Bruckner

Bruckner worshipped two main deities, the Roman Catholic Church and his older contemporary Richard Wagner. In Bruckner’s writing the spirit of Roman Catholicism finds exceptional musical expression rich both in intensity and sincerity.

The Münchner Philharmoniker have arguably given more performances of Anton Bruckner’s music than any other orchestra. A great number of Bruckner recordings led by the many legendary conductors that have worked for and with the Münchner Philharmoniker are stored in the historical archive of the MPHIL Label including magnificent pieces with Sergiu Celibidache, Christian Thielemann, Rudolf Kempe, Günter Wand and Oswald Kabasta.

Toscanini conducted the music of Bruckner on five separate occasions. In December of 1896 in Turin, Toscanini led the Adagio of the Seventh Symphony in commemoration of Bruckner’s passing. In March of 1931, Toscanini conducted the NY Phil in a series of concerts featuring the complete Bruckner 7. Toscanini and the NY Phil performed the Bruckner 4 in November, 1932, and February, 1934 (in a 1932 response to a questionnaire from the Berliner Börsen Zeitung, Toscanini revealed: “In recent years I have thoroughly studied Bruckner’s monumental symphonies”). January 1935 concerts included the Bruckner 7. The January 27, 1935 NY Phil performance of the Bruckner 7 is the only recording of Toscanini conducting music by the great Austrian composer.

Toscanini conducted the music of Bruckner on five separate occasions. In December of 1896 in Turin, Toscanini led the Adagio of the Seventh Symphony in commemoration of Bruckner’s passing. In March of 1931, Toscanini conducted the NY Phil in a series of concerts featuring the complete Bruckner 7. Toscanini and the NY Phil performed the Bruckner 4 in November, 1932, and February, 1934 (in a 1932 response to a questionnaire from the Berliner Börsen Zeitung, Toscanini revealed: “In recent years I have thoroughly studied Bruckner’s monumental symphonies”). January 1935 concerts included the Bruckner 7. The January 27, 1935 NY Phil performance of the Bruckner 7 is the only recording of Toscanini conducting music by the great Austrian composer.

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 8 WAB 108 (Version 1890) in C minor
Beethoven Orchester Bonn / Stefan Blunier
2xSACD | SACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 4,62 GB | 24B/88,2kHz Stereo FLAC: 1,34 | Full Artwork
Label/Cat#: MDG "Live" # 937 1713-6 | Country/Year: Germany 2011 | 5% Recovery Info
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Orchestral

"Even though Stefan Blunier's 2011 recording of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 in C minor is a lot to digest, timed at over 88 minutes and stretched almost to the breaking point, this is a deeply compelling performance and an impressive recording that deserves all the time listeners devote to it. (…) MDG's natural, unprocessed sound is a great aid to capturing the orchestra's subtle dynamics, and the live recording has very few extraneous sounds. Highly recommended." ~AMG

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 8 WAB 108 (Version 1890) in C minor
Beethoven Orchester Bonn / Stefan Blunier
2xSACD | EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 331 MB | Full Artwork: 98 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: MDG "Live" # 937 1713-6 | Country/Year: Germany 2011
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Orchestral

"Even though Stefan Blunier's 2011 recording of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 in C minor is a lot to digest, timed at over 88 minutes and stretched almost to the breaking point, this is a deeply compelling performance and an impressive recording that deserves all the time listeners devote to it. (…) MDG's natural, unprocessed sound is a great aid to capturing the orchestra's subtle dynamics, and the live recording has very few extraneous sounds. Highly recommended." ~AMG

In 1983 the eighty-four year old Lovro Von Matatic appeared for the first and only time at a BBC Promenade Concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra with whom he had been associated since the 1950s. He conducted Schumann’s Piano Concerto with Cecille Ousset and this performance of Bruckner’s Third Symphony.

Bruckner - 9 Symphonies - Eugen Jochum (2003) [9CD BoxSet] {Deutsche Grammophon Collectors Edition}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.65 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.28 Gb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 74 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2003 Deutsche Grammophon | 469 810 2
Classical / Symphony

The reappearance of this DG set means that once again both of Eugen Jochum’s Bruckner symphony cycles are available at the same price level. The EMI cycle was recorded in 1975-80 with the Dresden Staatskapelle, while DG’s was taped primarily in the 1960s with the Bavarian Radio Symphony and the Berlin Philharmonic. There’s little to choose between the two interpretively, as Jochum pretty much maintained his individualistic approach to Bruckner throughout his career. So, take away the uniquely burnished tones of the Dresden brass and for the most part you’ve got two identical cycles (type Q2340 in Search Reviews for a detailed appraisal of the EMI set, as released by Musical Heritage Society).