02 August 2009

The excellent trilogy from Blomstedt


















The recently released Bruckner 6th recorded by Blomstedt and the Gewandhaus Orchestra follows his two previous excellent ones on the 7th and the 8th in the 21st century. He recorded the 9th in 1995 (Decca), and the 3rd in 1998 (Querstand, only available in a box set) with the same orchestra.

He has recorded the 6th before, with the San Francisco Symphony on Decca in 1990. That was a fine interpretation. The oboe, which plays a very important part in the Adagio, was magnificent. Re-listening just confirms my memory of how expressive and melancholic the oboe sings.

Looking back on the recorded history of the 6th, one ought to mention the Klemperer version with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, which has been awarded a legendary status by many critics. That may be true in that era (it was recorded back in 1964) when the recorded output of the 6th was scarce, even well into the 80s. When many more recordings were appearing in the last 15 years or so, the situation has changed. I can never convince myself that this Klemperer recording is the best or even a great one. Yes, the lower strings are dark-hued, but how about the brass, which is so critical to an idiomatic Bruckner sound picture? Barely serviceable at best. Compare it to those of the Vienna Philharmonic, Concertgebouw or Gewandhaus and you will know. The Adagio is too brisk. I cannot connect with Klemperer’s expression of deep feelings, if there ever was some in this recording. Comparing it with some very good recent ones still doesn’t change my mind. Even his BBC SO recording on Testament is no better to my liking.

The one which has been undervalued for a long time is Horst Stein’s with the Vienna Philharmonic. The harmony was treated wonderfully. The woodwind, as usual with the VPO, is lovable. The brass section is divided with horns on the left, and trumpets and trombones on the right. This sonic antiphony works wonders in the coda of the first movement. That was back in 1974 when the VPO was in peak form. It has lately been reissued in the Eloquence series, a true bargain of a gem.

Gunter Wand recorded it twice with the NDR, and I prefer the first one recorded in 1988. The lower strings are so Teutonic, which is immediately apparent from the opening in the first movement. The rubato in the woodwind, particularly the oboe in the Adagio, and the legato of the strings, are all so mesmerizing.

Michael Gielen’s is also good. The lines are clean, as usual for him, and the Scherzo is played so Mahlerian to my ears, which is very interesting. The tone palette is fully utilized.

When Haitink’s with the Staatskapelle Dresden first appeared, I secretly hoped that it might fill the gap left by Sinopoli in his Dresden cycle. How naïve I was! This is not a bad reading, but Haitink apparently wore his heart on his sleeves in the first movement.

The new one by Blomstedt has all the ingredients of a successful reading. The entire work is perfectly paced. The orchestra has a lovable Brucknerian brass sonority, which is deep, rich and sonorous, without any hint of raucousness. The strings are sweet and mellow, with the upper and lower strings blending so well. This is a reading full of feelings, yet not over-sentimentalized. The acoustics of the concert hall was well captured. This is a real winner. To my mind, it deserves a place in the upper echelons of recorded Bruckner Sixth. This is a recording that I will look back on with undiluted pleasure in years to come.

7 comments:

  1. Nice to share!

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  2. Hi Horace
    Hope you are well & happy.
    I have just seen a few reviews of a Bruckner 6 that I had no idea existed - the BPO from the early 1960s under Joseph Keilberth. It has been re-issued very cheaply by Japanese Teldec, so I have ordered it. Apparently it has legendary status among Brucknerians, so not sure how this one has passed me by(!) Have you heard it?
    Best wishes
    Karafan

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  3. Dear Karafan,
    Thank you and how are you?
    I was just too busy to update my blog. It so happened that I've been listening again to Keilberth's Bruckner recordings recently because of a new re-issue of his B9 by Spectrum Sound which claims they are using top gears to recapture the sound from first-pressed LPs. In fact it sounds great.
    Keilberth's B6, as you've mentioned, has a legendary status and I think it is worthy of it.
    When I have more free time, I'll blog my impressions of his Bruckner recordings.
    Best regards,
    Horace

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  4. Thank you Horace - I look forward to hearing your thoughts (and yes, I am well & happy too - but never happier than when immersed in Bruckner!).
    Karafan.

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  5. this 6th is nearly perfect for me. btw, querstand is available in tw now.

    eaquson

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  6. the 3rd mov of the querstand 7th sounds so right to me. now I can really enjoy this movement.

    sound of this set is well captured, which is much better than those braodcast files. imho this might be the best ongoing set.

    eaquson

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  7. Yes indeed, eaquson. This ongoing set is one which I'm always looking forward for the next release.
    Horace

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