Bruckner: Symphony 6

Anton Bruckner (Composer), Wolfgang Sawallisch (Conductor), Bavarian State Orchestra (Orchestra), Munich Bavarian State Orchestra (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Bavarian State Orchestra, Munich Bavarian State Orchestra
• Conductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch
• Composer: Anton Bruckner
• Audio CD (November 9, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Orfeo
• ASIN: B00000596U
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #412,516 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. Symphony No. 6 in A major, WAB 106: Majestoso

2. Symphony No. 6 in A major, WAB 106: Adagio, Sehr feierlich

3. Symphony No. 6 in A major, WAB 106: Scherzo: Nicht schnell, Trio: Langsam

4. Symphony No. 6 in A major, WAB 106: Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Symphony No. 6 I've Heard, October 15, 2002

By	Variety in Music "George Orr (Jor Jor)" (Asia) - See all my reviews

I'm not generally a fan of this conductor, but here his performance moves forward powerfully, is tightly organized, and the orchestra and recorded sound are nearly ideal for this work. I like this better than the other five or six (if not more)recordings of the 6th I have.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite Good!, May 3, 2007

By	Doug - Haydn Fan (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Bruckner's sixth symphony has a quirky distinctive personality. The off-beat and kinky scherzo in particular is especially memorable, capturing Bruckner's eccentric originality to perfection. Conducting the work as a whole requires a slightly laid back personality - when the work is forced it seems to blow up on a conductor, losing it's charm and distinctiveness. Having said this I have to admit that two of my favorite performances were by pretty serious approaches by pretty monumental leaders, Klemperer and Furtwangler - this latter not a complete performance. However, mere mortals trying to have a go at this work rarely manage to pull off the heaven-storming approach of those two baton legends.
This recording happily avoids trying to overdo things. The balances are quite delightful, and the work's charming disposition is allowed to emerge - in many ways this is the sunniest of Bruckner's symphonies, or at least the most ingratiating. Again, I've never understood the need some critics have for apologies for this work.
Setting aside the classic Klemperer among available recordings, the tops among those available is Stein's serious and brilliantly played and recorded way with the Vienna. Truth to tell, I find this performance almost too much of a good thing: it is very forceful and can be a tad overwhelming. Although many find the Stein CD very sensitive and lyrical I tend to disagree a wee bit - the Vienna Philharmonic may be resplendent, but it hammers forth at times on those forte passages like the Dies Irae from the Verdi Requiem. (Of course many Bruckner enthusiasts live for just such blasts.) Personally I find it yet another sign that we are still learning how to approach this symphony among a very complicated and at times contradictory body of work. The Bruckner sixth symphony certainly allows for considerable diversity in approach, and performances such as this one under Sawallisch do a fine job in bringing out many of the work's often submerged charms and attractions.