Anton Dolgov

This substantial 25CD set offers a fascinating journey through one century of Russian Chamber Music. All Russian composers were active in this genre and often composed their most profound, personal music for it.

Karajan reportedly felt so strongly about his recordings of the Second Viennese School that he agreed to finance them himself when DG balked at picking up the tab. These are great performances, to be sure. Indeed, there may be some others that are comparable, but none are superior. The Berg pieces never have sounded so decadently beautiful, nor the Webern so passionately intense, or the Schoenberg so, well, just plain listenable. The Berlin Philharmonic strings make their usual luscious sounds, but here the winds, brass, and even percussion rise to the occasion as well. And sonically these were always some of Karajan's best efforts. Essential, then, and a perfect way to get to know these three composers on a single disc.

Anton Bruckner - Mass in E Minor / Motets
SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart / Mitglieder des Radio-Sinfonieorchesters Stuttgart des SWR / Marcus Creed
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 325 MB | Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: hänssler CLASSIC # SACD 93.199 | Country/Year: Germany 2008
Genre: Classical | Style: Sacred, Vocal, Romantic

…The present recording proposes his Mass N°2 in E minor in its 1882 revised form, as well as the Motets. Marcus Creed, who has also recorded extraordinary versions of Brahms’ choral works, once again delights us. The perfect tonal balance the Vokalensemble of Stuttgart radiates is a marvel at every moment. Bruckner’s sacred music thereby seems eternal. Here is a Super Audio CD of rare musical pertinence: a summit.

Bellini's rare opera "La Straniera" was created under great time pressure and therefore can not develop the dramatic effect, as does "Norma". Also, the libretto is not the best. Nevertheless, there is a lot of magic, rousing music, so that the purchase is worthwhile especially for the lover. Performance from 1969 benefits above all from a young Montserrat Caballe, who simply gives everything. The sound is not perfect, a bit dull and blurry in the heights, but still audible in any case.

All but forgotten now, in his day Anton Eberl (1765-1807) was well-known and considered a musical heir of Mozart. Indeed as recently as 1944 one of his symphonies was published as being a newly discovered work of Mozart. During his lifetime a number of his compositions were published under Mozart's name, some of them through as many a fourteen subsequent editions. It is easy to understand why his music could have been mistaken for …..

J Scott Morrison @ Amazon.com

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 9 in D minor Original Version
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester / Günter Wand
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 259 MB | Full Artwork: 75 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: RCA Victor "Gold Seal" # GD 60084 | Country/Year: Germany 1989, 1979
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…In his late years, Wand restricted his repertoire almost exclusively to the symphonies of Anton Bruckner (which he had never conducted until he was over 60), Schubert, Brahms, Beethoven and Mozart. Wand regarded Bruckner as the "most important symphonist after Beethoven". Wand's biographer Wolfgang Seifert believes that "it is no exaggeration to say that Günter Wand has made an indispensable contribution toward the understanding of Bruckner in our time."

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 5 in B flat major Original Version 1875-1878
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester / Günter Wand
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 355 MB | Full Artwork: 47 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: RCA Victor "Gold Seal" # GD 60080 | Country/Year: Germany 1989, 1977
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…In his late years, Wand restricted his repertoire almost exclusively to the symphonies of Anton Bruckner (which he had never conducted until he was over 60), Schubert, Brahms, Beethoven and Mozart. Wand regarded Bruckner as the "most important symphonist after Beethoven". Wand's biographer Wolfgang Seifert believes that "it is no exaggeration to say that Günter Wand has made an indispensable contribution toward the understanding of Bruckner in our time."

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 1 in C minor Vienna Version 1890/91
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester / Günter Wand
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 200 MB | Full Artwork: 93 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: RCA Victor "Gold Seal" # GD 60076 | Country/Year: Germany 1989, 1982
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…In his late years, Wand restricted his repertoire almost exclusively to the symphonies of Anton Bruckner (which he had never conducted until he was over 60), Schubert, Brahms, Beethoven and Mozart. Wand regarded Bruckner as the "most important symphonist after Beethoven". Wand's biographer Wolfgang Seifert believes that "it is no exaggeration to say that Günter Wand has made an indispensable contribution toward the understanding of Bruckner in our time."

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 3 in D minor (1889)
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester / Günter Wand
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 229 MB | Full Artwork: 76 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: RCA Victor "Gold Seal" # GD 60078 | Country/Year: Germany 1989, 1981
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…In his late years, Wand restricted his repertoire almost exclusively to the symphonies of Anton Bruckner (which he had never conducted until he was over 60), Schubert, Brahms, Beethoven and Mozart. Wand regarded Bruckner as the "most important symphonist after Beethoven". Wand's biographer Wolfgang Seifert believes that "it is no exaggeration to say that Günter Wand has made an indispensable contribution toward the understanding of Bruckner in our time."