Our Summer BAL 48 - Bruckner Symphony No 9

[Barbirollians]

On a slight tangent I always think it rather a shame that Karajan only recorded 4 and 7 with EMI . Those early 1970s recordings are probably my favourite Karajan records .

[Nick Armstrong]

and then there was Stan the Man at the Halle during that period as well.

Mancunian Brucknerians never had it so good and certainly haven't had anything like it since.

OT but looking forward to going to this on 31 October:

7:30 PM, ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON

Bruckner Symphony No. 5 (1878 Nowak edition)

Stanisław Skrowaczewski conductor
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Hope Stan's still waving his stick by then!

[ostuni]

That Klee BBC mag CD was my introduction to this symphony, and has always seemed rather special. I've never understood the high reputation of the Walter: horrible acoustic with absolutely no bloom (the polar opposite of the Klee), and some disastrous flute errors 3 pages from the end.

I've just listened to the Abbado Lucerne performance for the first time, and like it A Lot. Some really beautiful woodwind playing throughout, and gorgeous stuff from the strings in the Adagio.

No one has mentioned the Dresden/Luisi version yet, I think: I remember it as being rather good.

[Barbirollians]

Giulini's Chicago 9th is pretty good too !

[Barbirollians]

Bruckner isn't amongst my top 10 (or even top 20!) favourite composers but I do love the ninth symphony. I was lucky enough to hear Gunter Wand conduct his NDR SO in Schubert 8 and Bruckner 9 at the Edinburgh festival which was simply marvellous.

2001 when they also brought that programme to the Proms ?

[pastoralguy]

Bruckner isn't amongst my top 10 (or even top 20!) favourite composers but I do love the ninth symphony. I was lucky enough to hear Gunter Wand conduct his NDR SO in Schubert 8 and Bruckner 9 at the Edinburgh festival which was simply marvellous.

[Flay]

We simply have opinions, however strongly-held!

I didn't expect total agreement. But it is excellent IMHO.

As was Abbado's poignant final performance.

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4793441

As an aside, while we are talking about the 9th. Just what is the 2nd movement Scherzo about? Stamping hobnailed demons perhaps? But then there is the playful trio theme - like a young couple running and dancing through meadows. What was Anton thinking? Perhaps he was reminiscing about happy times frustrated by the authority of the Catholic Church?

Any thoughts?

[P. G. Tipps]

I've never really understood the idea of 'definitive' especially when it comes to Bruckner of all composers.

We simply have opinions, however strongly-held!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is not Giulini with the VPO the definitive version?

No.


(The work's too big for any conductor to give a - let alone "the" - definitive version. Not even Giulini, who is very good )

[Flay]

Is not Giulini with the VPO the definitive version? Just the three movements (all anyone needs). The last note of the 3rd movement seems to go on forever. It's extremely moving.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bruckner-Symphony-No-9-Anton/dp/B000001GAM

[P. G. Tipps]

Bernhard Klee/BBC Philharmonic recorded live in Liverpool Cathedral and issued as The BBC Music Mag's monthly CD is rather special so worth paying good money for it should it be seen among the usual dross in high street charity shops.

It so happens I was present at that recording and have the CD as well. The performance was around 1990, from memory.

Because of the ruinous sound reverberation in the Cathedral this was the most disastrous Bruckner concert I ever attended and was enough to convince me that the symphonies were intended for the secular concert hall and that's where they should remain. The sound engineers did a magnificent job for the CD, though, and I agree it's well worth hunting down.

Klee and the BBC Phil did a lot of fine Bruckner as did Gunther Herbig ... and then there was Stan the Man at the Halle during tbat period as well.

Mancunian Brucknerians never had it so good and certainly haven't had anything like it since.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I gather Karajan recorded a fair bit of Bruckner..... 4 "9ths" I recall reading somewhere. There must be a 'stand out' one amongst that (HvK's) lot!

Two studio recordings, and two films of Live concerts. IIRC, the first film is the same performance as the Live CD recording with the VPO (if not, there are five Karajan recordings available).

They're all "stand-outs", but my personal preference is for the two I mentioned earlier.

[visualnickmos]

I gather Karajan recorded a fair bit of Bruckner..... 4 "9ths" I recall reading somewhere. There must be a 'stand out' one amongst that (HvK's) lot!

[HighlandDougie]

Bernhard Klee/BBC Philharmonic recorded live in Liverpool Cathedral and issued as The BBC Music Mag's monthly CD is rather special so worth paying good money for it should it be seen among the usual dross in high street charity shops.

Rattle/BPO for the 4 mvt and Haitink/Concertgebouw (2nd recording, 1980s) for the 3 mvt.
van Beinum/Concertgebouw also to be highly ranked IMO