Prom 56: Bruckner, BBC Singers / Berlin Philharmonic, O. Park / K. Petrenko

[duncan]

This was the second time I've heard the BPO under Petrenko and it reinforced my view after hearing the Mahler 7 a couple of years ago that he has been a very good choice for them. The sound they make is astonishing and it was tempting in both concerts to just luxuriate in this. I was at the very back of the Arena, out of necessity but it also offers the best sound in the RAH, and the balance in the Bruckner seemed just fine to me. The brass were let off their leashes in the final movement but had not been overwhelming before this. The symphony seemed stranger than usual under Petrenko, almost fantastical in places, albeit a bit more episodic than some performances I've heard. I am surprised if it really was his first essay in this composer.

[jonfan]

There’s an excellent Bruckner 5 with the October BBC Music Mag by the BBCSSO and Ilan Volkov from a prom in 2011. Brilliant pacing and no pegging out at the final pages.

[Maclintick]

This was the second time I've heard the BPO under Petrenko and it reinforced my view after hearing the Mahler 7 a couple of years ago that he has been a very good choice for them. The sound they make is astonishing and it was tempting in both concerts to just luxuriate in this. I was at the very back of the Arena, out of necessity but it also offers the best sound in the RAH, and the balance in the Bruckner seemed just fine to me. The brass were let off their leashes in the final movement but had not been overwhelming before this. The symphony seemed stranger than usual under Petrenko, almost fantastical in places, albeit a bit more episodic than some performances I've heard. I am surprised if it really was his first essay in this composer.

Posting rather late as I'm now able to compare this Prom with Bruckner 4 /BRSO /Rattle last night. I agree with all your points, Duncan, except to demur at your assertion that the back of the Arena is the optimum listening position in the RAH -- a third of the way back is the sweetest spot in the Kensington Dome IMHO. For this Prom, however, I found myself in the Rausing Circle which offered sumptuousness and clarity of sound, albeit a tad distant, overwhelming at the symphony's conclusion. If I'm allowed to be hyper-critical, KP hadn't quite cracked the pacing in the first movement, episodic as you and others have commented, but I have no such scruples about his treatment of the remaining 3 movements, especially the rhythmic vitality in the finale's fugato passages, which can seem a bit draggy or overly dogged.

Bruckner 4 with BRSO & Sir Simon was also marvellously played -- a spirited allegro following the first movement' s mysterious tremolando, a viola section to die for in the andante, some exceptional horn-playing in the hunting scherzo, & the "problematic" finale which caused Bruckner such angst moving purposefully to its conclusion. Not having the benefit of TS's presentation, I was rather in the dark about the revisions or excisions incorporated by Sir Simon, which weren't addressed in the programme booklet, but I gather he's used the most scholarly Urtext version edited by Benjamin-Gunnar Cohrs.

[Brixton Dave]

Prompted me out of curiosity to check old programmes and the last (and only) time I have heard Bruckner 5 live was at the Gewandhaus in 1974. It may well have been the first time I heard it at all. It was coupled with Hindemith Sinfonie Mathis der Maler, which lasts about 30 min. Masur was having an evening off and the conductor was Vienna-based Hans Swarowsky. Not so well known - Musicweb has him as a "Forgotten Artist". Born Budapest 1899, so for this concert he would have been 75, coincidentally my present age ... he died a year later. The programme points to an impressive CV: He studied composition with Schönberg, Webern and Eisler and conducting with Weingärtner and R. Strauss. Mehta and Abbado attended his master classes.

I heard Bruckner 5 at the Proms in 1984. Rather an unusual programme by today's standards. It was fab!

• Franz Liszt
• Piano Sonata in B minor
• Anton Bruckner
• Symphony No. 5 in B flat major- edited R. Haas
• Lazar Berman piano
• BBC Symphony Orchestra
• Sir John Pritchard
  conductor

[smittims]

I recall also an excellent Proms Bruckner 5 on TV with Gunther Wand. It was available on an ICA DVD at one time.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I recall also an excellent Proms Bruckner 5 on TV with Gunther Wand. It was available on an ICA DVD at one time.

Presto sell it - currently on offer.

Also, for those into streaming and have it - its on Medici.tv.
(For those who are Barbican Music Library members, I have posted more about it :
https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/cl...-music-library )

[Bella Kemp]

I have nothing to add, except to say that this is one of the finest threads I've ever read on this forum. The comments on the performance itself were exceptionally insightful and a real pleasure to read and all the others gave delight. On the topic of coughing, there is a recording of Wintereisse by Sviatoslav Richter and Peter Schreier from a Moscow Winter in 1985 that is punctuated by coughing - especially towards the end. Somehow this, together with Schreier's less than perfect voice at this stage in his life, makes it one of the most moving performances.

[Prommer]

I have nothing to add, except to say that this is one of the finest threads I've ever read on this forum. The comments on the performance itself were exceptionally insightful and a real pleasure to read and all the others gave delight. On the topic of coughing, there is a recording of Wintereisse by Sviatoslav Richter and Peter Schreier from a Moscow Winter in 1985 that is punctuated by coughing - especially towards the end. Somehow this, together with Schreier's less than perfect voice at this stage in his life, makes it one of the most moving performances.

Brucknerians for you!

[Barbirollians]

Brave of KP to start with Bruckner 5 - to me it is the one that can sound very boring and interminable in the wrong hands.

This didn't - a sensational performance though I also understand those who thought the first movement a touch episodic . But what playing and I dint sense any running out of puff in the finale .

Very good choral starters too - how embarrassed Lorna Clarke should be .