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Label: |
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RCA |
Serial: |
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82876543322 (2 discs) |
Title: |
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Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 - Harnoncourt |
Description: |
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Bruckner: Symphony No. 9, 4th movement (fragment and John A Philips compilation)
Vienna Philharmonic
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor) |
Track listing: |
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Disc 1 (CD):
Symphony No. 9, WAB 109, 4th movement (fragment and John A Philips compilation) plus talk
Total time: 71:24
Disc 2 (SACD):
Symphony No. 9, WAB 109
Total time: 58:50 |
Genre: |
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Classical - Orchestral |
Content: |
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Stereo/Multichannel |
Media: |
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Hybrid |
Recording type: |
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Recording info: |
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Recorded 14-20 August, 2002, Großes Festpielhaus, Salzburg (Austria) · Live Recording
Recording Producer: Friedemann Engelbrecht
Recording Engineer: Michael Brammann
Assistant Engineer: René Möller |
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Review by beardawgs October 29, 2003 (5 of 5 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics:  |
I didn’t expect this recording to be as good as it is, but I have to agree with Dinko. I won’t be rushing now to buy more Harnoncourt CDs thou, but this performance ranks among the best available of Bruckner’s 9th. After all what has been said in the forum, I was eager to check it out for myself, and I am not disappointed. Let’s hope that BMG/RCA will continue good work and give us more.
Tempi are bit on the fast side, but as I’m biased there by Celibidache’s Bruckner conducting, don’t take my word for it. But the structure is all there, magnificent as it should be. Build ups are powerful with lot of tension and H. gives just enough space for his players do develop every phrase unrushed. I was particularly fascinated with the second movement: precise rhythmic pulse is a spot on and the overall sound is an orgy of biting brass. I do have a slight reservation about treating the middle section (trio) as a piece composed by Debussy on crack, but the impressionistic approach probably can be justified as looking forward of what’s to come in European music later on. H. also speeds up some section of the final movement with certain ‘fin-du-siecle’ grace, not usually associated with late Bruckner. It is thou in a strong contrast with sombre and grave episodes that follows, and it really keeps concentration on a high level of alertnes.
I still didn’t have time to check out what’s on the 1st disk about the reconstruction of the final movement, and to be honest I’m not much bothered with it. There is too little of the original Bruckner’s music left to finish it in a manner of Mahler’s 10th or Elgar’s 3rd, and H. finishes the last movement of the completed part as there is something else to follow. I personally prefer more conclusive ending of the 3rd movement, it is after all Mahler who inspired by this finishes his 9th symphony in the same way with a complete quiet desperation.
The recording ranks among the best I’ve heard.
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Review by peteyspambucket December 31, 2003 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
I love this symphony and there exist several excellent recordings - 3 from Karajan, 2 from Jochum, Bohm, Haitink, Solti, older historic performances, etc. Based on the performance alone, this ranks very well with those.
I like the more aggressive approach Harnoncourt takes with certain passages, and the playing is excellent. The brass are very exciting and the strings have a lot of character, as you would expect with this orchestra.
Sonically, the sound is lifelike in its balance, and you feel like you're sitting about the middle of the Orchestra section. The lower frequencies are consistent and have a very nice natural bloom. The sound is very big, and yet uncongested.
I recommend this SACD and I'm hoping for more Bruckner on SACD. I'll still want to keep my Karajan (final VPO), Walter (Columbia), and Jochum handy, but that's pretty good company. :-)
(PS - I may add further detail to this review later.)
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