The latest release in Janowski's Bruckner cycle

Bruckner Symphony No. 7

Janowski's ongoing Bruckner cycle has come to the 7th. It was recorded in October 2010 in the Victoria Hall, Geneva. The playing of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is first-rate as in all their previous Bruckner recordings (in chronological order the 9th, 6th, 5th and 8th) on Pentatone.

It is plush and sonorous (but not dark-hued) soundwise, particularly in the warm multi-channel SACD sound. On the other hand, it is an eloquent and lyrical reading. Together they add up to very comfortable listening. So far so good. What ultimately makes it short of joining my top favourite list of recordings of this symphony is its relatively shallow beauty of sound and lyricism, leaving a sense of emptiness beneath the surface when the inner voices are not discernable. A moment of disappointment also comes forth when the tension sags in the second theme's first occurrence in the lovely Adagio. It is a recording very easy on the ears, but in the end I was left with the impression that this reading merely vocalises, albeit beautifully, but does not speak or sing as other top Brucknerians' renditions did impressively.