My Favourite Bruckner Recordings (episode 7a) -- Rarity is not a criterion

It doesn't require the sharp mind of Sherlock Holmes to diagnose self-aggrandizement in the classical music world, from players on stage to listeners at home next to a pair of speakers. Nor, indeed, does it need an insightful mind to see that rarity has often been equated with supremacy in recorded classical music. Hard-to-find records have been hailed as treasures unable to be appreciated by the Tom, Dick and Harry in music lovers -- these rare finds are hors concours recognised only by the connoisseur. That's nothing wrong with someone enjoying his/her rare gems. However, as usual, life is not so simple. Problem arises when these 'knowledgeable' persons assume that all-too-familiar condescending attitude towards their poorer fellow listeners who cling to their common and popular records.

How familiar it is to hear " You like Wand and Karajan right? Oh yeah you people usually do. Have you ever heard of so-and-so?" Popular choices are considered low taste, and the same applies to modern recordings compared to old ones. Just as the premise that everything old is good in classical music recordings is based on the skimpiest of underpinnings, not everything rare, or simply just hard-to-find, must be good either. I'll take five examples to illustrate this point. These 5 conductors each have only one extant Bruckner symphony recording up to this moment. Aside from one record, by Heinz Bongartz, which is still available only in a box-set of 8 CDs in some areas, and another, by Karl Richter, which is available only in Japan, all the rest are out of print at this moment. Most of these recordings have been eulogised as the 'best' in the respective symphony somewhere over the internet. My purpose of commenting on these 'unique' recordings is not to taunt those immensely satisfied listeners, far from it, but just to present a different view to balance the picture.

These 5 CDs are:
1) Symphony No. 4: Karl Richter, Radio-Symphonie-Orchestra Berlin, live 7 Nov 1977 (Altus ALT068)
2) Symphony No. 5: Gerhard Pflüger, Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra, 3&4 Apr 1952 (Dante LYS 417)
3) Symphony No. 6: Heinz Bongartz, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Dec 1964 (Berlin Classics 0184512BC)
4) Symphony No. 7: Tang Muhai (湯沐海), Queensland Symphony Orchestra, 22&23 Nov 1996 (ABC Classics CD 456 664-2)
5) Symphony No. 9: Vladimir Delman, Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Emilia Romagna "Arturo Toscanini", Apr 1994 (Aura AUR 425-2)

A mixed bag, I'd say. But a very interesting mixed bag, I have to add. Although none of these CDs make it to my favourite list, they are entertaining in their unique ways. Picture scans and comments later.