# Rapturous bruckner



## SCHLEMO (Jun 19, 2015)

About 50 years ago at Boston Symphony Hall, I heard the BSO under the direction of Klaus Tennstedt play Bruckner's 8th Symphony. I have always been extremely fond of this work, especially the luxuriously seductive slow movement. Well, Tennstedt milked that movement to the utmost; the surges of emotion got more intensely beatific until by the end I was raised to a higher level of consciousness, an altered state close to rapture. While I was wrapped up in my delirium, my wife, as she later told me, was fast asleep for the whole last half of the symphony! She missed something extraordinary, that's for sure, but I don't think that she lost any sleep over it.


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## merlinus (Apr 12, 2014)

Are you referring to the 1974 performance (more like 41 years ago)? If so, perhaps you are aware that there is a recording of it available.

Definitely a riveting, edge-of-your-seat, no-holds-barred performance. His cd with the LSO has much in common with this interpretation.


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## SCHLEMO (Jun 19, 2015)

Yes, I was there for that same performance. Got great tickets at the last moment.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

I still have fond memories of Tennstedt conducting Bruckner's Eighth with the Philadelphia Orchestra back in May 1st, 1989. Since then, I've been wishing for a release of this spectacular performance.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Orfeo said:


> I still have fond memories of Tennstedt conducting Bruckner's Eighth with the Philadelphia Orchestra back in May 1st, 1989. Since then, I've been wishing for a release of this spectacular performance.


I'd love to hear it.

There's an upload on You Tube of Tennstedt doing Mahler's _Third _with- of all orchestras- the Minnesota Symphony. The way he does the outer parts of the first movement is absolutely _TRE-MEND-OUS_. . . so I can only imagine how he did that Bruckner's _Eighth_ with Philadelphia.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Marschallin Blair said:


> I'd love to hear it.
> 
> There's an upload on You Tube of Tennstedt doing Mahler's _Third _with- of all orchestras- the Minnesota Symphony. The way he does the outer parts of the first movement is absolutely _TRE-MEND-OUS_. . . so I can only imagine how he did that Bruckner's _Eighth_ with Philadelphia.


And you know something? He performed Bruckner's Eighth again, but with Minnesota just weeks after the Philadelphia affair (I wonder when he did the Mahler). It was quite a moving as that previous, life altering occasion. I'll give the YouTube upload a listen. Thanks so much for your mention.
:tiphat:


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## padraic (Feb 26, 2015)

Marschallin Blair said:


> I'd love to hear it.
> 
> There's an upload on You Tube of Tennstedt doing Mahler's _Third _with- of all orchestras- the Minnesota Symphony. The way he does the outer parts of the first movement is absolutely _TRE-MEND-OUS_. . .


Needless to say I rushed to youtube to check this out...oh to have this on CD!


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Orfeo said:


> And you know something? He performed Bruckner's Eighth again, but with Minnesota just weeks after the Philadelphia affair (I wonder when he did the Mahler). It was quite a moving as that previous, life altering occasion. I'll give the YouTube upload a listen. Thanks so much for your mention.:tiphat:


Absolutely delighted.

. . . and thanks for teasing me with that Tennstedt recording that I will probably never hear.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Marschallin Blair said:


> Absolutely delighted.
> 
> . . . and thanks for teasing me with that Tennstedt recording that I will probably never hear.


You bet.
But I still have to search around to see if I could get that recording. According to the Bruckner website, http://www.abruckner.com/, it is either recorded but not commercially released or in archives somewhere. I inquired about this a few years back, but to no avail.

But me a teaser? Nahhh (scout's honor).
:angel:


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Orfeo said:


> You bet.
> But I still have to search around to see if I could get that recording. According to the Bruckner website, http://www.abruckner.com/, it is either recorded but not commercially released or in archives somewhere. I inquired about this a few years back, but to no avail.


You're a Doll.

_Merci beaucoup. _


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Marschallin Blair said:


> You're a Doll.
> 
> _Merci beaucoup. _


Why thank you.
You're welcome.


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## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

SCHLEMO said:


> About 50 years ago at Boston Symphony Hall, I heard the BSO under the direction of Klaus Tennstedt play Bruckner's 8th Symphony. I have always been extremely fond of this work, especially the luxuriously seductive slow movement. Well, Tennstedt milked that movement to the utmost; the surges of emotion got more intensely beatific until by the end I was raised to a higher level of consciousness, an altered state close to rapture. While I was wrapped up in my delirium, my wife, as she later told me, was fast asleep for the whole last half of the symphony! She missed something extraordinary, that's for sure, but I don't think that she lost any sleep over it.


You saw Tennstedt live? *sobs* Lucky SOB.


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## SCHLEMO (Jun 19, 2015)

It was spectacularly life-enhancing.


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## SCHLEMO (Jun 19, 2015)

I have never liked Mahler's third symphony: from listening to it a couple of times, it seemed to be a tuneless, bombastic mess. But I should probably hear it a few more times. Thanks for mentioning it. By the way, I also initially didn't care for Shostakovich's second cello concerto that I have been playing, along with the first, as I drive to visit my grandkids. After repeated hearings, however, I am much more in tune with it.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

SCHLEMO said:


> I have never liked Mahler's third symphony: from listening to it a couple of times, it seemed to be a tuneless, bombastic mess.


It's neither, of course. It has wonderful melodies, and the work is very well-structured. Glad to hear you'll give it another shot.


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## phlrdfd (Jan 18, 2015)

No; this isn't Bruckner, but if any of you are fond of Tchaikovsky's 6th, this performance really shouldn't be missed. The third movement alone is worth the price of this two-disc set. I've never heard another performance like it.

It's available from Amazon and maybe Berkshire Record Outlet (BRO would have it for a lower price if it's in stock).


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