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Bruckner Symphony Cycles

63K views 227 replies 54 participants last post by  Montarsolo 
#1 ·
I've heard different performances on some of his works on Spotify, and I'd really like to hear more. I'm looking for a set with great sound, nothing plagued with pops and cracks or 80's digital sound.

I've seen Karajan's set, I'm just never 100% sure with HVK. He was an amazing conductor, but he did a lot of things his own way, and not necessarily the composers way.
 
#2 · (Edited)
My favorites will always be Eugen Jochum's Dresden Cycle on EMI (Now Warner).

ClassicsToday gave the Jochum/Dresden set a 10 for Performance and 8 for Sound saying "You just can’t go wrong here. Through it all, the Staatskapelle Dresden plays with its customary warmth and beauty of tone, but also with a transparency of texture that never weighs the music down unnecessarily. The sonics are good, sometimes perhaps a touch bright, but never unpleasantly so."

Jochum never disappoints and he is still tops on a few of the symphonies in my book. He also had an earlier cycle with DG which often gets recommended but the sonics aren't as good as the later EMI set and other than Symphony 4, performance wise, everything else on EMI is as good if not better that it's DG counterpart. For me one of the biggest selling points is that Dresden brass! When I think of Bruckner I think of horns and the Dresden brass is just some of the best!

Karajan is Karajan. His Bruckner is still a safe bet for most folks.

Gunter Wand and the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra can also be had cheaply these days. While the Cologne Orchestra isn't Berlin or Dresden overall the performances are good and Gunter Wand was always a great Brucknerian.

Georg Tintner on Naxos is also recommended by many. Tintner was also a great Brucknerian, however he uses some different score editions and he's a little idiosyncratic and the orchestras used aren't really traditional "Bruckner" orchestras, never the less the set still got a 10/10 from ClassicsToday.

I haven't heard Skrowaczewski's cycle on Oehms with the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony but I've heard good things about it and ClassicToday just recently gave it a 10/10 for both performance and sound so that might be one to look at as well.
 
#14 ·
My favorites will always be Eugen Jochum's Dresden Cycle on EMI (Now Warner).

ClassicsToday gave the Jochum/Dresden set a 10 for Performance and 8 for Sound saying "You just can't go wrong here. Through it all, the Staatskapelle Dresden plays with its customary warmth and beauty of tone, but also with a transparency of texture that never weighs the music down unnecessarily. The sonics are good, sometimes perhaps a touch bright, but never unpleasantly so."

Jochum never disappoints and he is still tops on a few of the symphonies in my book. He also had an earlier cycle with DG which often gets recommended but the sonics aren't as good as the later EMI set and other than Symphony 4, performance wise, everything else on EMI is as good if not better that it's DG counterpart. For me one of the biggest selling points is that Dresden brass! When I think of Bruckner I think of horns and the Dresden brass is just some of the best!
Thanks for the recommendation. This has always been my favorite orchestra. Years ago I had a copy of Bruckner's 6th by Jochum on DG. I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite Bruckner symphony so I pretty much ignored it after a couple of listens through. I will definitely seek out the set you recommended, if not for Jochum, at least for the Staatskapelle Dresden.
 
#3 ·
Sounds like a winner to me. I have a Beethoven set with the Staatskapelle Dresden under Barenboim that sounds amazing, so I under Jochum, it shouldn't dissapoint.

I agree, Karajan is Karajan, and that's why I love him, but in the end, I don't think every recording I have should be HVK with the Vienna or Berlin.
 
#4 ·
Sounds like a winner to me. I have a Beethoven set with the Staatskapelle Dresden under Barenboim that sounds amazing, so I under Jochum, it shouldn't dissapoint.

I agree, Karajan is Karajan, and that's why I love him, but in the end, I don't think every recording I have should be HVK with the Vienna or Berlin.
Barenboim's Beethoven Cycle was actually the Staatskapelle Berlin, not Dresden. But the Staatskapelle Dresden is one of the oldest and finest Symphonies in the world going back to the year 1548. They were every bit as good as the Berlin Philharmonic in my opinion, especially back in the 70's and 80's. Rudolf Kempe made his legendary Richard Strauss recordings with the Dresden Orchestra and Herbert Blomstedt made his popular Beethoven & Schubert Symphony Cycles with them as well. You definitely will not be disappointed with them, especially once you hear that brass section cranking out good and loud.

There's nothing wrong with Karajan in my opinion either. I understand his constant push for "beauty" from the orchestra, especially the strings, and I can understand why some folks may not care much for that approach. To each his own. But if you're a Karajan fan, you may want to pickup Karajan's Bruckner Cycle at some point as well, just for another flavor.

I constantly supplement my favorites. I still think Otto Klemperer's Bruckner 6 is my top pick for that particular symphony. Klemperer's 4 & 7 are also great. I have lots of recordings of Symphony 7 with Symphony 4 close behind because they are my two favorites, but for a starting out set I can't recommend the Jochum Dresden set enough, especially since you can get it from an Amazon Seller these days for like $20+3.99 shipping.
 
#10 ·
I bought several of Karajan's Bruckner symphonies on DG cassettes in the 70s and 80s, but they just didn't "click" with me. Then I bought the Jochum EMI set when it became available in a budget CD box, and I liked it a lot. Maybe at least part of the difference was due to (cassettes + my cassette deck) versus CDs. At any rate, I no longer have the Karajans because I got rid of all my cassettes long ago. Maybe I should give him another chance?
 
#11 ·
I own the Jochum DG set, but for me Jochum is the emperor with no clothes when it comes to Bruckner. Rush, rush, rush. "I can't make this bit work, so I'll rush through it."
I'd take Karajan over Jochum any day of the week.
And I take Celibidache over everyone. Transfigurative performances in every sense.
cheers,
GG
 
#12 · (Edited)
I would recommend getting Karajan. This stuff sits right in the middle of his sweet spot sylistically. Gunther Wand (any of them) and Bohm are my other two favorites, along with Jochum and Karajan. The 60s Karajan seems to have better sound than the 70s ones and I like the clarity better myself, but the 70s ones are the ones people seem to prefer. To me the strings in the 70s ones seem to be blended together like mashed potatoes. Not much definition, just one big mass.

For me, the important thing in Bruckner isn't the speed, faster- slower- it's all OK to me. The thing I am picky about is the control of dynamics and the rhythmic flow. The transitions need to be smooth and natural sounding, not massive contrasts butted right up against each other (Solti). I've found the conductors with a bit of Viennese lilt do best. The Vienna Philharmonic helps with this. (I'd like to hear Bruckner with the Czech Philharmonic. I bet that would be good.)
 
#13 ·
I really like Wand. I haven't listened to every performance from every set, but all of them can safely be commended. A specific comment on his recordings with the Kölner RSO: while the orchestra's name may not come with the same prestige as, say, the Berliner Philharmoniker, I do not believe that those recordings are inferior in terms of either interpretation or playing quality.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I'm thinking about getting this set:


Icon: Eugen Jochum

It includes Jochum's Bruckner cycle with the Dresden Staatskapelle, his Brahms cycle with the LPO, and his Beethoven cycle with the LSO -- plus Bach's Mass in B minor & Mozart's Requiem.

20 CDs. Ridiculously inexpensive.

Any thoughts?
 
#36 ·
Well, there is a 2016 thread for this but it's on the general discussion section. I think there are plenty of new members here and they could share their thoughts on full symphony cycles of my favourite composer.

After browsing a lot of discography, I finally understood how important was to choose a range of sets, depending on the versions they use for Bruckner, like:

1st versions
Pre-Nowak Edition
Predominantly Haas
Predominantly Nowak
Mixed Editions
Mario Venzago
Sergiu Celibidache​

(2nd versions in Haas and Nowak editions have more distinct scores in No.4, No.7 & No.8)

How do you like your Bruckner, senior and junior members?

I'm soon going to do a challenge of my favourite Bruckner cycles, even if they belong to different categories. I've changed my mind about lots of things for the past year and I think I'm ready to take another look.
 
#37 ·
1st versions
Pre-Nowak Edition
Predominantly Haas
Predominantly Nowak
Mixed Editions
Mario Venzago
Sergiu Celibidache​

(2nd versions in Haas and Nowak editions have more distinct scores in No.4, No.7 & No.8)
And if you weren't driven crazy enough by all the variations, there are two Celibidache cycles, pre-Zen and Zen.
 
#39 · (Edited)
Manxfeeder writes, "And if you weren't driven crazy enough by all the variations, there are two Celibidache cycles, pre-Zen and Zen."

Ha! That's a good description, and accurate. Personally, I like Celi's 'pre-Zen' Stuttgart recordings on DG--as the slow tempo complaints don't especially apply there. He's even occasionally faster than Giulini, for instance. However, Celi's 'a la carte' offerings are his best Bruckner for the 7th & 8th, IMO (& come in close to audiophile sound quality, for a welcome change)--indeed those two recordings go with me to my desert island (along with Celi's 4th on Sony):

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...rd_wg=XxHJx&psc=1&refRID=5C5D114RYXP5HZ1AJ6Z8

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...rd_wg=XxHJx&psc=1&refRID=5C5D114RYXP5HZ1AJ6Z8

https://www.amazon.com/BRUCKNER-SYM...1526325830&sr=1-1&keywords=celibidache+4+sony

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...rd_wg=yunlF&psc=1&refRID=0VR9HNTW68R95E9S2J5X

Karajan's 'a la carte' Bruckner also represents his best, IMO, as his EMI Bruckner 4th & 7th are superior to the 4th & 7th recordings in the DG cycle. I'd even say Karajan's EMI Bruckner are among the finest recordings he made in his career, and among the best Bruckner in the catalogue (& I'm not a Karajan fan). (His late digital DG Bruckner 8th with the Vienna Philharmonic is also preferable to the analogue DG 8th, IMO.) Karajan's ('homogenized') thick, velvety smooth Berlin string sound works well in Bruckner's music, even though I still hear a lot more of Bruckner's score when it is played by the Staatskapelle Dresden.

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...328093&sr=1-2&keywords=karajan+bruckner+4+emi
https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...328093&sr=1-1&keywords=karajan+bruckner+4+emi

Which is not to say that I don't like Karajan's DG Bruckner cycle. I do, as it's one of the better ones. But I would prefer Jochum's, if forced to choose between them.

Haitink's Bruckner is also preferable 'a la carte'. I'd take his later Bruckner 8ths (a Haitink specialty) from Vienna (on Philips) and the Concertgebouw (on hybrid SACD) to the 8th from his early Philips cycle, any day. The Vienna 4th is also superior, IMO.

https://www.amazon.com/Symphonies-3...1526328190&sr=1-2&keywords=haitink+bruckner+8
https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...1526328190&sr=1-1&keywords=haitink+bruckner+8
https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...r0&keywords=haitink+vienna+bruckner+4+philips

I prefer Wand's Bruckner 'a la carte' too:

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...id=1526328249&sr=1-1&keywords=wand+bruckner+8
https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym...26328315&sr=1-5&keywords=wand+bruckner+berlin
 
#40 ·
Karajan's ('homogenized') thick, velvety smooth Berlin string sound works well in Bruckner's music, even though I still hear a lot more of Bruckner's score when it is played by the Staatskapelle Dresden.
My first hearing of Karajan's EMI recording of Bruckner's 4th is the closest I've ever come to synesthesia. When I heard the strings, I felt like I was tasting melted chocolate.
 
#41 ·
I just want to add my endorsement to Karajan's EMI Fourth, one of the best Bruckner recordings ever made.
What makes his DG cycle recommendable in my eyes would be the performances of the first three symphonies, which some conductors fall flat in. The later symphonies are good but don't stand out in the crowd.
 
#43 ·
The Skrowaczewksi recordings got mentioned here earlier already. It is too bad Denon did not record all the symphonies, just the 0th, 7th, 8th and 9th. I have recently made extensive comparisons of Bruckner recordings and I can asure you, the Denon Skrowaczewksi records are about the best recordings of grand orchestral work you will ever hear. But make sure you have the proper reproduction equipment, ideally using high resolution audio files. Read my detailed analysis here Bruckner audiophile classical recordings
 
#46 · (Edited)
Welcome to TalkClassical Thomas! Your Blog is beautiful!

I had reviewed the last Bruckner recordings by Skrowaczewski for Denon and I was quite satisfied. I'm no audiophile and I prefer other styles in Bruckner than his. Please, have a great time among us and share the content you want. You can also put a permanent link of your blog in your posts.

However, I would like to remind people that my inquiry is about complete cycles and not recordings, because there's another long thread for that. Thank you!

I should have guessed you were a Graphic Designer
 
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