BaL 22.03.25 - Bruckner: Symphony 4

[Gargoyle]

I'm looking forward to this broadcast. I have Karajan, Bohm, Wand and Jochum, so a refresh could be in order. I wonder if they'll consider historical performances like Furtwaengler.

[Petrushka]

I'm looking forward to this broadcast. I have Karajan, Bohm, Wand and Jochum, so a refresh could be in order. I wonder if they'll consider historical performances like Furtwaengler.

The live 1951 Furtwängler was my very first Bruckner recording on a Decca Eclipse LP. which I bought in 1974. I played it to death but it's a corrupt edition complete with cymbal clashes, as is Knappertsbusch. Both are still worth a listen but I doubt if they will detain the BaL reviewer for long, if at all.

[Barbirollians]

I find I have

Blomstedt ( Denon) -
Bohm
Celi
Furtwangler/Stuttgart performance
Jochum DG and EMI (much prefer the DG )
Karajan 1970
Kempe ( excellent)
Klemperer
Matacic ( Dennis Brain and the Philharmonia are great - the conducting isn't )
LSO/Rattle
Thielemann
Walter
Wand RCA

With the exception of the Matacic I like them all . If I could only keep one would probably be Bruno Walter with Gunter Wand's late BPO runner up.

The Rattle is good but I was less thrilled than I expected to be from the reviews.

PS Haitink appears to be missing ...

[jonfan]

Heras-Casado a strong contender recently issued.
I’ve always enjoyed Tintner’s Bruckner on Naxos and 4 in particular. His detailed notes on the symphonies squashed in the booklets put other labels’ expensive meagre offerings to shame.

[Barbirollians]

Heras-Casado a strong contender recently issued.
I’ve always enjoyed Tintner’s Bruckner on Naxos and 4 in particular. His detailed notes on the symphonies squashed in the booklets put other labels’ expensive meagre offerings to shame.

I don’t have that one - I recall Stephen Johnson was lukewarm about it in Gramophone . I do have Tintner,1,3 7 and 9 all of which are very good.

[gurnemanz]

Bruno Walter with Columbia Symphony Orchestra was an early LP purchase, much played and replaced as soon as possible by CD. Still a favourite. I have since acquired a varied selection of alternatives:

Stanislaw Skrowaczewski - Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken
Michael Gielen - SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg
Herbert von Karajan - BPO

Mario Venzago - Sinfonieorchester Basel (Thanks, much-missed Jayne Lee Wilson)

Klaus Tennstedt - BPO
Otto Klemperer - Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester (1954)
Karl Böhm - VPO
Rémy Ballot - Altomonte Orchester St. Florian (latest addition, live Stiftsbasilika, St. Florian, 2021)

[Petrushka]

I played the live radio recording from October 22 1967 last night with Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic which is included in the newly issued box on the BPO own label.

It's a magisterial performance, stunningly played, especially by the brass, and all in excellent stereo sound.

This knocks spots off Karajan's 'official' recordings on EMI and DG.

[richardfinegold]

I have several of the versions mentioned, but it’s usually Karajan on DG when I am in the mood for it

[silvestrione]

I played the live radio recording from October 22 1967 last night with Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic which is included in the newly issued box on the BPO own label.

It's a magisterial performance, stunningly played, especially by the brass, and all in excellent stereo sound.

This knocks spots off Karajan's 'official' recordings on EMI and DG.

Oh don't, don't...that box is really expensive!

[Petrushka]

Oh don't, don't...that box is really expensive!

It's ridiculously expensive for 24 discs and the packaging is truly terrible, just about the worst I've ever experienced. Also, the earlier recordings are not that special, but by 1967 Karajan had got the BPO in top form and the radio engineering had vastly improved. In the end quality tells.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Final 3 on shortlist

Jochum BPO ‘65
Honeck Pittsburgh (in fact )*
Rattle BPO

* winner

[jonfan]

Happy with the short list. Many great performances to pick from.
Nothing ever routine with Honeck. Did BBC Symphony try to sign him up as chief conductor some years ago? There’s a very impressive Mahler 1 on BBCMM he did at the RFH.

[Petrushka]

Final 3 on shortlist

Jochum BPO ‘65
Honeck Pittsburgh (in fact )*
Rattle BPO

* winner

I wasn't sure if I had the Honeck as it's not on the shelves but Amazon tells me I bought it in July 2024 so it must be among the pile on the floor upstairs awaiting filing!

If that's the case, then I’ve got all three of those on the shortlist. I'm not sure why Rattle is there as I was less than enthusiastic about it on release. However, I've not heard it for a very long time.

[LMcD]

[QUOTE=Wolfram;n1333186]*Spoiler alert*
.... they do seem to have given away the winner before the programme is actually broadcast.

Shades of The Two Ronnies' 'Mastermind' sketch.

[jonfan]

The Jochum booklet has interesting notes from the recording engineer. There were two sessions months apart and proved hard to unite into a whole. Jochum was oblivious to the difference between mono and stereo and in his house the stereo speakers were positioned under the grand piano and behind a curtain, at the insistence of his wife.