scrawny'.  It may be that I will have to ask you to step outside, and I will have my Claymore with me...

One of the greatest, mightiest performances of Schoenberg's Pelleas und Melisande - a work definitely needing an orchestra nourished on Scottish oats   0:)  - is by the Scottish National Orchestra on CHANDOS, with Matthias Bamert conducting.

[The Diner]

This work is massive and will take some time for me to absorb--if I can! My comments on it probably won't come until the second week of this thread.

I like what I'm hearing.

[Opus106]

Is this the first time you're listening to it, Dave?

[The Diner]

Is this the first time you're listening to it, Dave?

No, but a lot of my listening is done in the background; I've heard this once or twice before. My favorite symphony is probably LvB's Ninth and it's doubtful it will rank near that one but we'll see...

[Opus106]

No, but a lot of my listening is done in the background; I've heard this once or twice before. My favorite symphony is probably LvB's Ninth and it's doubtful it will rank near that one but we'll see...

Oh. This probably won't work well with background. From someone trying to get his head around it, it will probably take three or four "sessions." But the issue with me is that, each of my "session" is separated by weeks, if not months, especially with Mahler and Bruckner.

[The Diner]

Oh. This probably won't work well with background. From someone trying to get his around it, it will probably take three or four "sessions." But the issue with me is that, each of my "session" is separated by weeks, if not months, especially with Mahler and Bruckner.

Yes, well, we do what we can. I do plan to have it playing a lot and also to concentrate on the music exclusively like I did so long ago when I had more time to kill.

[The Diner]

It seems in the second half it gets more interesting for me.

[Bill H.]

It seems in the second half it gets more interesting for me.

I find the balance of the movements' duration interesting--the fact that the first two are much shorter than the final pair. 
BH

[DavidRoss]

I find the balance of the movements' duration interesting--the fact that the first two are much shorter than the final pair. 
BH

Welcome to GMG, Bill!

Good timing, Dave!  I had recently realized that it's quite some time (2 years? 3?) since I last listened to this.  I'll give Boulez (Haas) a spin (his 8th, recommended by Andre, cracked the door open for Karajn's 7th to roar through a bit later), and perhaps follow up with Jochum on EMI (Nowak).

[Brahmsian]

and perhaps follow up with Jochum on EMI (Nowak).

This is the recording I love dearly.  I like the Boulez/WP as well.

[DavidRoss]

This is the recording I love dearly.  I like the Boulez/WP as well.

Then I'll definitely follow up with it, Ray!

[mahler10th]

Fascinating.
The 8th I'm most familiar with is Solti and the VPO, but my favourite take is by Bohm and the VPO because it is tight, loud and near flawless in exeution.
The Kent Nagano download featured earlier in this thread is fabulous too, no-one can go wrong in downloading it, it shines better than many commercial recordings.

Now it's time to see what Bruckner was up to with the 8th, and what the music means...I'll get back...er...within a fortnight...