# #23 - Karajan conducting BPO - Bruckner - Symphony No. 3



## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

I will admit to not liking Bruckner's Third Symphony nearly as much his First or Second. I have heard this work nearly or close to 8 times now. I don't expect myself to fall head-over-heels in love with the work suddenly.

The opening is _*explosive*_. And I mean it. Close to exploding instruments anyway. Karajan really had perfect skill for maximum power and at the same time that emotional intensity. A hard thing to pull off. I have encountered records where it is all power, no intensity. Just power is meaningless and this particular recording fortunately does not suffer from it. Something worth noting here is that the tempi are moderate not slow (Celibidache) or fast (Norrington). Just perfect~

The recording of the quality is superb - being a digital record, after all - and this allows all the details to be heard perfectly fine. I heard a bit of white noise at higher frequencies but only when the orchestra itself was playing very slow.

Among its competitors (that I have heard) are: 
1. Gunter Wand/NDR Sinfonieorchester [Live - 1992]
2. Herbert Blomstedt/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin [Live]
3. Stanislaw Skrowaczewski conducting Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern [Studio]

Unfortunately, I cannot compare any of these performances as I myself am not very familiar with the intricacies of these recordings but I will make a claim to them being very fine. 1 and 3 are Brucknerians. Blomstedt makes an effort at trying to play the work - using the original 1873 version. For that reason alone, it is worth the purchase.

The performance of the first movement is nothing like what some accuse of Karajan - emotionless, "excessive beauty" [Whatever that means], smoothed out, "too perfect" [Again, whatever that means]. One particular criticism which is Karajan's interpretation is done within his framework of his own aesthetic and I would think of this as nothing if not a pure advantage. His aesthetical vision and utter mastery over the orchestra and the work shows fine here. I would understand that not many agree with the vision or call it "Karajan's Bruckner not Bruckner" but I call hogwash on the last. By interpreting the work rather mindlessly playing the notes, he is perfectly adhering to his job of a conductor. But in today's HIPster world, they would all perfectionist adherence over artistic genius. Granted, a mix of both can take place as Gunter Wand has shown us with his excellent and numerous Bruckner recordings and his wholeheartedly recommended Beethoven cycle with NDR Sinfonie-orchester.

One particular reason why the first movement works so well is the emphasis of the horns - a digital manipulation, perhaps or Karajan's brilliance; I am most certain it is the the latter - its really adds a level of tension and drama that mellow or straightforward or even fleet playing cannot even minutely replicate. Oh, the finale is the best and most well directed I've heard!

The second movement particularly benefits from the classic silky smooth treatment of Karajan. To hear the string roar beautifully is a very unique and enlightening experience.

There's very much a sense of playfulness in the third movement.

A type of playing occurs in the fourth movement that makes you realize just what a great orchestra Berliner Philharmoniker was. While none of what preceded - excellence, articulation, brutal power and emotional intensity - has subsided or lessened, it is now perfection. That's how I like to describe it.

To rehear the work under Karajan's light has made me realize what a wonderful work it is. An unforgettable experience.
*
RECOMMENDED WITH HONORS.*​


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I will check this one whenever I get a chance soon


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