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Lee Denham's review of Markus Poschner's recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7
Posted by Gregory Walz on May 27, 2025, 4:46 am
I quote Lee Denham in his review of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Markus Poschner:
"Given his immersion in Bruckner’s music over so short a time, you would have thought that Poschner would be a consistent guide on the podium, but in reality he has proved to be hugely erratic throughout the cycle; whether this was due to his using the revised scores of the New Anton Bruckner Complete Works or imposing his own interpretive views on the music, I could not say – but I suspect the latter."
"...imposing his own interpretive views on the music ...." Is that what is called conducting?
Any so-called consensus in critical reviews of commercially released orchestral recordings is bound to be debated. However, to take one limited example, let us dredge up that far more-useful critic than one might imagine, David Hurwitz, and his YouTube review channel in particular ("The Ultimate Classical Music Guide"):
Mr. Hurwitz rates Poschner's releases of the following Bruckner symphonies highly:
Symphony in D minor ("0") Symphony No. 5 Symphony No. 6 Symphony No. 8 (1890 edition, Nowak) Symphony No. 9
It would likely be far more accurate to say that some of Poschner's recordings of Bruckner's symphonies (in whatever versions) have divided critical opinion, which is the norm for almost all orchestral recordings that have been released and will be released by almost any orchestra and any conductor, on any record label.
One look at Poschner's website will show that he has conducted most of Bruckner's symphonies several times (except the Symphony in F minor) in whatever version in the lead up to each commercial recording, and then in the years thereafter.
I enjoy and even like Markus Poschner's commercial recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7. Do I think that it is anything like one of the best of this symphony that has ever been recorded? No -- but then only a tiny percentage of commercial recordings even qualify for such a debate.
Additionally, I have seen and heard Markus Poschner conduct my local, full-time professional orchestra, the Utah Symphony (in Abravanel Hall, in Salt Lake City, Utah), 8 times in concert in four different programs, since late November 2022. And, most recently, I saw and heard Poschner conduct the Utah Symphony just this past weekend, on May 23-24, 2025. I have also seen and heard the final rehearsal for each of those four programs.
No conductor is consistently good or close to exceptional in the works of composers who have written a half dozen (or many more) symphonies. Markus Poschner is no exception to this rule, but, in my experience, he is an excellent conductor and an excellent musician.
Re: Lee Denham's review of Markus Poschner's recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7
And many thanks for taking the time to comment upon my review of Markus Poschner's recording of Bruckner's Seventh Symphony. It is always good to get feedback from readers even if, as on this occasion, it is to disagree with the conclusions of a review.
Thank you as well for bringing my attention to Dave Hurwitz's Youtube channel. I have seen some of his work there and admire it - he most certainly has a gift on that medium.
However, I would question your wisdom of using him to back up your criticism of my review, not least since (having just watched) Mr Hurwitz's own video on the same recording, I note it is titled: 'Poschner's misconceived Bruckner Seventh' and in it Mr Hurwitz then goes on to detail exactly the same reasons why I disliked the same recording, perhaps even more disparagingly. From my perspective, I cannot in all good conscience recommend this recording to any reader for the reasons I outline in my review. As for your point on ‘conducting’ (which I am taking as ‘interpretation’),I simply cannot understand some of Poschner’s decisions in his performance
That said, I agree with you about the Utah Symphony Orchestra, an outfit that has consistently punched above its weight. I am currently working my way through a Survey of Mahler's Eighth Symphony and this orchestra's own recording of the work under Maurice Abravanel in 1963 from the Tabernacle is not just important in terms of being the first studio recording of this work, but one that can also hold its own against anyone else since; a quite stunning achievement.
So thank you for your time and comments - we will have to agree to differ on this occasion.
Lee
Previous Message
I quote Lee Denham in his review of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Markus Poschner:
"Given his immersion in Bruckner’s music over so short a time, you would have thought that Poschner would be a consistent guide on the podium, but in reality he has proved to be hugely erratic throughout the cycle; whether this was due to his using the revised scores of the New Anton Bruckner Complete Works or imposing his own interpretive views on the music, I could not say – but I suspect the latter."
"...imposing his own interpretive views on the music ...." Is that what is called conducting?
Any so-called consensus in critical reviews of commercially released orchestral recordings is bound to be debated. However, to take one limited example, let us dredge up that far more-useful critic than one might imagine, David Hurwitz, and his YouTube review channel in particular ("The Ultimate Classical Music Guide"):
Mr. Hurwitz rates Poschner's releases of the following Bruckner symphonies highly:
Symphony in D minor ("0") Symphony No. 5 Symphony No. 6 Symphony No. 8 (1890 edition, Nowak) Symphony No. 9
It would likely be far more accurate to say that some of Poschner's recordings of Bruckner's symphonies (in whatever versions) have divided critical opinion, which is the norm for almost all orchestral recordings that have been released and will be released by almost any orchestra and any conductor, on any record label.
One look at Poschner's website will show that he has conducted most of Bruckner's symphonies several times (except the Symphony in F minor) in whatever version in the lead up to each commercial recording, and then in the years thereafter.
I enjoy and even like Markus Poschner's commercial recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7. Do I think that it is anything like one of the best of this symphony that has ever been recorded? No -- but then only a tiny percentage of commercial recordings even qualify for such a debate.
Additionally, I have seen and heard Markus Poschner conduct my local, full-time professional orchestra, the Utah Symphony (in Abravanel Hall, in Salt Lake City, Utah), 8 times in concert in four different programs, since late November 2022. And, most recently, I saw and heard Poschner conduct the Utah Symphony just this past weekend, on May 23-24, 2025. I have also seen and heard the final rehearsal for each of those four programs.
No conductor is consistently good or close to exceptional in the works of composers who have written a half dozen (or many more) symphonies. Markus Poschner is no exception to this rule, but, in my experience, he is an excellent conductor and an excellent musician.
Re: Lee Denham's review of Markus Poschner's recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7
I was aware of Mr. Hurwitz's critique of Markus Poschner's interpretation of Bruckner's 7th Symphony on the Capriccio label.
I was merely noting that the notion that Markus Poschner "has proved to be hugely erratic throughout the cycle" is likely a questionable statement. However, considering Poschner has made 18 recordings of different versions of Anton Bruckner's symphonies in the "Complete Versions edition" for the Capriccio label, his success rate could be considered reasonably good by some standards.
If there is any sort of "consensus" around the 18 recordings of Bruckner symphonies conducted by Markus Poschner on the Capriccio label, it is that of the recording of the 8th Symphony in the 1890 version with the Bruckner Orchester Linz. In my view, this version is one of the best to have ever been released -- and many reviewers agree that this recording is an outstanding one.
As for the Utah Symphony, its more recent recorded legacy since it moved into Abravanel Hall in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in September 1979, has been intermittent at best -- compared to the many dozens of recordings made and released during Maurice Abravanel's tenure as music director (1947-1979) of the orchestra.
Under its most recent music director, Thierry Fischer (2009-2023), the Utah Symphony was able to record 9 commercial albums, four on Reference Recordings, and then five on Hyperion Records, but these recordings only began in 2014.
Whether Reference Recordings or Hyperion Records will again approach the orchestra (or vice versa) to make some new commercial recordings under music director designate (since late November 2024) Markus Poschner is unclear at the moment. There is a distant possibility that Capriccio might be interested in recording the Utah Symphony under Markus Poschner for some future commercial releases.
In the end, funding to make such commercial recordings is not easy to come by, even with the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera's combined annual budget of $29 million. The two organizations have been a merged one since 2002, and the Utah Symphony has always placed for Utah Opera productions, which began in 1978 (there are four opera productions of 5 performances each from October through May).
The Utah Symphony is one of only 16 year-round, full-time, 52 week professional orchestras in the United States. In my opinion, the caliber of its playing is superb every week. It is a major US orchestra, but since it became a full-time orchestra after it moved into Abravanel Hall, it has not had the financial resources to tour nationally in the US or internationally to Europe other than about every 20-25 years.
The notion that the Utah Symphony is somehow a "second tier" orchestra among major US orchestras is a relic of the distant past. Unfortunately, that idea is still at times prevalent among some reviewers of classical music recordings.
But back to the Bruckner symphonies: Markus Poschner is scheduled to lead two performances of Bruckner's 4th Symphony (presumably the 1878-1880 version edition) with the Utah Symphony in May 2026.
In its history, the Utah Symphony has performed almost all of the numbered Bruckner symphonies (not of course in all of the now 18 "versions" editions of the 11 symphonies), except the Symphony in F minor, Symphony No. 1, and Symphony No.2. Hopefully Poschner will program those three symphonies during his tenure as music director of the orchestra.
Markus Poschner is the type of quality conductor and musician that the Utah Symphony needed to hire as music director in the wake of the transformational tenure of Thierry Fischer.
Re: Lee Denham's review of Markus Poschner's recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7
I agree that Poschner's recordings of Bruckner's Eighth Symphony are indeed excellent - although I think the 1887 version even better than the 1890 - and reviewed them accordingly. A few others in the series are nearly successful but I do not subscribe to Hurwitz's preferred list. Overall, I am still disappointed that its quality does not achieve the consistency of, for example, Blomstedt's superb set on Accentus or Gerd Schaller's remarkably compelling survey. Going further back, I'd always recommend Karajan, then Wakasugi or, for the original versions, Simone Young; all, in my estimation, are better guides to Bruckner's genius then Poschner's often rushed and wilful accounts.
So many orchestras previously damned with the label "provincial" or "second-rank" are now of extraordinarily high standard, especially those n Germany and the UK but the same has applied to many US bands such as Utah and, to take a random example, Minnesota - especially fine under Oue (despite problems) a generation ago now. From that point of view, concert-goers are now blessed; I could only wish that we operaphiles had more to celebrate when it comes to the voices available.
Previous Message
I was aware of Mr. Hurwitz's critique of Markus Poschner's interpretation of Bruckner's 7th Symphony on the Capriccio label.
I was merely noting that the notion that Markus Poschner "has proved to be hugely erratic throughout the cycle" is likely a questionable statement. However, considering Poschner has made 18 recordings of different versions of Anton Bruckner's symphonies in the "Complete Versions edition" for the Capriccio label, his success rate could be considered reasonably good by some standards.
If there is any sort of "consensus" around the 18 recordings of Bruckner symphonies conducted by Markus Poschner on the Capriccio label, it is that of the recording of the 8th Symphony in the 1890 version with the Bruckner Orchester Linz. In my view, this version is one of the best to have ever been released -- and many reviewers agree that this recording is an outstanding one.
As for the Utah Symphony, its more recent recorded legacy since it moved into Abravanel Hall in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in September 1979, has been intermittent at best -- compared to the many dozens of recordings made and released during Maurice Abravanel's tenure as music director (1947-1979) of the orchestra.
Under its most recent music director, Thierry Fischer (2009-2023), the Utah Symphony was able to record 9 commercial albums, four on Reference Recordings, and then five on Hyperion Records, but these recordings only began in 2014.
Whether Reference Recordings or Hyperion Records will again approach the orchestra (or vice versa) to make some new commercial recordings under music director designate (since late November 2024) Markus Poschner is unclear at the moment. There is a distant possibility that Capriccio might be interested in recording the Utah Symphony under Markus Poschner for some future commercial releases.
In the end, funding to make such commercial recordings is not easy to come by, even with the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera's combined annual budget of $29 million. The two organizations have been a merged one since 2002, and the Utah Symphony has always placed for Utah Opera productions, which began in 1978 (there are four opera productions of 5 performances each from October through May).
The Utah Symphony is one of only 16 year-round, full-time, 52 week professional orchestras in the United States. In my opinion, the caliber of its playing is superb every week. It is a major US orchestra, but since it became a full-time orchestra after it moved into Abravanel Hall, it has not had the financial resources to tour nationally in the US or internationally to Europe other than about every 20-25 years.
The notion that the Utah Symphony is somehow a "second tier" orchestra among major US orchestras is a relic of the distant past. Unfortunately, that idea is still at times prevalent among some reviewers of classical music recordings.
But back to the Bruckner symphonies: Markus Poschner is scheduled to lead two performances of Bruckner's 4th Symphony (presumably the 1878-1880 version edition) with the Utah Symphony in May 2026.
In its history, the Utah Symphony has performed almost all of the numbered Bruckner symphonies (not of course in all of the now 18 "versions" editions of the 11 symphonies), except the Symphony in F minor, Symphony No. 1, and Symphony No.2. Hopefully Poschner will program those three symphonies during his tenure as music director of the orchestra.
Markus Poschner is the type of quality conductor and musician that the Utah Symphony needed to hire as music director in the wake of the transformational tenure of Thierry Fischer.
Re: Lee Denham's review of Markus Poschner's recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7
It is always a pleasure to discuss things musical with fellow devotees on the Messageboard such as yourself Mr Walz.
I appreciate the background information you have provided on the Utah Symphony Orchestra too. For me, the world at present appears to be in a rather strange and unstable place and so it is hoped that funding for the arts means that such venerable institutions, such as the Utah Symphony, do not suffer accordingly and, instead, their proud legacy continues to be documented on record.
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