Bruckner's Fourth
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:27 pm
Aural Joy of the Day:
Anton Bruckner, Symphony No. 4 "Romantic"
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Director: Daniel Barenboim
Recorded: 1972 / Released: 1973
Oh. My.
With the exception of Riccardo Chailly's take on Bruckner's Symphony No. 0, most of the Bruckner recordings I've heard have left me flat. A lot of his music just sounds like a second-rate Richard Wagner. I now realize this may be due to the dreary, ultra-conservative interpretations I've heard from certain "master" conductors.
Barenboim stretches the tempos and pulls the crescendos for all they're worth, and the result is astonishing. The Wagner influence is clearly present (particularly in the finale, which reminds me of Gotterdammerung), but Bruckner's music stands as its own individual. And this is one of the best recordings I've ever heard. Chicago's brass section is, of course, legendary (and deservedly so), but this might be the best I've ever heard from them. Trumpets, horns, trombones, tuba... just acres of stabbing brass at double forte all over the place. The brass work in the last two movements in particular is just incredible.
If you are a brass player, or simply enjoy the sound of brass instruments, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice if you do not own this recording:
http://www.amazon.ca/Syms-4-7/dp/B000007ODZ
Symphony No. 7? No idea. Could care less. This 2-CD set is worth every penny and then some just for #4. BUY IT.
(I believe this version is the same technical recording, just under a different release.)
Anton Bruckner, Symphony No. 4 "Romantic"
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Director: Daniel Barenboim
Recorded: 1972 / Released: 1973
Oh. My.
With the exception of Riccardo Chailly's take on Bruckner's Symphony No. 0, most of the Bruckner recordings I've heard have left me flat. A lot of his music just sounds like a second-rate Richard Wagner. I now realize this may be due to the dreary, ultra-conservative interpretations I've heard from certain "master" conductors.
Barenboim stretches the tempos and pulls the crescendos for all they're worth, and the result is astonishing. The Wagner influence is clearly present (particularly in the finale, which reminds me of Gotterdammerung), but Bruckner's music stands as its own individual. And this is one of the best recordings I've ever heard. Chicago's brass section is, of course, legendary (and deservedly so), but this might be the best I've ever heard from them. Trumpets, horns, trombones, tuba... just acres of stabbing brass at double forte all over the place. The brass work in the last two movements in particular is just incredible.
If you are a brass player, or simply enjoy the sound of brass instruments, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice if you do not own this recording:
http://www.amazon.ca/Syms-4-7/dp/B000007ODZ
Symphony No. 7? No idea. Could care less. This 2-CD set is worth every penny and then some just for #4. BUY IT.
(I believe this version is the same technical recording, just under a different release.)