Bruckner Symphony 9

[Praetorius]

I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and
probably will remain) my favorite]. I recently acquired the
Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of
pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the
Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic
and Furtwangler/BPO (among others). What am I missing (i.e., are there
other recordings to which I should expose myself)?

Frank Decolvenaere
To reply by e-mail, replace NMBR with 1612.

"You are no bigger than
the things that annoy you."
Jerry Bundsen

[Alex Brown]

On 07/11/2012 08:25, Praetorius wrote:

> I have been listening to the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [...]

> and am amazed that there are such a variety of pleasing
> (valid?) interpretations.
>

> are there other recordings to which I should expose myself)?

Well, you've already listed what many would regard as the cream
of the crop of recordings. However, if it is *variety* in particular
that you're after you might want to consider adding, as a priority:

- a Karajan recording (a lofty and mystical studio recording from 1966,
or a tougher more overtly powerful studio recording from 1975 -- both on
DG; there are some recorded live performances also available).

- a Celibidache recording (uniquely slow, especially in his later years;
the widely-available EMI recording for instance has a 1st movement
lasting 32'53" as against Haitink's digital timing of 23'17" !)

--
- Alex Brown

[Ray Hall]

It might pay to seek out Walter's 1959 Bruckner 9. Still sounds pretty
good for its age.

Ray Hall, Taree

[RVG]

Le 07/11/2012 09:25, Praetorius a écrit :
> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is
> currently (and probably will remain) my favorite]. I recently
> acquired the Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such
> a variety of pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after
> having enjoyed the the Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von
> Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic and Furtwangler/BPO (among others).
> What am I missing (i.e., are there other recordings to which I should
> expose myself)?
>
> Frank Decolvenaere To reply by e-mail, replace NMBR with 1612.
>

On DVD (Sony Germany), there's the last Bruckner concert given by
Karajan for the German TV. It includes the 8th and 9th symphonies. It's
really a dialogue of two old men brushed by death. HvK is rigid,
conducting the BPO with his eyes. Very moving concert.


--

«Les mots qui vont surgir savent de nous des choses que nous ignorons
d'eux.»
René Char

http://www.jamendo.com/fr/artist/336871/regis-v.-gronoff
http://soundcloud.com/rvgronoff
http://bluedusk.blogspot.com/

[randy...@gmail.com]

Recording venue is critical with Bruckner. The resonances of brass in many vconcert halls serves to deaden a certain amount of the effect of Bruckner;'s scoring. The Concertgebouw is an exception. And some churches are best.

Which Haitink/Concertgebouw recording - he made two for Philips, one in 1965 and the other in 1981? I prefer the 1981 reading myself but it is harder to obtain.

http://tinyurl.com/a36292d

There is also an excellent Concertgebouw recording conducted by Haitink's predeccessor there, Eduard van Beinum. Mono and OOP, but ocassionally available used on Amazon for a decent price:

http://tinyurl.com/b8mfckl

Get the 1966 Karajan recording on DG - fabulous audio (recorded in the Jesus Christus Kirche). Bruckner's unique Teutonic mysitcal glory finds not better representation in modern stereo. My personal fave.

I have 8 recordings conducted by Günter Wand. If I could only have one it would be the 1988 recording made in the Lubeck Cathedral:

http://tinyurl.com/a6pyobx

It is OOP (except in the Korean collection of live recordings costing almost $200), so a recommendation that is currently available new would be the lone Berlin Philharmonic account under Wand:

http://tinyurl.com/afoy4ad

Interpretively not all that different than the Lubeck Cathedral performance, it just doesn't have those special accoustics that give the Lubeck recording (and Karajan's) a boost of spirituality not found in most concert hall venues.

[M forever]

The over-reverberant acoustics of that cathedral do not give the music "a boost of spirituality". They just completely wash out the important inner detail - which is where most of the "spirituality" of the music is. Wand himself hated the results of those opening concerts which is why he later appeared in a different venue in Lübeck (as can be seen on a number of DVDs).

[jrsnfld]

On Nov 7, 12:25 am, "Praetorius" <praetoriusN...@verizon.net> wrote:
> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and
> probably will remain) my favorite].  I recently acquired the
> Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of
> pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the
> Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic
> and Furtwangler/BPO (among others).  What am I missing (i.e., are there
> other recordings to which I should expose myself)?

I'll second the recommendations for van Beinum, Celibidache, and
Karajan.

You should also not miss these, in particular:

Mravinsky
Horenstein (live on BBC)
Matacic/Czech PO
Jochum (take your pick)
Kubelik (live on Orfeo)
Asahina (look for specific recommendations in this ng)

There are many others worth considering, like Dohnanyi, Solti, Wand
(my favorite so far is a live DSO-Berlin broadcast), Blomstedt,
Abendroth, Welser-Most, various live Schurichts, Walter, Mehta,
Klemperer, Luisi, Knappertsbusch, Keilberth...and on and on. You can
spend a lifetime uncovering worthy Bruckner 9s.

--Jeff

[MELMOTH]

Ce cher mammifère du nom de Praetorius nous susurrait, le mercredi
07/11/2012, dans nos oreilles grandes ouvertes mais un peu sales tout
de même, et dans le message <k7d5sr$thh$1...@speranza.aioe.org>, les doux
mélismes suivants :

> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is
> currently (and probably will remain) my favorite]. I recently
> acquired the Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such
> a variety of pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after
> having enjoyed the the Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von
> Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic and Furtwangler/BPO (among others).
> What am I missing

*CELIBIDACHE* !! (EMI)...

--
Car avec beaucoup de science, il y a beaucoup de chagrin ; et celui qui
accroît sa science accroît sa douleur.
[Ecclésiaste, 1-18]
MELMOTH - souffrant

[MELMOTH]

(supersedes <mn.3c7c7dcbb...@free.fr>)

Ce cher mammif�re du nom de Praetorius nous susurrait, le mercredi

07/11/2012, dans nos oreilles grandes ouvertes mais un peu sales tout

de m�me, et dans le message <k7d5sr$thh$1...@speranza.aioe.org>, les doux
m�lismes suivants :

> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is
> currently (and probably will remain) my favorite]. I recently
> acquired the Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are
> such a variety of pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this
> after having enjoyed the the Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI)
> , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic and Furtwangler/BPO (among
> others). What am I missing

*CELIBIDACHE* !! (EMI)...

*JOCHUM* !! (DG or EMI)...

--
Car avec beaucoup de science, il y a beaucoup de chagrin ; et celui qui

accro�t sa science accro�t sa douleur.
[Eccl�siaste, 1-18]
MELMOTH - souffrant

[Herman]

Le mercredi 7 novembre 2012 15:32:26 UTC+1, randy...@gmail.com a écrit :


>
> Interpretively not all that different than the Lubeck Cathedral performance, it just doesn't have those special accoustics that give the Lubeck recording (and Karajan's) a boost of spirituality not found in most concert hall venues.

I disagree. That whole idea of Bruckner's symphonies are like a cathedral is largely kitsch, and the BPO recording is vastly preferable.

[Ward Hardman]

On Nov 7, 12:25 am, "Praetorius" <praetoriusN...@verizon.net> wrote:

> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and
> probably will remain) my favorite].  I recently acquired the
> Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of
> pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the
> Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic
> and Furtwangler/BPO (among others).  What am I missing (i.e., are there
> other recordings to which I should expose myself)?

To which Haitink 9th do you refer?

- the analog version of 12/65, TT = 59:30
(23:15, 11:15, 24:52), or

- the digital version of '82, TT = 62:40
(25:15, 10:55, 26:28).

The former was most recently available in a Philips "Duo" set, coupled
with his 1st symphony and the Te Deum, the latter of which allows you
to hear one of Bruckner's suggestions for finishing the 9th.

As it stands, I think it is perfect, ending life with peaceful
resignation after a horrific, titanic struggle. A gigantic fugue
couldn't come close to matching what has gone before.

I first learned to love the 9th from Horenstein's 1953 Vienna Symphony
recording on a Vox LP (coupled in a CD VoxBox with H's contemporaneous
Mahler 1st). This version moved along briskly (TT = 52:28).
Horenstein did a 1970 live recording with the BBC Symphony that moved
at a more measured pace (TT = 59:47), available on BBC Classics or
Music & Arts.

If you *really* want to load up on Concertgebouw recordings and don't
mind mono sound (still better than von Hausegger's or Furtwangler's),
there is/was a 1956 recording on MHS with van Beinum (TT = 58:59).

If you'd "like to watch" a concert performance, a TDK DVD shows
Guenter Wand conducting the 9th (TT = 66:02) c/w Schubert's own
"unfinished" symphony, with the NDR Symphony at the 2001 Schleswig-
Holstein Musik Festival.

--Ward Hardman

"The older I get, the more I admire and crave competence,
just simple competence, in any field from adultery to zoology."
- H.L. Mencken

[Sol L. Siegel]

Ray Hall <raymon...@bigpond.com> wrote in
news:k7dcrf$gqt$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

> It might pay to seek out Walter's 1959 Bruckner 9. Still sounds pretty
> good for its age.

I'd get the release that includes the Te Deum, even though the latter
is in mono.

Some others that somehow haven't been mentioned yet:
Barenboim/Berlin/Teldec (I think I'm the only in this ng who likes it)
Luisi/SK Dresden (fierce and confrontational)
Any version by Skrowaczewski (there's a recent Japanese video that's
outright frightening)
Blomstedt/Leipzig GHO/Decca (the remake in his Querstand cycle would
have to go a long way to top it)
Schaller's 4-movement version on Profil is, I find, as valid and
effective as Rattle's. (If you don't want to buy the 4-CD set,
you can download just the 9th as FLACS from eclassical, or the
entire set cheap from cduniverse.)

The Harnoncourt set is essential for the lecture on the actual
finale materials as we currently have them.

- Sol L. Siegel, Philadelphia, PA USA

[jrsnfld]

On Nov 7, 7:59 pm, "Sol L. Siegel" <vod...@aol.com> wrote:
> Ray Hall <raymond.ha...@bigpond.com> wrote innews:k7dcrf$gqt$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

>
> > It might pay to seek out Walter's 1959 Bruckner 9. Still sounds pretty
> > good for its age.
>
> I'd get the release that includes the Te Deum, even though the latter
> is in mono.
>
> Some others that somehow haven't been mentioned yet:
> Barenboim/Berlin/Teldec (I think I'm the only in this ng who likes it)
> Luisi/SK Dresden (fierce and confrontational)
> Any version by Skrowaczewski (there's a recent Japanese video that's
>    outright frightening)
> Blomstedt/Leipzig GHO/Decca (the remake in his Querstand cycle would

>    have to go a long way to top it)....

I did mention both Luisi and Blomstedt, who are worth a listen but not
quite at the level of Mravinsky, Kubelik, et al.

I shied away from Skrowaczewski, an excellent Brucknerian, because the
one I have, on Reference Recordings, is not bad but not his best
Bruckner. I don't know Barenboim's Teldec recording, but his earlier
recording certainly had some good ideas in it. Again, I would say his
5th and 6th, at least, were even better.

--Jeff

[M forever]

What do you think about Abbado's and Chailly's recordings, if you know them?

[Bob Harper]

I agree, with regret, about the RR 9th with Skro. If the performance
were as good as the recording, it would be a world-beater.
Unfortunately, that isn't the case. The one in the set with the
Saarbrucken RSO is better, but still not among my favorites.

One that has not yet been mentioned is this one with Wand and the SWR
in 1979. Though it was performed in the Basilica of Ottobeuren, I
don't hear problems with excessive reverberation. What I do hear is
the sense of urgency and 'wildness' of the Cologne RSO to an even
greater degree.

http://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Symphony-No-9-Anton/dp/B0009SQCBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352395243&sr=8-1&keywords=wand+bruckner+9+profil

or

http://tinyurl.com/awl6jlw

One I've not heard, but would like to, is Luisi's.

Bob Harper

[wagnerfan]

On Thu, 8 Nov 2012 09:28:50 -0800 (PST), M forever <ms1...@gmail.com>
wrote:

How is the Klemperer????

Wagner Fan

[jrsnfld]

I don't know them. I have a couple of Abbado's commercial Bruckner
recordings (DG and Decca), but not the 9th; they're certainly good.
But I was much more taken with his Lucerne Bruckner (I think so far
I've heard 4 and 7), which are some of the warmest performances I've
heard from Abbado.

I didn't care much for Chailly's first Bruckner recording (the 7th)
and didn't pursue the rest of the cycle when he moved on to Amsterdam.
How is it?

--Jeff

[M forever]

Don't really know. I bought the whole box years ago but never got around to listening to it. I saw Chailly fairly often in concert when he was principal conductor of the RSO and I generally liked what he did a lot, some concerts were really outstanding. His farewell concert when he left for Amsterdam was actually Bruckner 9 but I didn't like that performance all that much. I can't really remember why though. That was so long ago.

I really like Abbado's 4 and 5 - they are actually among my favorite recordings of these symphonies - and also the 7 although I don't think it's quite as good as 4 and 5. The 9th though is...a little odd. It's strangely incoherent and directionless, some transitions sound hesitant as if Abbado didn't quite know exactly what he wanted to do in those moments. It's strange to hear the WP deliver such a performance. I wonder what happened those nights. Or didn't happen. Interestingly, DG waited for several years until they released the CD taken from those live performances.
There is also a DG 1 which I haven't heard yet.

[whiskynsplash]

What I'd really like to see discussed are good recordings of the
choral work "Helgoland" which don't require buying an entire box set
of the symphonies (as is the case with the Barenboim recording). If
find to my astonishment that I don't have it on CD and remember it
well from the days of Lp. The Masses, Motets and other choral works
aren't discussed enough as are the small number of Chamber works
(String Quintet with its extra movement, and the early Quartet) which
are of high quality.

[jrsnfld]

On Nov 8, 6:51 pm, whiskynsplash <whiskynspl...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> What I'd really like to see discussed are good recordings of the
> choral work "Helgoland" which don't require buying an entire box set
> of the symphonies (as is the case with the Barenboim recording).

Barenboim has recorded Helgoland twice (in the Berlin cycle on Teldec,
and in the Chicago cycle on DG). Both of these Helgoland recordings
were issued on single CD's (coupled with Symphony No. 1 on Teldec,
Symphony No. 0 on DG). Both of those discs are easily available at
reasonable prices from Amazon's affiliated sellers.

--Jeff

[weary flake]

That's what I did, bought the two separate CDs for both of
Barenboim's Helgoland. Helgoland has only been recorded
three times and Barenboim did two of them. Wyn Morris also
conducted it and recorded it to a CD with Wagner's Apostel.

[M forever]

There is also this recording:

http://www.amazon.com/Choruses-Male-Voices-Orhestra-Sibelius/dp/B0083SPHTK/

[whiskynsplash]

On Nov 9, 11:10 am, weary flake <wearyfl...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for the info. Barenboim appears to have a "thing" for it. I do
have the Wyn Morris.

[3Bs]

On Nov 7, 2:25 am, "Praetorius" <praetoriusN...@verizon.net> wrote:

> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and
> probably will remain) my favorite].  I recently acquired the
> Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of
> pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the
> Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic
> and Furtwangler/BPO (among others).  What am I missing (i.e., are there
> other recordings to which I should expose myself)?

I'm not a dedicated Wand fan, but his Köln recording is concentrated
and has real power. The coda of the first movement is about as
powerful as it gets.

Jochum/BPO shows that pairing at their best, especially if you are a
Furtwangler fan.

Giulini, Haitink and Furtwangler would fill out my top five.

[3Bs]

On Nov 7, 9:59 pm, "Sol L. Siegel" <vod...@aol.com> wrote:
> Some others that somehow haven't been mentioned yet:
> Barenboim/Berlin/Teldec (I think I'm the only in this ng who likes it)

> Blomstedt/Leipzig GHO/Decca (the remake in his Querstand cycle would
>    have to go a long way to top it)

> The Harnoncourt set is essential for the lecture on the actual
> finale materials as we currently have them.

Completely agree on these three. The Barenboim is just about the best
Bruckner he has recorded, no?

[jrsnfld]

On Nov 10, 7:08 pm, 3Bs <threebs...@aol.com> wrote:

> Jochum/BPO shows that pairing at their best, especially if you are a
> Furtwangler fan.

Do you mean the live performance on Palexa, or the DG recording?

--Jeff

[M forever]

On Nov 10, 10:08 pm, 3Bs <threebs...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Nov 7, 2:25 am, "Praetorius" <praetoriusN...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> > I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and
> > probably will remain) my favorite].  I recently acquired the
> > Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of
> > pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the
> > Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic
> > and Furtwangler/BPO (among others).  What am I missing (i.e., are there
> > other recordings to which I should expose myself)?
>
> I'm not a dedicated Wand fan, but his Köln recording is concentrated
> and has real power. The coda of the first movement is about as
> powerful as it gets.

Indeed it is, and Wand also emphasizes the clashes between D and Eflat
at the end of the first movement more than I have heard in any other
performances, including his own later ones, this and many similar
details making this one of the starkest, most "modern sounding"
Bruckner 9s. The horn calls and timpani/trumpet responses at the
beginning of the first movement also sound the most "misterioso" to me
of all the recordings I know, although I find it hard to put my finger
on justwhy that is.

[M forever]

I am not a big fan of this performance. I was in the live concert when
this was recorded, and even though the orchestra produced massive
waves of sound which Barenboim directed quite effectively, I felt that
Barenboim wasn't really able to shape the inner detail of the music,
it just lowed past him. When I listened to the recording when it came
out, it confirmed that impression for me, and again every time I
revisited it later.
I don't know which of his Bruckner is "the best" since I have only
listened to about half of each of his CSO and BP cycles, but the ones
that left the best impression on me were the BP 5th and 6th. They are
both very tricky and Barenboim showed that he was able to control and
shape both the inner detail and the outer structure, they show him as
a very solid craftsman, but in the 9th, he just went into grand
gesture mode but I think he overreached a little with that.

[Dufus]

On Nov 11, 1:54 am, M forever <ms1...@gmail.com> wrote:

A live 9th next week with which to compare the extant recordings. From
BBC Radio 3 :

" Live from The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
The BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Juanjo Mena, performs Bach's
Cantata No 147, and Bruckner's Symphony No 9.
Julia Doyle (soprano)
Robin Blaze (counter tenor)
Nicholas Mulroy
(tenor)
Roderick Williams (bass)
Manchester Chamber Choir (chorus
master Justin Doyle)"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nt2yr

[Dufus]

[Bob Harper]

On 11/10/12 11:49 PM, M forever wrote:
> On Nov 10, 10:08 pm, 3Bs<threebs...@aol.com> wrote:

(snip)

>> I'm not a dedicated Wand fan, but his Köln recording is concentrated
>> and has real power. The coda of the first movement is about as
>> powerful as it gets.
>
> Indeed it is, and Wand also emphasizes the clashes between D and Eflat
> at the end of the first movement more than I have heard in any other
> performances, including his own later ones, this and many similar
> details making this one of the starkest, most "modern sounding"
> Bruckner 9s. The horn calls and timpani/trumpet responses at the
> beginning of the first movement also sound the most "misterioso" to me
> of all the recordings I know, although I find it hard to put my finger
> on justwhy that is.
>

(snip)

have you heard this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Symphony-No-9-Anton/dp/B0009SQCBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352655070&sr=8-1

or

http://tinyurl.com/ap57lmj ?

It strikes me as having many of the same virtues as the Cologne recording.

Bob Harper

[weary flake]

Ah, something new, on Naxos, thanks for the tip, I'll order this.

[M forever]

On Nov 11, 12:34 pm, Bob Harper <bob.har...@comcast.net> wrote:
> On 11/10/12 11:49 PM, M forever wrote:> On Nov 10, 10:08 pm, 3Bs<threebs...@aol.com>  wrote:
> (snip)

> >> I'm not a dedicated Wand fan, but his K ln recording is concentrated

> >> and has real power. The coda of the first movement is about as
> >> powerful as it gets.
>
> > Indeed it is, and Wand also emphasizes the clashes between D and Eflat
> > at the end of the first movement more than I have heard in any other
> > performances, including his own later ones, this and many similar
> > details making this one of the starkest, most "modern sounding"
> > Bruckner 9s. The horn calls and timpani/trumpet responses at the
> > beginning of the first movement also sound the most "misterioso" to me
> > of all the recordings I know, although I find it hard to put my finger
> > on justwhy that is.
>
> (snip)
>
> have you heard this one:
>

> http://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Symphony-No-9-Anton/dp/B0009SQCBY/ref=...
>
> or
>
> http://tinyurl.com/ap57lmj?

>
> It strikes me as having many of the same virtues as the Cologne recording.
>
> Bob Harper

No, I haven't heard this one, but I just ordered it. It was recorded
in the huge Basilika Ottobeuren so I fear the sound might be as
reverberant and washed out as in the recordings of 8 and 9 made in the
Lübecker Dom.

[Bob Harper]

I don't think you'll find that to be the case, but I'll be interested in
your comments.

Bob Harper

[RVG]

Le 11/11/2012 08:54, M forever a �crit :

He gave a superb concert with the 8th Symphony in Paris in 1984, still
my most vivid and overwhelming live music memory with Liszt's B minor
sonata by M.A. Estrella, his first series of concerts after his release
from the South American fascist jail.

--

�Les mots qui vont surgir savent de nous des choses que nous ignorons
d'eux.�
Ren� Char

http://www.jamendo.com/fr/artist/336871/regis-v.-gronoff
http://soundcloud.com/rvgronoff
http://bluedusk.blogspot.com/

[John Wiser]

"RVG" <not....@themoment.invalid.org> wrote in message
news:k7qm5v$pg9$1...@blueduskconspiracy.eternal-september.org...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrxhs2_pianist-returns-to-the-prison-where-he-was-tortured_news
Just so we know which fascist jail...
there have been so many.
Still are quite a few,
we run some ourselves
tx to smirking simian
and pusillanimous Barry

JDW

[Gerard]

Dufus <steve...@gmail.com> typed:

> On Nov 11, 1:54� am, M forever <ms1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> A live 9th next week with which to compare the extant recordings. From

Looking forwards to your conclusions.

[M forever]

On Monday, November 12, 2012 6:22:40 AM UTC-5, RVG wrote:

I know Barenboim did a lot of Bruckner with the Orchestre de Paris in the 70s and 80s at a time when Bruckner apparently was still very rarely performed in France. I would actually like to hear some live recordings of some of those concerts, e.g. that 8th. There is a poster from Paris on Concertarchive who has a lot of French broadcast recordings from that era, so I will contact him to find out if he has any of those.
Barenboim did a Wagner album with the OdP back then which has generally been somewhat negatively received because the sound of the orchestra, especially the bright and slender brass is not what most people expect for Wagner. But that is what makes it all the more interesting for me.

> still
>
> my most vivid and overwhelming live music memory with Liszt's B minor
>
> sonata by M.A. Estrella, his first series of concerts after his release
>
> from the South American fascist jail.
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> «Les mots qui vont surgir savent de nous des choses que nous ignorons
>

> d'eux.»
>
> René Char

[Berwald]

Alex Brown wrote:
> On 07/11/2012 08:25, Praetorius wrote:
>
> > I have been listening to the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [...]

> > and am amazed that there are such a variety of pleasing
> > (valid?) interpretations.
> >

> > are there other recordings to which I should expose myself)?
>

> Well, you've already listed what many would regard as the cream
> of the crop of recordings. However, if it is *variety* in particular that
> you're after you might want to consider adding, as a priority:
>
> - a Karajan recording (a lofty and mystical studio recording from 1966, or
> a tougher more overtly powerful studio recording from 1975 -- both on DG;
> there are some recorded live performances also available).
>
> - a Celibidache recording (uniquely slow, especially in his later years;
> the widely-available EMI recording for instance has a 1st movement lasting
> 32'53" as against Haitink's digital timing of 23'17" !)

Thanks. I'll check out one of the von Karajan's. Just received the EMI
Celibidache Bruckner box - I'll start with the 9th.

[Berwald]

Ray Hall wrote:
> Praetorius wrote:

>> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently
>> (and

>> probably will remain) my favorite]. [snip]

>
> It might pay to seek out Walter's 1959 Bruckner 9. Still sounds pretty
> good for its age.
>

> Ray Hall, Taree

Thanks. I've got that, and the February 1957 and March 1946 recordings on
Music & Arts. Interesting to follow his tempo changes over time.

[Romy the Cat]

On Wednesday, November 7, 2012 3:25:02 AM UTC-5, Praetorius wrote:
> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and probably will remain) my favorite]. I recently acquired the Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic and Furtwangler/BPO (among others). What am I missing (i.e., are there other recordings to which I should expose myself)? Fra

Praetorius, you ask a wrong question. There are tones of B9 of all imaginable qualities. The question is what you are looking for? In order to have your question consider lucid you need to express what you do like and which direction you would like to take it further. Than something might be recommended to you. To ask generic question about this marvels work and receive generic advise from very generic people serve very little purpose.

[RVG]

Le 12/11/2012 14:53, John Wiser a �crit :

> "RVG" <not....@themoment.invalid.org> wrote in message
> news:k7qm5v$pg9$1...@blueduskconspiracy.eternal-september.org...

>> Le 11/11/2012 08:54, M forever a �crit :

He explained us before the concert, that in order to keep his pianistic
skills, he had carved a keyboard on the table of his cell with his fork
and "played" on it, hearing the music in his head all the time during
all these years.

This concert was about 25 years ago but I remember it like it was
yesterday. There was a young punk with his parents. During the first par
of the concert he was quite agitated, but didn't make noise.
Then after the intermission when Mr Estrella played Liszt's Sonata, he
just fell in tears. When the concert ended, he jumped from his seat
crying and went to the pianist and told him aloud: "Thank you, Sir,
you've just given a meaning to my life!"

Several people in the public shed a tear too at that moment.

[gggg...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 10:25:12 PM UTC-10, Praetorius wrote:
> I have been listeningto the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 [which is currently (and
> probably will remain) my favorite]. I recently acquired the
> Haitink/Concertgebouw, and am amazed that there are such a variety of
> pleasing (valid?) interpretations. I say this after having enjoyed the the
> Giulini/VPO (DG), Schuricht VPO (EMI) , Von Hausegger/Munich Philharmonic
> and Furtwangler/BPO (among others). What am I missing (i.e., are there
> other recordings to which I should expose myself)?
>

> Frank Decolvenaere
> To reply by e-mail, replace NMBR with 1612.
>
> "You are no bigger than
> the things that annoy you."
> Jerry Bundsen

According to the following:

- The Ninth is not a failed attempt at a cohesive artistic statement. Rather, it is a complete and perfect musical depiction of a tortured mind: a desperate snatch at a vision that grew ever more elusive, a vain quest for understanding and fulfillment in a world that would not provide it, a fevered groping for fragments of life in the lengthening shadow of death.

http://www.classicalnotes.net/features/furtwangler.html