Your first Bruckner record

[Barbirollians]

What was your first encounter with Bruckner on record ?

My elderly great uncle in the 1980s was widowed and came to live with family near us . He had been on the board of the Bournemouth SO in the 1960s and told affectionate stories about Constantin Silvestri who he thought was wonderful.

As they were subscription holders and continued going to the Winter Gardens each week he had a small record collection and now well in his 80s he was not well enough to go to concerts . He said he missed hearing Bruckner .

At that time I had listened to some Bruckner on the radio but found it rather boring and long but that Christmas I bought him the cassette of Klemperer’s Bruckner 7 which he was keen to play and I can still see him in his formal suit ( he was one of those old gentleman who wore a suit and tie pretty much everyday) tapping his feet to the third movement.

I bought that recording for myself and the door to Bruckner was opened - what opened the door for you ? And did you rush through or have to be coaxed?

PS There are recordings of the Bruckner 7 I like rather more than that one now !

[Bryn]

Note the caveat at the bottom of the cover.

[gradus]

Klemperer Bruckner 7, the original Columbia stereo LPs. Played to death when bought but left alone for the last 50 years. These days I only enjoy the slow movement.

[Keraulophone]

No.4 BPO/Eugen Jochum - DG Privilige LP reissue (rec.1967).

Jochum’s Bruckner was once widely admired, yet he seems to have fallen from favour somewhat since recording the complete symphonies in Dresden for EMI. Several of those are very fine, eg No.9, aided by wonderful orchestral playing, including the burnished gold of the Dresden brass and the suppleness of the strings. My preference now is for Celibidache, especially in the finale.

My second purchase (for 99p in WHSmith) was No.5 on two Supraphon LPs, with the Czech Phil/Lovro Von Matačić. As a young teenager, it took much longer to get to grips with this work than its predecessor.

[HighlandDougie]

I think that it might have been GL5697, a cheap Philips mono LP of Volkmar Andreae and the Vienna SO in Bruckner's Third (an Amadeo recording) but, in truth, it didn't exactly thrill me at the time. The set which did get me hooked was Karajan's 4th and 7th with the BPO on HMV which, I must admit, I haven't listened to for a long time but it was thrilling at the time.

[Barbirollians]

I think that it might have been GL5697, a cheap Philips mono LP of Volkmar Andreae and the Vienna SO in Bruckner's Third (an Amadeo recording) but, in truth, it didn't exactly thrill me at the time. The set which did get me hooked was Karajan's 4th and 7th with the BPO on HMV which, I must admit, I haven't listened to for a long time but it was thrilling at the time.

I am very fond of those EMI HVK records - BPO playing is thrilling.

[richardfinegold]

I bought the Jochum Dresden cycle mentioned upthread. Until then my only familiarity with AB was a concert performance of the Fourth. Karajan has become my preferred Bruckner Conductor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A Decca Eclipse issue of Symphony no. 5, played by the Vienna Philharmonic/Knappertsbusch. Bought in Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1973.

An adjusted version with a cut in the scherzo, but rather fine nevertheless.

[pastoralguy]

My first encounter with Bruckner was playing the Seventh symphony. The week before, we had played a concert of Strauss family works with their ‘easy’ second violin parts. (Which aren’t ‘easy’ at all!) I remember the conductor remarking ‘Don’t worry, second violins, your time will come in Bruckner next week!)

In anticipation, I borrowed the DG Karajan/ Berlin Philharmonic from the library and was heartened that even those guys didn’t always get it spot on. (There’s also a really awkward page turn that the Berliners flubbed!)

I enjoyed working at the part and enjoyed the performance but never really took to Bruckner although I do like the Ninth Symphony.

[cloughie]

A Decca Eclipse issue of Symphony no. 5, played by the Vienna Philharmonic/Knappertsbusch. Bought in Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1973.

An adjusted version with a cut in the scherzo, but rather fine nevertheless.

I think this was in electronic stereo although there was a real stereo recording in the vaults which subsequently appeared on CD! I think my first Bruckner recording was Rosbaud’s 7th on a single Turnabout LP which split the 2nd movt over the two sides! This was followed by Walter’s 4th and the Szell 3rd on CBS Classics. This was mid to late ‘60s - I also remember getting a mono copy of the Kertesz 4th by post from Farringdon Records.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think this was in electronic stereo although there was a real stereo recording in the vaults which subsequently appeared on CD! I think my first Bruckner recording was Rosbaud’s 7th on a single Turnabout LP which split the 2nd movt over the two sides! This was followed by Walter’s 4th and the Szell 3rd on CBS Classics.

It was indeed in electronic stereo. I never heard the true stereo version on its release, but it received a favourable review in Gramophone.

[jayne lee wilson]

I guess it began with: Solti VPO 7th, Klemperer 9th, Klemperer 5th. These were what I could find in local record stores as recommended in the Stereo Record Guide.
Problem was (and is) I became far too familiar with them. Loved (at first listen), and played, almost to death, really.
The 7th has survived, thanks to the very different readings from such as Venzago, Andreae, Haitink's first cycle....the 9th sometimes (Rattle completion, I do hope Dausgaard will record the 4-movement version in Bergen soon), but the 5th (which I regard as his most perfect symphonic achievement)....I can only enjoy the finale now. ....

When the local record library opened, I borrowed the Karajan EMI 4 & 7, but this sounded very misty and distant off the current LPs of the time. Later I bought the second Bruckner 8th and marvelled at it.....
A friend lent me his Haitink LP of No.1. I loved it immediately, but clumsily scratched it, producing a click over the first few bars. When I offered to replace it he said "oh its OK, could happen to anyone". Neither of us had much cash. I never forgot his generosity of spirit. John F Berky once told me that it seemed a typically Brucknerian characteristic......well, it would be lovely to believe that.....! .

After this I became obsessed with Mahler, and Wagner's Ring - but now I can scarcely listen to either of those. Perhaps the Mahler 10th or 4th occasionally.
But Bruckner has proved the enduring devotion. A guiding light of my life. The renewing readings from younger conductors, especially of the original versions of the first four symphonies, and the rediscovery of the insights offered by Knappertsbusch, Rosbaud and Volkmar Andreae in all of Bruckner's oeuvre have shone a brilliant new light, from many different angles, on this wonderful music.

[Lordgeous]

4th Symphony. Istvan Kertesz, LSO when first issued - thrilling then. Just purchased CD re-issue. Will see how it sounds after all these years!

[gurnemanz]

Note the caveat at the bottom of the cover.

Ditto! but not quite. No caveat mono version.

[AuntDaisy]

If cassettes are allowed...
Karl Bohm Bruckner 7 on tape, DG Galleria. (Now replaced by CD, but I still have the tape sleeve & digitised tape.)
I suspect that the cover attracted me to start with, but 7 is still my favourite & often played.

(First symphony cycle was the Gunter Wand.)