# #5 - Furtwangler conducting Wiener Philharmoniker - Bruckner - Symphony No. 5



## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

Continuing in the *Grand Furtwangler Tradition *[GFT] {*TM*} (Yes, I produce a lot of Trademarks on a daily basis. Its just one of the perks of being humanity's savior. }

Popped in this performance from Membran box set:










*Bruckner's Fifth Symphony - 1951 - Wiener Philharmoniker*

The loudness and dynamics seems to be testing the limits of the technology. The recording is from 1951, however.

As a comparison, next week I'll listen to this:











After that, I'll update this page again - so y'know, check this page again next week. If I find either of these two performances with better sound, I'll search for remasters of this recording.

For now, I'd say it isn't terrible and passable. If you truly want the Grand Furtwangler Experience [GTE] {TM}, you should definitely pick this performance up. Performance is typically Furtwangler - Electric Ferocity, Power and all the while managing to not go over-the-top into bombastic territory. Stupendous playing. Only caveat is the doubtful sound.

The finale makes the performance all the more recommend worthy.

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Other fine performances:

I. Top choice for me will have to be the grand interpretation of Celibidache conducting the Sinfonieorchester des Südwestrundfunks - available on Deutsche Grammophon:










_
[I know: Not the EMI/ Münchner Philharmoniker peformance? Have not heard that yet. Will update the listing once I do. I am referring to the CD performance, of course. Not the video performance.]_

If one were to merely judge the caliber of the performance by its length - 83 minutes - then one would be a fool! For one does not experience music in terms of minutes, it experiences the music only in its own terms. You never realize that the tempo are slower and even when you do, its always feel right. _The Celibidache Effect _[TCE] {TM}.

II. Next choice: Karajan's conducting Berliner Philharmoniker [DG] from the 1970s:










III. Last but in no manner the least: Stanisław Skrowaczewski conducting the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Celibidache is just incredible on anything he conducts.


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