Sounds like a compliment to me - Mahler would surely have been thrilled.
An old friend, a music lover from the 78 days, used to say about Solti's Mahler 2 that it was 'lightning hitting a shithouse'.
Solti was my very first introduction to Mahler. But that is only because I did not have enough pocket money at the time to buy the LPs with the craggy looking gentleman on the cover.
..and to compound your woe, I also made his "Magic Flute" a favourite in my survey!
Oi Weh. Are you serioso? Ah well, at least you've put a smile on my face. Regards.
Just to muddy the waters further, Dieter, I cannot resist pointing out that my favourite "Marriage of Figaro" is Solti's!
I fully understand your dilemmas: my observations are meant more as a point of discussion, and hopefully mirth about the way the world has adhered to the horses for courses scenario. Yes, except for Mozart, Solti did good opera...As for Sir S, well, where would one start? Once again, it's my ears and sensibilities which reach this conclusion and I do not wish to impose them on anyone. I guess, I am just fascinated by the notion of sensibilities. I write stories, for instance, in my opinion worthy of multiple Nobel Prizes, but I have learned that my stories are not for everybody, nor everyman, if you getting my Driftwood, Otis,B. that is...
Yes; I had to swallow hard before putting Sir Simon on that list as I am, to put it mildly, no fan, but am working on the broken clock principle. The same applies to Solti in Bruckner - but I am a great fan of his operatic output, which I think engages you less. We have discussed before the possibility that even great Russian conductors seem temperementally unsuited to Bruckner. I could redo that list and probably substitute a different conductor for every recommendation, however.
Yes, Solti on a Bruckner list. Nearly fell off me chair, I did...
I love your Furtwangler references: I recall sitting down to listen to about 11 Bruckner 9's in the early '90s. I had rated Dresden Jochum as my numero uno but Billy F blew everybody out of the wasser, as we would say back in the old country. By far the worst was the Mravinsky. It was when I first formed the opinion that apart from a select few recordings, he, along with Toscanini and Solti were the most over-rated conductors in history. Sir Simon has since taken mantle number 1...
I definitely share your enthusiasm for the Wakasugi/NHK recordings, Ralph (although it's almost a little unfair to recommend this now given it's out of print). The Second Symphony is especially fine. I think we have different ideas about the NHK sound though IIRC from your review.(Each Bruckner symphony, btw, was preceded by a work by Messiaen. These have now been issued in a boxset on Altus too.)
As to your other Bruckner... Surprised no Ballot Bruckner 5, actually. I really liked this (by a long margin the only Ballot I do like). Totally agree with the '44 Furtwängler B8: unrivalled. For me the '44 BPO B9 is much the same. A unique, shattering performance. The Sinopoli B8: Fabulously played; beautifully conducted. Celibidache's BPO B7: one of the most glorious Bruckner performances ever made. The BPO sound almost impossibly gorgeous - they never sounded like this under Karajan.
Nice to see Eichhorn mentioned - I like the recordings he made. Surprisingly, I agree with the Rattle B9; horrified to see Solti on any list of Bruckner recommendations!!
No Gunther Wand? Depends on orchestra, I think. Best B8 I have from him is with BRSO.
Thanks for list; must try Schaller - never heard anything from him.
Thanks, Dieter. I have never been able to get on with Jochum's Bruckner, finding it jerky and irritating. I appreciate that the main criticism of HvK's set centres on No. 6, but still, overall...
I do indeed share your love of Celi's Munich Bruckner but just think it is too "niche" to be a general recommendation.
My review of Schaller's latest, enhanced box set will be posted next week - and his new 1874 No. 4 is a stunner.
Best, Ralph
Great stuff, Ralph Moore. I've listened to most of your recommendations and would only quibble with your choice of Karajan as THE MAN for 1 to 9. To my ears, Karajam's 2 and 6 are simply not even close to great performances, though the others are fine and sometimes great - 8 and 9. My choice for 1 to 9 would be the Dresden Jochum.
I'm also passionate about Celibidache's Munich 4 and 6 - nobody does them better, to my ears, especially the Coda of 4.
I love the Schaller boxed set and the Skrowaceswski on Oehms. And you're so right about Giulini's Second - wonderful stuff, he almost turns it into a great Symphony. Best regards, Dieter.
Dear Ralph - thank you for posting your well-considered thoughts on your personal recommendations for Bruckner recordings. I have only one criticism, and that is referring to the Karajan Bruckner Symphony box as "complete" - it is not. It contains nine of Bruckner's eleven symphonies and by definition is not complete. There are a number of integral recordings of all eleven symphonies, first and foremost in my opinion, that of Skrowaczewski on Oehms. Or Simone Young, also on Oehms. Or Gerd Schaller on Profil. Or Markus Bosch on Coviello. All of those contain all eleven symphonies and therefore justify the description "complete." As will be the emerging cycles by Thielemann and Poschner.
A better descriptor of Karajan is "The Nine Numbered Symphonies". Same with Jochum, for that matter.
I don't want to seem a nit-picker, but I think it is important to reinforce the emerging awareness, especially with more recent conductors, that Bruckner wrote 11, not 9 symphonies!
Message Thread | This response ↓
« Back to index | View thread »
Thank you for taking part in the MusicWeb International Forum.
Len Mullenger - Founder of MusicWeb