# SS 28.12.13 - Bruckner #9



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

*Anton Bruckner (1824 - 1896)*

Symphony #9 in D minor 

1. Feierlich, Misterioso
2. Scherzo. Bewegt, Lebhaft-Trio.Schnell
3. Adagio. Langsam, Feierlich
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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

This Saturday I will listen to:

View attachment 31242


Eugen Jochum & The Staatskapelle Dresden


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Ah, the last Saturday Symphony of 2013. Here's to its continued success through 2014. :cheers:

Berlin PO/Karajan


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

My favorite performance is that of Giulini leading the Vienna Philharmonic.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

hpowders said:


> My favorite performance is that of Giulini leading the Vienna Philharmonic.


Does that mean you will take part and listen to that recording this weekend?


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Furtwängler, 1944 studio recording.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

I'll go with this one.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I´ve got a good deal of recordings of this masterpiece. Will try Haitink´s 1981, his 8th from about the same time is fantastic, but the 9th isn´t quite as good, as far as I remember.

Overall favourites are probably Jochum/DG and Furtwängler 1944.

EDIT: Heard the Haitink. Impressive sound, some good moments such as the ending of the 1st movement, but overall lacking momentum IMO, and very slow especially in the Scherzo and the 3rd movement.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Cheyenne, Furtwangler did not make any studio recordings of Bruckner symphonies, except the famous
adagio from the 7th symphony fairly early in his career .


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

This is a tough one. Time willing, I will go for three. In priority order -

- Celibidache & the Munchner Philharmoniker: Celibache with an orchestra he has moulded. Whatever his faults, his Bruckner is superb.

- Wand & the Berliner Philharmoniker: When it comes to Bruckner, Wand was my first experience and he occupies the top spot with Celibidache. What Wand draws from the Berliner Philharmoniker is truly divine.

- Klemperer & the Philharmonia: I have neglected this recording (no reason comes to mind) so I will give this a listen - I fact, I may nudge it to front of the queue. I'll have to see in the morning


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

I'm also going to go with the Wand-Berlin recording. AClockworkOrange should stop stealing my ideas.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Sir Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. My favorite recording of said symphony and I'm glad it's this week's symphony, I haven't given it a good listen in a while


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I long time ago I bought a complete Bruckner symphony set very cheaply at a second-hand store: Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen / Roberto Paternostro. It's probably way down the bottom of the Bruckner barrel, but it's all I've got.
I've never listened to much and I certainly haven't ever heard the 9th, so I'm going into this symphony absolutely fresh. Anything I should listen out for?


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Only one I have is Wand & Kölner Rundfunk so I need to stick to it.









Since previous edit I got this one:









So Rattle instead Wand


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Remarkable piece, this! So adventurous harmonically. I never realised before how "forceful" the scherzo is. Hammering the point home, literally. (BABABA BAM BAM BAM BAM!!!). There's a lovely bit near the beginning of the Adagio that starts with a grand D major chord on brass, the strings ever rising. But this is cut off later by a sudden intrusion by a trumpet motif over a dissonant chord and a loud drum roll. The ultimate climax of the work (as we have it, of course) is really powerful! It's like the entire symphony, if not the whole cycle, has been a buildup to that one extraordinary outburst of anguish and pain. After it, there is silence, and then a final acceptance, leading to a serene E major conclusion, probably the most calm music of the entire work.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

superhorn said:


> Cheyenne, Furtwangler did not make any studio recordings of Bruckner symphonies, except the famous
> adagio from the 7th symphony fairly early in his career .


You may be right. I got it from this paragraph:

"But even these extraordinary achievements pale beside the miracle of the 1944 Bruckner Symphony # 9, which after mediocre LP transfers has been restored to remarkably decent sound on Music & Arts CD 730. Unlike the other wartime performances, on this particular occasion there was no audience to intrude upon the intensely private communion between conductor and orchestra. The sole witnesses were the microphones, to preserve the event for broadcast. But in a deeper sense there was another essential participant: Bruckner himself."

http://www.classicalnotes.net/features/furtwangler.html


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I've just noticed that someone recently uploaded two live recordings of the Bruckner 9th by Pierre Boulez on Youtube:





Boulez, Vienna Philharmonic, 2001





Boulez, Los Angeles Philharmonic, 2003

The two live recordings are also listed here.


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## Zarathustra (Dec 21, 2013)

I listened to Furtwangler 44 and I quite liked it. Usually when it comes to the 9th I listen to Celibidache. So in comparison Wilhelm seems rushed especially during parts of the Scherzo although I'm pretty sure it's the other way round and it's Sergiu who is slow. 

Usually I'm very fussy about tempi when they are too different to what I'm used to - I suffer from "first listen bias" sickness - but I find Furtwangler's version very natural, most of the time. I suspect "my" ideal Bruckner 9th is still out there, waiting to be found.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

With my favorite Bruckner conductor Eugen Jochum.

View attachment 31358


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Barenboim and the BPO for me. That's the version I own.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

My favorite moment from Bruckner's Ninth (didn't have time to listen today, I'll get to it tomorrow) is the trio of the Scherzo; the music shifts from a stormy D minor to a sprightly F# major, and at first that shift alone is enough to make the music feel out of balance, but soon the trio's themes fragment and splinter, losing steam, and their sprightliness begins to feel less genuine than before. When the opening chords of the scherzo return, we have been prepared for its dissonant onslaught once again.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

It's certainly the only Bruckner trio section that's really got my attention instantly.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Vaneyes said:


> With my favorite Bruckner conductor Eugen Jochum.
> 
> View attachment 31358


I have this CD. Great performance!


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

I listened to '44 Furtwängler too. I also have Celibidache/EMI, Wand/BPO and Giulini/DG - all very nice as well. Prompted by Mahlerian's comment, I was planning to pay special attention to the second movement, but unfortunately I dozed off (not literally, but I started day-dreaming) right as the trio kicked in, only to be suddenly awoken by the scherzo theme to realize I had missed the trio.. Whoops! Next time, I suppose. The third movement was wonderful as always. I sat on the ground in contended awe during the last five minutes.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Listened to the Wand Kolner 9th.
I was riveted thru the whole thing.

Man, how I wish he'd have finished it.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I'm really sorry guys, but it did nothing for me at all.  
I just can't get Bruckner.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

techniquest said:


> I'm really sorry guys, but it did nothing for me at all.
> I just can't get Bruckner.


Don't let it get you down--there is still plenty of time to fall in love with Bruckner.

Except, perhaps, in Celibidache's versions.

*p.s.* I'm a little late, but I'll take the next available opportunity to follow Vaneyes' lead and listen to Jochum in the 9th.

*pps* Actually, I think I'll try one of those Boulez versions, which I haven't heard--I love his 8th.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

techniquest said:


> I'm really sorry guys, but it did nothing for me at all.
> I just can't get Bruckner.


The most regular performance in the Paternostro set is the 5th Symphony - don´t know if you have tried that yet, if not, perhaps the slow movement would be of interest, as a better start.


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Time got the better of me so I only had time for one. As I seem to have neglected it, I opted for Klemperer and the Philharmonia.

Whilst it doesn't surpass Wand and Celibidache, I really enjoyed the recording - it is much stronger than I remembered. The Philharmonia (inc New.) has a very distinctive sound and excellent recording quality.


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## Überstürzter Neumann (Jan 1, 2014)

I also prefer Wand/Berlin. However, I have a question for you experts. How do you regard Skrowaczewski and Saarbrücken RSO? I have that whole cycle and to my untrained ears it sounds very good.


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