The Japanese penchant for Bruckner's music and recordings will be rewarded once again with the release of a 2-SACD of Sir Simon Rattle's performance of a 4-movement version of Bruckner's last but unfinished symphony, an amalgamated live recording of his Berlin Philharmonic concerts in February 2012. This Japanese release (TOGE 11092), scheduled on 9 May and priced at 3300 yen, was advertised as antedating the international release. The reconstructed Finale makes use of the latest version of the SPCM completion.
I look forward to this one showing up in the US. Do you know which version of the 4th movement he uses?
ReplyDeleteIt is the latest Samale-Phillips-Cohrs-Mazzuca (SPCM) completion with a new coda.
DeleteThanks! I missed that in your original post. There's a lengthy article on this most recent completion on John Berky's site (including a section on the new coda). In case you haven't seen it (and have a few days to spare):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.abruckner.com/articles/articlesenglish/cohrsB9finale/
Hi, Thanks. I've downloaded the pdf file before, and it makes fascinating reading. Cohrs' article has become longer and longer with a newer revision. His article on the 2008 revision has only 47 pages, then 79 for the 2011 revision, and now even longer. The changes with each revision are all good food for thought.
DeleteMorning Dr Lau
ReplyDeleteAlthough I sometimes listen to Buckner Symphonies, I am not quite as familiar as your knowledge about Bruckner.
Please enlighten me what makes a difference between this new four movements version than the older one, any significant difference.
BTW, Rattle seems to me less inspiring than those old-school brucknerian maestros such like Celibidache, Wand and Karajan, what do you think?
Thanks
George
Dear George,
DeleteThe more I read about and listen to Bruckner's music, the more I realize how little I know about it.
The link posted above (http://www.abruckner.com/articles/articlesenglish/cohrsB9finale/) will give you a very good idea of this new completed Finale.
An article on the different attempts at completion and their respective recordings can be found in:
http://www.stereophile.com/musicrecordings/bruckners_symphony_no9_finally_a_ifinalei/index.html
The only thing I can say about Simon Rattle is that it may be too early to have a verdict on how well a Brucknerian he is, as he is still young (57). The years of experience and the sociocultural environment in which Celi, Karajan and Wand were nourished will put Rattle in a disadvantageous position when comparisons are made at this juncture.
Warm regards,
Horace