Dieter's comment regarding Karajan's Bruckner 9 prompted me to listen to it again and I stand by the assertion that it is one of the great recordings of the century: grand, majestic, subtly phrased and paced, rising to moments of elation, suffused with mystery and menace. For me, it stands alongside Giulini, Walter and Furtwängler. Mind you, I maintain that opinion having listened to it rather more recently (i.e. ten minutes ago) than 1989, which strikes me as rather a long time to leave a response untested and not re-examined..
Fantastic review, Marc Bridle.
I recall the occasion I played all of my Bruckner 9's to determine which was 'the best'. THis was 1989, I had 9 recordings: Jochum, Dresden, Karajan, Matacic, Mravinsky, Furtwangler, Haitink, Barenboim, and Schuricht. Jochum was clearly number 1 until I played the Furtwangler. Like the '43 Coriolan, it is simply mind-blowing. The one I liked least was Mravinsky - he had 'keine idee'. I understood Karajan, full of glib sound and fury, signifying nothing, Schuricht confirmed that I did not 'get' his Bruckner, and the Haitink was a non event.
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