BaL 20.02.21 - Bruckner: Symphony no. 6

[Karafan]

No-one would ever pretend that it does. But the more you know, the more you understand, the deeper your love may grow. Back in the day, I was greatly helped by the simple structural descriptions I found in various sleeve notes, Gramophone pieces and general guides for musiclovers like The Master Musicians.

None of those was especially technical or presupposed any musical training. They drew me closer to Bruckner, never pushed me away. It was the classic trinity of Radio 3, Gramophone and the local library that provided the foundation for my love and understanding of Bruckner and many other composers. I try to share it when I can.

Which is a prime reason I am so thoroughly enjoying this thread. A confirmed Brucknerite, I find your analysis (and that of the other contributors) only serves to enhance my pleasure in his music. Thank you❤️

[akiralx]

Well I have listened to the Dausgaard and have to say it left me cold. I put it down to my being more in a Dvořák piano trio state of mind at the moment....

I like the Dausgaard, though I feel the Finale is taken too quickly (which I recall RO in Gramophone saying was a regular flaw in this work) - I have 19 recordings of this and his is the fastest, often by over a minute. At 7'30 the sudden faster speed sounds slightly jarring.

My favorites remain Blomstedt, Bosch and Nelsons. I only have Jochum's DG recording.

[jayne lee wilson]

So to the BaL winner, the 1978 Dresden Staatskapelle/Jochum recording (CD cycle 2000), and I was soon thrilling to the buoyant rhythms, the soaring Dresden brasses….
After so long away adventuring among Brucknerian outliers, my response was refreshed, and I could thrill to the power and majesty of this classic Staatskapelle-Lukaskirche production: such space, atmosphere and dynamics. Jochum shapes and paces the majestoso beautifully, not too abrupt in transitions as he can sometimes be; the phrasing and flow of the gesangs just right, then taking flight and surging into the climaxes with smooth acceleration…

But the adagio is very slow and very steady; surely this movement needs to breathe more to live better, with more tension and urgency into the second group and approaching climaxes. The HF string tone as recorded here (the 2000 remaster boxset) is unflatteringly bright, even a bit edgy. (But I have heard the 8th from this cycle in a Toshiba-EMI remaster, and if anything it was even worse - warts and all indeed, revealing I guess the deficiencies in the master tape itself, including peak distortion on some climaxes.)
Scherzo - nicely buoyant, otherwise unexceptional; trio undercharacterised. Without much humour or birdsong. So by the end of (iii) I was finding the blaring dominance of the brasses a little monotonous.

Ah, but its all about the finale isn’t it? Jochum supposedly in the Furtwänglerisch tradition of "wild and chaotic" (TS)….

And yes, as the brasses soar and sear, and the allegros charge headlong then relax sweetly into some lovely, nicely-paced gesangs, it can be involving and exciting, especially if you like the brasses to dominate the skyline.
But is it so exceptional? For me, no; there are several other recordings at least as wild, off-the-hook, abandoned (etc…), but with far greater subtlety and interpretive interest and better recorded sound.
With the Jochum finale - fine as it is - you feel the interpretive and sonic predictability within a few bars, in a reading that sounds dated now: most of the focus and intensity in the outer movements, a well played but static and uneventful slow movement, a scherzo pretty much taken for granted, left to fend for itself; the final coda rather thrown off, with a lack of dynamic subtlety (and a suspicion of dynamic limiting).

It has its honourable place in Brucknerian Recorded history; it got this music into many more hearts and minds; it is, I suppose, some kind of “safe library choice”; but things move on, and there are plenty of new Brucknerian adventures out there (and discoveries to be made if you go back to the future). So if you’ve come this far, maybe you’ll be willing to go a little further…

[Roslynmuse]

My first post in such distinguished company, and I'm feeling cheated; for circa 56 years!
I've spent a week once more delving into No.6 & yesterday spotted the Keilberth BPO Telefunken (TelDec) issue recorded in 1963.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xycI0Wz_YXA&t=3016s

I didn't know it existed. Why?! Released shortly before the awful Klumperer & it's magnificent imvho.
An HvK-free BPO are captured with superb (Decca tree?) engineering.
Even the last movement makes sense, & is a joy.
I'm just finished my fourth listen. I'm not even minding the perfunctory sounding string phrasing at 20 & 28:50 now.
Thank you Joseph Keilberth. IMHO your insight into a masterpiece was criminally neglected when you were on this crazy planet.

Apologies. This is a way OTT first post. Maybe it's my age :(

The Keilberth video has been removed from YouTube. I listened to the first mt yesterday and was hoping to hear the rest now but it has gone...

[Loathecliff]

The Keilberth video has been removed from YouTube. I listened to the first mt yesterday and was hoping to hear the rest now but it has gone...

I've just looked and at the moment it shows for me on another link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XB2AiG-ExLA&t=40s
(Also, some folk might suggest Brave browser for uninterrupted listening; & faithful old WinX for removing future hassle. - I, of course couldn't possibly comment on either).

Another No.6 I'm now also enthralled by is the Heinz Bongartz, Leipzig GH Eterna recording of the mid 60s.
Deeply felt, and with the finest second movement I've ever heard.
It has now also gone, and was from the same, long established, uploader as the Keilberth. Looks like he has offended :(
All his videos started with drawn red stage curtains.

[Roslynmuse]

I've just looked and at the moment it shows for me on another link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XB2AiG-ExLA&t=40s
(Also, some folk might suggest Brave browser for uninterrupted listening; & faithful old WinX for removing future hassle. - I, of course couldn't possibly comment on either).

Another No.6 I'm now also enthralled by is the Heinz Bongartz, Leipzig GH Eterna recording of the mid 60s.
Deeply felt, and with the finest second movement I've ever heard.
It has now also gone, and was from the same, long established, uploader as the Keilberth. Looks like he has offended :(
All his videos started with drawn red stage curtains.

Thanks for the new link.

[akiralx]

LP cover if anyone wants to update their digital library...

[Karafan]

Nice!!

[Barbirollians]

Which is a prime reason I am so thoroughly enjoying this thread. A confirmed Brucknerite, I find your analysis (and that of the other contributors) only serves to enhance my pleasure in his music. Thank you❤️

How good to see you back contributing to the forum Karajan - hope all well with you.

[Bryn]

Used: Very Good copy ordered (less than a fiver, including p&p). ETA March 4-8.

Wrong item sent (Beethoven Symphonies 1 & 2).

Awaiting response from the vendor (momox) re replacement/refund.

[Loathecliff]

Wrong item sent (Beethoven Symphonies 1 & 2).

Awaiting response from the vendor (momox) re replacement/refund.

& it was the last non-stratospherically priced copy on the planet.

Bryn, I was going to ask that as it's beyond copyright, whether you would/would have consider(ed) uploading a FLAC file to a reliable sharing site?
Newbie awaits his sentence ......(emoji practice session)

[Petrushka]

The Keilberth Bruckner 6 is included in the Icon box from Warner. 22 CDs for £28 qualifies it as a bargain in my view.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joseph-Keilberth-Icon/dp/B07B5Y8RLD/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=keilberth&qid=1614348584&s=music&sr=1-1

[Bryn]

& it was the last non-stratospherically priced copy on the planet.

Bryn, I was going to ask that as it's beyond copyright, whether you would/would have consider(ed) uploading a FLAC file to a reliable sharing site?
Newbie awaits his sentence ......(emoji practice session)

I'm afraid it looks like we will both have to make do with the Youtube offering.

[Bryn]

The Keilberth Bruckner 6 is included in the Icon box from Warner. 22 CDs for £28 qualifies it as a bargain in my view.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joseph-Keil...s=music&sr=1-1

Many thanks for that. Duly ordered and, indeed, delivered. Looks like Momox might have done me a favour by sending the wrong item. I've had an initial response from them, requesting the "SKU - Stock Keeping Unit" for the item they sent, to which I have now replied. Let's hope they cannot find a replacement, thus having to sort out a refund.

[Roslynmuse]

Many thanks for that. DUly ordered and, indeed, delivered. Looks like Momox might have done me a favour by sending the wrong item. I've had an initial response from them, requesting the "SKU - Stock Keeping Unit" for the item they sent, to which I have now replied. Let's hope they cannot find a replacement, thus having to sort out a refund.

Momox seem to be going off the boil a bit recently. A rare box set I ordered was returned to them before it had reached me (no explanation but I suspect it was to do with box value and Brexit...) and I had to chase for a refund; yesterday a twofer arrived in a disintegrating jewel case. They have always been very reliable in the past.