Bruckner and Barbirolli

[Barbirollians]

Listening again this cold afternoon to his live Halle performance of the Bruckner 7 I am inclined to think he was one of the greatest and most underrated Bruckner conductors .

Ropey recording as it is there is such momentum, yet great warmth and the Adagio in particular sings from the heart . Together with his sensational Bruckner 8 from the RFH right near the end if his life and the lithe Bruckner 9 faster than most this performance really represents how i like Bruckner- never outstaying its welcome but always paying full due to the emotional content and spirituality of the works .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

JB was a huge Bruckner fan. In the 1960s, the Halle Orchestra sold men's handkerchiefs embroidered with the conductor's signature, and the first 4 notes of Bruckner's 3rd symphony. My father bought one for me and I still have it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Listening again this cold afternoon to his live Halle performance of the Bruckner 7 I am inclined to think he was one of the greatest and most underrated Bruckner conductors .

Barbirolli is one of those Musicians who seem able to get right into the idiom of whatever Music they choose to perform. You'll know his recording with Ferrier of the Chausson Poeme de l'Amour et de la Mer, Barbi (another Live, off-air recording): it's as if he had performed nothing else all his life, so completely at one with the Music is his direction.

[Barbirollians]

JB was a huge Bruckner fan. In the 1960s, the Halle Orchestra sold men's handkerchiefs embroidered with the conductor's signature, and the first 4 notes of Bruckner's 3rd symphony. My father bought one for me and I still have it.

EA- How lovely - have you heard the BBC legends Bruckner 3 with Barbirolli ? It is another great account .

FHGL - absolutely . His Debussy recordings with the Orchestre de Paris at the end of his life are also so idiomatic.

[Barbirollians]

It always strikes me as odd that those who are responsible for marmoreal Bruckner like the late period Karajan , Celi and Goodall are so praised .

Momentum is so important in his work .

[vibratoforever]

I enjoy Barbirolli's approach to Bruckner. For me just as important as the momentum are the pauses, the moments of calm, and Gunter Wand was excellent in this respect. BBC Legends did us a big favour in making several of JB's recordings available, given there were no commercial recordings despite his regular performances in the concert hall. The RFH Symphony 9 is a let down, with poor sound and playing, and for me it is uncomfortably swift. A live BPO recording presents a more mainstream reading from him.

[Barbirollians]

I enjoy Barbirolli's approach to Bruckner. For me just as important as the momentum are the pauses, the moments of calm, and Gunter Wand was excellent in this respect. BBC Legends did us a big favour in making several of JB's recordings available, given there were no commercial recordings despite his regular performances in the concert hall. The RFH Symphony 9 is a let down, with poor sound and playing, and for me it is uncomfortably swift. A live BPO recording presents a more mainstream reading from him.

Where can you get that VF ? I have never heard of it ???

I like that swift Bruckner 9 - it is hardly Norringtonesque. I fear that EMI decided Klemperer was their Bruckner conductor. When he proposed to shred the Eighth rather than indulging him - when he said get another conductor if you want it uncut they should have called for JB .

[vibratoforever]

Where can you get that VF ? I have never heard of it ???

I like that swift Bruckner 9 - it is hardly Norringtonesque. I fear that EMI decided Klemperer was their Bruckner conductor. When he proposed to shred the Eighth rather than indulging him - when he said get another conductor if you want it uncut they should have called for JB .

http://www.abruckner.com/discography/symphonyno9indmino2/

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