Customer Reviews

Bruckner: Symphonies 3 & 8

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

... at least to my taste, but it is certainly a worthy contender to those recordings which are generally considered to be the very best, for example Karajan, Giulini, Wand or Boulez (and many others).
Firstly, I would like to apologize for incompleteness of this review, because I would only like to say my thoughts on the recording of the Eighth Symphony - it used to be available by itself, but now only as a budget twofer, where you also get the Third Symphony (a wonderful recording as well, by the way).
The recorded sound for the Eighth is maybe typically 'Philips' with a warmly sympathetic but natural, not too expansive, crystal clear soundpicture, with just enough 'air' around the different instrument groups. The instruments are fairly directly recorded, but just right for being able to relish in that very typical disciplined, gorgeous and crisp sound of the Vienna Philharmonic, which on this specific recording is captured simply greatly.
Haitink takes ample time to let the music unfold in all its splendor, but at the same time there is a superb grip - at least to my amateur ears - on the structure. Well, one could only expect as much, with a conductor who had up to then been studying and performing this music for about thirty years!
If you also love this recording by Bernard Haitink, I would also like to recommend you listen to Haitinks earlier, 1981 (digital) recording of the same work with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. (Speeds for the four parts in this 1981 recording are: 16:03 / 16:11 / 29:14 / 23:53, making this 1981 recording just slighly slower overall, but only because of the especially expansive adagio.) This magnificent 1981 recording (Haas-edition as well) stands between his first studio recording (1969) and his third studio recording, under review here. This 1981 'Eighth' is taken rather 'spacious' and 'wide', very noble, with grand over-arching legato. The playing of the Concertgebouworkest is as mellifluous as ever. The same holds true for the recording under review here, but here, as a plus, the conducting is even more disciplined and the playing even more 'poised' - with a little more 'bite', maybe, but this may be result of the character (?) of the orchestra itself. Combined with a somewhat more direct recording of instruments, this makes this Vienna Philharmonic-recording IMHO well-nigh-perfect to the ears of this particular listener.

So this (Vienna) recording offers us the best of both worlds, or three worlds actually, recapitulating: firstly, gorgeous playing and recorded sound (some of the best I have ever heard in this format); secondly, the music is allowed to bloom in moderately expansive speeds; and thirdly, a clear sense of structure, especially in the Adagio (27:26 min). All three make this a truly gripping acount of Bruckner's masterpiece.

Haitink really seems to love Bruckner and he truly makes this music sing in the most eloquent and naturally flowing way; sensitive to every nuance and with feeling, but at the same time nicely disciplined. This is as true for this Concertgebouw recording as for this (14 year) later, even more superb recording with the Vienna Philharmonic. Anyhow, this recording (like the Concertgebouw recording), which displays this music with such caressing, warm sympathy and with such nobility, is IMHO essential hearing.

Who, by now, hasn't heard the sad story of the premiere of the first version of the Symphony in d-minor? The composer, standing in on short notice in the wake of Herebeck's passing. More preparation might not have made any difference. Bruckner was a fairly competent choral conductor but orchestral leadership proved beyond his grasp. I'm not aware of any further effort on his part to become profecient on the instrumental podium. Perhaps, just as well. The 3rd's first performance in December of 1877 was followed immediately by a thorough revision into 1878 and assembled by Oeser in an 1877/78 versionpublished by Nowak in 1950. This, then, is the 2nd version of Symphony no.3, with yet a more revised and compact edition to follow in 1890, the one we hear mostly today. I would argue for the 2nd version to be the preferential text, with the original 1873 reading, a not too distant 2nd place. The final version is fine, but the earlier two are just so interesting, I find them hard not to listen too. If nothing else, we have THREE fine readings of this material,and some really good recordings from which to choose.

Haitink's 1988 Vienna Phil take is tight and powerful, the revisions are certainly noticeable, without seeming to be undully highlighted. The middle version of Sym #3 has been recoded upteen times, often as part of a cycle; here is a very compact list----Ashashina, Haitink/VPO, Harnoncort/VPO, Sinopoli, Solti/Bavarian and CSO, and Vanska/BBC Scottish. To make matters even more interesting, the 1878 Oeser Version(omiting the coda from the Scherzo, a mistake in my opinion)features the following---Asashina, Barenboim/BPO and Chicago AND Orch de Paris Haitink/RCO, Horenstein, Kubelik and Rhosdestvensky. Still!! an 189 Nowak version, published in 1959 with "all the usual suspects," including Jochum, Maazel, Janssons, Masur and Karajan! Enough, already!!

This recording is the customary Haitink product, superb musicianship, sensitive interpretation and a fist class ensemble, the Vienna Philharmonic sing their hearts out. Howver, the significance of this work is the real story.

Regardless of the version, or in my case, the VERSIONS you own, several things are crystal clear. Bruckner casts a mold for his future creations with this opening movement, energy, motion, mystery and glorious ideas. The Andante, quasi Adagio, as it is marked, is his first really splended creeation. A composer's adagio is most often, a test of his ability to express one or more thoughts, develop them and bring their final pulses to a logical conclusion, all the time building and controlling the passion and the tension. Bruckner's monumental adagios, in Symphonies #5, 7, 8,and most eloguently, the 9th, have their germination in the "andante" from this work. The whirling, pounding scherzos we hear in the 6th 7th and 9th, also are first considered here in 1877. I've always felt the finale is a bit weak. Yes, yes, the choral over the polka, expert counterpoint, so what! A complete alternate 4th movement, if it were ever to have happen to have been composed, then suddenly discovered, would be a real treat. Another thing is that, given the devistation of the premiere, Bruckner still managed to keep his chin up and continue with his artistic pursuits, a lesser man might have thrown in the towel.

In summation, this is just another stirring performance by one of the finest pairings in recorded sound, well engineered and now, with the addition of the 8th, which I have not heard, a high quality bargain, not to be missed. A solid 4-stars.