Oh god, did my Bruckner search not end after Karajan VPO '88 & '89???
:tiphat:
I suggest you listen to it before buying it. I think the 70's version is more intense, but is also a less comfortable version for repeated listening. I felt the '88 version had more warmth overall, but still power where it was needed. For me the phrasing was perfect and haven't heard anything that improved on it yet.Oh god, did my Bruckner search not end after Karajan VPO '88 & '89???
Oh god, will I now also have to acquire his 70's BPO???
Oh god, am I missing out???
Oh god, can I not leave this earth before hearing the BPO version???
Oh god!
Sometimes I hate you guys.
But only because you guys are the best.
I agree. Both are superb but the 88 version does bear repeated listening better. I've just been playing a few I recommended a while back but one really stands out. In a frustratingly uneven set, Janowski's OSR 8th is absolutely first rate and the finale is thrilling. Hugely recommended (even if some of the other symphonies in the set don't quite hit the same heights except the first few).
I have both of these Karajan recordings and find it hard to choose one over the other. Perhaps the 70s has the edge for me at present, mainly because I find the 80s scherzo too slow (although the 70s scherzo is also somewhat on the slow side).
Gosh! What an oversight, on my part! Well spotted, Knorf!
In fact I listened to this one in a whole Bruckner Historical challenge around June 2019. Surveying lots of mono recordings. In that new marathon, in the No.8, the Berlin 1949 Audite recording from Furtwängler came 1st once more. I listened to this one but it rested in the second half of the rank. I wasn't very interested as I listened through this performance. But why not another listen?Just when I thought I had heard it all, I finally came around to Furtwangler's final Bruckner 8th, from April 1954 with the VPO. No one ever talks about this one, deferring to the excellent wartime VPO and 1949 BPO versions. I think this is an unfortunate oversight, because I now notice John Ardoin praised its virtues in the gold standard book on WF recordings, The Furtwangler Record.
In short, I was stunned at the overwhelming power and beauty of this performance! This might be to the intense wartime account what the Lucerne Beethoven 9th is to the 1942 9th. More reflective (also more conventional if a bit slower) and much better recorded. As in the Beethoven, some may prefer this interpretation as the wartime version is more hectic. What a fine memorial this made as his last ever Bruckner recording.
I am curious what Granate might think as I do not believe this was included in his survey. By far the best transfer is from Orfeo, although unfortunately only available in their superlative VPO boxset (which includes the wartime Beethoven 3rd, Bruckner 8th, and Brahms 2nd among other goodies).
Highly recommended for fans of the Bruckner 8th. Right at the top of essential recordings for me along with WF's 1944 VPO, Wand's BPO and Lubeck NDR versions, and the Karajan 70s BPO.
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I might agree with you on this. I bought the Berlin Karajan 8 many years ago when I was pecuniary-challenged. I hankered after the VPO but I couldn't afford it. I had to be responsible with money even though my wife was wantonly wasting money on things like food and clothes for the kids.
