Posted by Ara A. on September 16, 19102 at 01:01:47:

In Reply to: Bruckner openings posted by John Rasmussen on September 15, 19102 at 17:12:40:

John, thanks for the feedback... I havn't heard Masur/Gewandhaus recording from the 70's... and that make me curious to find out...

Celibidache's 4th on EMI is very good [i don't know of his DGG]. The shimmering strings is one of the best i've heard... but the horn call is a bit slow for my tastes - but is a great 4th nevertheless and like it very much [Jochum's 1967 DGG 'originals' i regard the shimmering strings as best, but horn call is too fast for me... thus losing the sense of mystery of the horn call].

Very interesting...that your personal favorite being the seventh. No doubt about the beautiful, quintessential cello melody here...after all it was right at the opening that won the Viennese people hearts because they listened to the music instead of that lecherous, kulak man, Eduard Hanslick and his subordinates, finally acknowledging Bruckner as one great symphonist... a recognition that came late in his tormented life.

In fact, ALL of bruckner symphonies [1 through 9] have beautiful openings in its own right [that 5th opening with W.Furtwängler - 1942 DGG is hypnotic, and HvK 1977 DGG, mesmerizing]. I regard the 9th as the mother of all Bruckner symphonies (if not all symphonies), a music demonstrably written in not only in terms of the often said "cathedral-like acoustics", but that of the awesome vastness of the Cosmos - a requirement to accommodate the colossal power of the music and its dying echoes during the symphony's periodic pauses. To me, B's 9th, like the Cosmos itself, is a music of mind alternig experience [and terrifying to some others]... after all, he did dedicate it to the All Mighty. Like you, i do regard HvK as supreme interpreter [his 1976 DGG] - including recording with just the right amount of reverberation that is of paramount importance to achieve the desired "effect" of this symphony. - Ara A.

Follow Ups:

• Masur's Bruckner John Rasmussen 08:35:35 9/16/102 (4)
  • Re: Masur's Bruckner Martin 15:36:07 9/16/102 (3)
    • Re: Masur's Bruckner Ara A. 21:38:36 9/18/102 (2)
      • Tempo John Rasmussen 11:09:07 9/20/102 (1)
        • Re: Tempo Ara 23:50:00 9/20/102 (0)

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