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Hi Stuart - I listen to a LOT of classical vinyl. While the superiority of vinyl to CD isn't as universal with classical as it is with some other kinds of music (most notably 70s singer-songwriter music), and while classical on CD does offer some advantages (such as a lower noise floor for super-quiet passages), I'll agree that a well-recorded and well pressed classical vinyl album can be something every special indeed. I have many Mercs and RCAs to prove the point. Oddly enough, though, I realize that I don't have a single vinyl Bruckner recording! (Mahler, yes, but not Bruckner).

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OK wrong symphony.......listened to those same points on older 2000 remaster EMI 4th but same results, no distortions with either headphones or speakers.

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Huge advantage for CD is not having to get up three times to change/flip/clean record to listen to single Bruckner symphony

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If the 2000 remaster sounds good, I'd advise you not to upgrade.

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It has excellent sound quality no need for upgrade, the spacious church setting really adds dimension and depth to recording.

Just listened again, OMG the climax closing of movement 1 is off the charts, a huge tidal wave that comes crashing down, wow!........HVK really feeling his oats.

Couple recent releases of Bruckner's Fourth; has anyone heard these?



Kurt Sanderling/Bavarian RSO, 'Live' recording from 1994 on the Profil label & Klaus Tennstedt/London Philharmonic, 'Live' recording from 1989 on the LPO label

While I'm at it, any thoughts on this Bruckner 8 with Haitink?

I did a little Bruckner sampling at Fish Fine Music on Saturday:

Herreweghe B4 - Fast, unexpressive, dull.

Melbourne SO/Soudant B4 - This is on Eloquence. I'm not sure if the performance is intense or just slow, as I was put off by the appallingly loud brass in the left channel.

Nagano B6 - After the above, this was damn good! Lovely dark, clear sound. Interpretation is restrained but committed. You can definitely hear the conductor controlling the orchestra, making it a little self conscious. Not sure if that becomes tiresome after a while, as I only had 2 minutes of listening time before the shop shut. Worth checking out.

I heard Eschenbach conducting the Bruckner 9th last week with the Philadelphia O. It was an excellent performance and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about Eschenbach's recordings of Bruckner?

On the advice of this thread, I ponied up the dough for the Celibidache EMI set. So far, I have only listened to the 8th, but just from that I already know it was money very well spent. I must say I was really surprised at how much I liked it. Like everyone else has said, it's very different and would never be the only one I would need, but.. it's just so good!

Normally I don't like performances that are slowed way down (late-career Bernstein disease), especially since it seems like they're slowed down just to be slow. But this isn't anything like that. It puts the music in an entirely different light, and Bruckner is the perfect composer for an approach like this. It's amazing to me that Celibidache took a work that is normally ~80 minutes long, stretched it out to 107 minutes, and produced a musical masterpiece that doesn't seem to drag at all. He added a half hour on to the average timing! Unbelievable.

If the rest of the set is anywhere near as impressive as the 8th, it could be one of the most eye-opening re-evaluations of a composer I have ever heard.

For those that care, DA is right on the money about the presentation of the box set. Thick, solid outer box with great graphic design, which contains individual jewel cases that all sport great cover art that is consistent and appropriate for the music. Each jewel case also has its own booklet with a bunch of information. At least if you're going to lay out so much money for this box set, you know they made an attempt to present it nicely.

-Jay

In a recent buying binge at HMV I got a B5 and B7 conducted by Lovro von Matacic with the Czech PO. Matacic was one of Walter Legge's "finds" who failed to take off, and I very much enjoyed his recording of Scheherazade.

Unfortunately I found his performance of B7 much too emotional and sentimental, and the sound was overly warm and thick. Interesting to hear the CPO in this work, but not good Bruckner.

(I haven't listened to the 5th yet.)

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Jay
We must continue to spread the word of Celi/EMI........I am sure you will love the other performces especially 5,6,7

BTW your wallet has taken a serious dent recently, he he

I did also get the older Celi/DG 7,8,9 set which is completely different style than later slower EMI versions, much faster timings and more conventional sounding.......still very good (not essential like EMI though)

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You're not kidding. My new CD pile is pretty unbelievable right now. I forgot to mention I also picked up the Tintner set at the same time as the Celi. Haven't started in on it yet, but I trust Tyson enough to give it a shot. I'm trying to examine the wide range of interpretive possibilities with these symphonies.

The things I do in the name of music...

-Jay

One conductor who hasn't been mentioned much in this thread is Herbert Blomstedt. I've had his 6 and 9 on cd for awhile and always thought highly of them. I just bought his 7th off ebay and it is awesome! SQ is Ok, not great. The playing is excellent though not the best you will ever here. But the performance as a whole totally blew me away in a way that hasn't happened to me for a long time.

It's on the DENON lable with Staatskapelle Dresden and was recorded in 1980. Not the easiest to find but they seem to come up on ebay from time to time. Now I'm looking for his 4th which is also on DENON!

I saw a few Blomstedt Bruckner Cds on HMV Japan site if you are looking to get more......don't remember which ones

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I've since listened to the B5 and found it quite good - some fairly invigorating tempos!

Went back to the B7 and found my previous judgement was a little harsh. Matacic's interpretation is definitely personal rather than grand (as opposed to the 5th) but not really so bad. It does lack momentum, however, which is unhealthy on a Bruckner performance. However slow the performance, you need a feeling of unfolding movement to keep you engaged, which Matacic unfortunately lacks here.