# Barenboim / Bruckner



## Rondo

I have all of the Bruckner Symphonies, but am looking for some other great performances. Ive always heard that Karajan and Walter as the best...but....after hearing some of their performances, Ive been leaning more towards Barenboim's interpretation. Ive held him in very high esteem with Beethoven, and am beginning to with Bruckner (though, he didnt perform much Mahler...unfortunately), especially after hearing his 8th and 9th.

I currently have Wand performing the 8th, but I believe Barenboim captures more emotion with the finale than any of the others Ive heard (some may disagree, but, it's all a matter of personal taste.)

Also, what's with his style of conducting?? He doesn't do very many gestures and a lot of it is just moving his wand up and down and pointing for cues....great to listen to, though!!


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## david johnson

i prefer minimal conducting gestures as much as possible.
are you thinking barenboim/chicago/dg from years ago or barenboim/bpo (newer)?

dj


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## Rondo

david johnson said:


> are you thinking barenboim/chicago/dg from years ago or barenboim/bpo (newer)?
> 
> dj


I was thinking of the newer (or at least, _fairly_ new, Barenboim with the Berlin Phil. But, like I said, I still enjoying hearing his performances (including the piano pieces :-D). The interpretation still heavily outweighs theatrics. It's just something Ive noticed.


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## david johnson

both his chicago and berlin bruckner recordings are to my liking. you will enjoy them.
i don't recall that he did a complete cycle w/chicago. 4,7, and 9 for sure. it's my favorite 4th. the berlin 1 & 2 were good in a different way.
i just sent the berlins off to my nephew for his collection and replaced them with the jochum/ dresden slim box on sale. i retain selected other singles i really love.

dj


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## ChamberNut

david johnson said:


> both his chicago and berlin bruckner recordings are to my liking. you will enjoy them.
> i don't recall that he did a complete cycle w/chicago. 4,7, and 9 for sure. it's my favorite 4th. the berlin 1 & 2 were good in a different way.
> i just sent the berlins off to my nephew for his collection and *replaced them with the jochum/ dresden slim box on sale. *i retain selected other singles i really love.
> 
> dj


David,

This is the one that I have!  Great stuff!


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## Chi_townPhilly

Eric said:


> [Barenboim] doesn't do very many gestures and a lot of it is just moving his wand up and down and pointing for cues....great to listen to, though!!





david johnson said:


> i prefer minimal conducting gestures as much as possible.


As a former Chicago-area resident, I feel like I can comment on "minimal conducting gestures."

Fritz Reiner.

His baton work was described as "vest pocket," i.e.: typically, the compass of his beats described an area not larger in size than his pocket. (An exaggeration, surely- but the metaphor's clear). Barenboim looks positively expansive by contrast

Anyway... back to the topic- the discussion "recommended Bruckner sets" is a great argument-starter. I'll take what will hopefully be a less controversial tack and state that, while there may be wide disagreement as to what constitutes an ideal first set, a great _second_ set is the Naxos/Tinter cycle. It contains _Die Nullte_, the Study Symphony, and the original renderings of 2, 3, and 8. It's a lot of well played material not easily found elsewhere- and Naxos pricing is icing on the cake.


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## david johnson

chambernut:

'David,

This is the one that I have! Great stuff'

oh, yes !!!  

dj


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## SchubertObsessive

Few things beat Bruckner + Karajan, for me. My favourite is his interpretation of the 4th.


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