# Preferred Bruckner Symphonies



## Rmsobin (Dec 28, 2010)

I know this was discussed several years ago (what I found here) . . .

But can some of you offer your suggestions as to your preferred Bruckner Symphonies??

I have at least 1 CD of each symphony, but now want to zero in on adding to what I do have and do so with preferred approaches to Bruckner.

My only hook is, no mono. can we just stay with stereo or later sound and not historical early offerings. 

Thanks . . .

(I will ask this same question of Mahler symphonies)


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## Rmsobin (Dec 28, 2010)

As in the Mahler post, Let me list what I do have, so far of Bruckner:

0 - Chailly / RSO Berlin
1 - Barenboim / Berliner Phila
2 - not as yet . . .
3 - Sinopoli / Staatskapelle Dresden
3 - Haenchen / Netherlands Phila
3 & 8 - Szell / Cleveland
4 - Abbado / Wiener Phila
4 - Ormandy / Philadelphia Orch
4 - Jochum / Berlin Phila
5 - von Dohnanyi / Cleveland 
6 - not as yet . . .
7 - von Karajan / Wiener Phila
8 - Wand / Sinfonieorchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks
9 - Jochum / Berlin Phila
9 - Guller / Junge Suddeutsche Phila
9 - Point Classics (disputed disc) Cantiari/SouthGP or Mravinsky/Leningrad

Suggestions to add to these . . . Thanks, Roger


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

These are all very temperamental and engaged performances in good sound. Inbal is highly recommendable in the earlier symphonies. 
00 Inbal
0 Inbal
1 Inbal especially. Abbado WPO on DG is unusually fast, but Inbal´s phrasings are better.
2 Inbal
3 Inbal. It´s the original version of the symphony, more impressive and grand actually than the later ones. Maybe try Celibidache on DG also.
4 Barenboim, teldec. Karajan EMI is extremely monumental, but less agile. Suitner on Berliner Classics is a bit unusual also in his phrasings.
5 Barenboim, teldec. Maybe try Celibidache EMI, or Skrowaczewski Arte Nova also.
6 Blomstedt, San Francisco, Decca or - Celibidache EMI.

As for 7-8-9 your selection is fine I think, Jochum and Wand especially. For some minor variations, perhaps try
7 D´Avalos on ASV, Inbal, or Karajan on EMI.
8. Haitink, CtGebouw – his first digital recording. Luxurious.
9. Perhaps try Skrowaczewski on Arte Nova.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

i have the jochum/dso box from emi and really enjoy it.

1. barenboim/cso
3. szell/cleveland
4. mehta/ la & barenboim/cso
6. BONGARTZ/GEWANDHAUSORKEST one has not heard #6 until this one hits your ears 
8. eichorn/brucknerhaus
9. giulini/cso, wand/bpo, karajan/bpo

love anton's music

dj


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Wow... interesting- all the posts I've made concerning Bruckner symphonies over-the-years-- and I've never attempted the exercise of constructing that old message-board chestnut of "my ideal Bruckner cycle."

I'm not sure I want to try it now, either. I really haven't given the Karajan cycle a proper study. For all the hype around Karajan as a master Brucknerian, initial returns were disappointing. [And typically, I'm no Karajan-basher... he's normally near the top of my list of favorite conductors.]

Maybe I'd be better-advised to list out a trio of Bruckner recordings you really shouldn't be without:

*Symphony 5: Sinopoli, Dresden- *top recommendation from the _Gramophone_ Guide. 
Clear, with seemingly every compositional intent revealed.

*Tintner (conductor) Naxos complete symphonies white box.* This recording, as much as any, put Naxos boxes on the radar. Even though it's a cheat, you can buy this set for about the cost of two full-priced recordings. In addition to having Symphonies 7 & 9 that don't take a back seat to anyone, the real gems of this collection are things you can't easily find anywhere else- the _Volkfest_ finale to Symphony 4, the original versions of Symphonies 2 & 3... which you may come to like better than the more familiarly-heard versions.

(If you can find it) the *'Andante' box of Vienna Philharmonic Bruckner symphonies 7-8-9.* I'll meet you two-thirds of the way on this one. The 7th's conducted by Böhm (in stereo), the 8th's conducted by Furtwängler (and is in mono), and the 9th is led by Karajan (again, in stereo). Perhaps the most interesting thing about this set is that everything that Karajan-bashers claim to dislike about his conducting is absent from this account of the 9th. Another board once had a 'guess-the-conductor' game. This one would have been a guaranteed stumper!


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I'm still kinda new to this whole Bruckner thing, but if there's one recording I honestly can't be without, it's Celibidache's 4th on EMI. Yes, it's very slow, but the first three movements are roughly normal tempi; the finale is overall about 2/3 normal tempo, but the structure is so unbelievably clear--and then there's the mother of all codas at the end, which makes any other seem way too fast.

Recently I've been collecting the Bruckner recordings of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and so far I've gotten the 5th with me (I've ordered the 9th, but I had to leave campus before it arrived, so I'll hear it in a couple of weeks hopefully). It's very powerful, and what I like about it is what I like also about Celibidache and Tintner; he doesn't force his own personality on the music. That, I think, is the key to Bruckner. It's nothing at all like Mahler.

I also really like the recent BIS release of Dausgaard conducting the Bruckner 2nd with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra.


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2010)

I just purchased the "00" symphony recorded by Tintner on Naxos - haven't listened to it yet. 

I have recordings of 1-3 by Karajan, but honestly haven't given them enough of a listen to say how I feel about them.

For the 4th, as WV said, Celibidache is in a class of his own. Very different from anybody else, very slow - and very worth it. The slower tempi somehow really work with this symphony. If it is faster you want, I recommend Gunter Wand's recording (I believe on RCA) with the Berlin Philharmonic.

I have Wand's recording of the 8th as well on RCA, and have enjoyed it.

For the 5th and 9th, I have Harnoncourt's excellent recordings, and would recommend those in a heartbeat. Otherwise, the Bruno Walter recording of the 9th is also wonderful.

Other than that, I am very pleased with Klemperer's recording of the 6th on EMI.

Try some of his choral works as well - I would recommend the Layton/Polyphony recording of the 2nd Mass and Motets on Hyperion to start.


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## Frasier (Mar 10, 2007)

World Violist said:


> I'm still kinda new to this whole Bruckner thing, but if there's one recording I honestly can't be without, it's Celibidache's 4th on EMI. Yes, it's very slow, but the first three movements are roughly normal tempi; the finale is overall about 2/3 normal tempo, but the structure is so unbelievably clear--and then there's the mother of all codas at the end, which makes any other seem way too fast.
> 
> Recently I've been collecting the Bruckner recordings of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and so far I've gotten the 5th with me (I've ordered the 9th, but I had to leave campus before it arrived, so I'll hear it in a couple of weeks hopefully). It's very powerful, and what I like about it is what I like also about Celibidache and Tintner; he doesn't force his own personality on the music. That, I think, is the key to Bruckner. It's nothing at all like Mahler.
> 
> I also really like the recent BIS release of Dausgaard conducting the Bruckner 2nd with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra.


This is always so difficult - suggesting good performances of Bruckner that would appeal to others. I've been involved with his music for many years and never found a conductor that does well with them all, let alone consideration of the various editions. In fact, Tintner is about the best all-in, if one prefers Bruckner's earlier versions.

But if there's anything worth having it's Harnoncourt's "workshop" talk about the finale of the 9th - the disc 2 with his 9th. (One may not agree with everything H says about "composing") but at least he plays just what Brickner conposed of the 9th: the first 270 bars as orchestrated - almost 10 minutes of music; then other fragments that add up to almost another 10 minutes (including much of the fugue). As he asks, how come this music has been ignored for the best part of 100 years?
It is magnificent - beautiful, sometimes searing with discords, but triumphal - a finale upon Bruckner's life's work altogether. 
It certainly acts as a guide and comparison when listening to attempted reconstructions of this finale.


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## psl (Aug 31, 2014)

Hello
I will reply just chosing two recordings per symphony (a very difficult job, I am afraid). I love Bruckner and listened to great number of different versions (of the 4th only, I have 28 versions).
0: Titner (Naxos) or Skrowaczewski (Arte Nova)
1: Skrowaczewski (Arte Nova) or Titner (Naxos)
2: Skrowaczewski (Arte Nova) or Titner (Naxos)
3: Sanderling (Berlin Classics) or Schuricht (Emi or Medici)
4: Celibidache (EMI) or Furtwängler (DG)
5: Furtwängler (Testament) or Jochum (Philips)
6: Klemperer (EMI) or Celibidache (EMI)
7: Furtwängler (Tahra) or Abendroth (Tahra)
8: Furtwängler (Tahra) or Schuricht (EMI)
9: Furtwängler (DG) or Schuricht (EMI)


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

In order of preference:

No. 9 w Giulini and Vienna
No. 7 w Wand and Berlin
No. 4 w Abbado and Vienna
No. 8 w Karajan and Vienna (1962)


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## omega (Mar 13, 2014)

I'm not a great specialist, but there are a few recordings that have proven to be unsurpassable so far, and deserve their place in every Bruckner collection:








*Number 6* with *Wolfgang Sawallisch* conducting the Bayerisches Staatsorchestre (Orfeo, 1992). His interpretation consists in a bright first movement, not too slow with a splendid coda, a very beautiful Adagio (17min 38s) -- the rendition is almost as beautiful as Maestro Celibidache. In the last movement (which is quite a mess!), Sawallisch doesn't take many risks... no exhuberance, and I like that. Celibidache's interpretation is also very beautiful, but the tempi are too slow and compared to Sawallisch, it lacks of light and energy. Great sound, too!
The complete symphony on YouTube








*Number 8* with *Bernard Haitink* and the Staatkapelle Dresden (Profil, 2009). A great sound, a great energy, a great attention for every detail, a little slower and more precise than "younger Haitink" (with the Concertgebouw), and also a thrilling dramatic tension throughout the entire work: to my mind, this is one of the best modern performances.

I also agree that Abbado's Bruckner 4th with the Wiener Philharmoniker is a first choice.


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