Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 / Orchestral Lieder/Various

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Why has Bruckner's Sixth Symphony remained relatively unfamiliar compared to his other mature masterworks? After all, it features thrilling orchestral effects, is decked out with profuse variety, and includes one of the composer's most grippingly beautiful slow movements. Bruckner also found it to be one of his boldest statements; in this account (Nowak Edition), Riccardo Chailly presses down against the veins of tension coursing through the symphony to create a largely exciting, charged momentum, particularly effective in the symphony's rhythmically overdetermined climaxes. He seems less interested in pursuing Brucknerian repose and serenity than Georg Tintner (who has recorded a splendid Sixth in his budget series on Naxos) and never achieves the sustained level of organic inevitability that still makes Klemperer's classic account the touchstone interpretation. Still, there's plenty of poetry in his voicing of Bruckner's unusually lush garlands of melody in the Adagio and a driving pulse that's hair-raising in the especially scary Scherzo. Chailly gets a fine performance from the Concertgebouw, above all in the unstoppered brilliance of the horns and trumpets (listen to their antiphony in the long first-movement coda for an especially magical effect). The coupling with four orchestrated Goethe songs by Hugo Wolf--one of the happy few to understand Bruckner in his time--shows off Matthias Goerne's ravishing, always-expressive tone, and makes a choice lagniappe. --Thomas May

Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 / Orchestral Lieder/Various, Music, Matthias Goerne, Anton Bruckner, Hugo Wolf, Riccardo Chailly, Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Symphony, Song Collection for Solo Voice and Piano, Symphonic, Vocal

Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 in A (Nowak ed.) / Wolf: 4 Goethe-Lieder
Average customer rating:

terrific sound

Fine Bruckner, even finer Wolf

An interpretative failure

To the nay-sayers : This one is excellent !

The problem is simpler than you think

Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 in A (Nowak ed.) / Wolf: 4 Goethe-Lieder

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bruckner: Symphony No. 8

ASIN: B00000J9FT
Release Date: 1999-06-15

Tracks:

Harfenspieler-Lieder: I. Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
Harfenspieler-Lieder: II. An die Turen will ich schleichen
Harfenspieler-Lieder: III. Wer nie sein Brot mit tranen ass
Anakreons Grab
Symphony No.6 In A Major: I. Maestoso
Symphony No.6 In A Major: II. Adagio: Sehr feierlich
Symphony No.6 In A Major: III. Scherzo: Nicht schnell - Trio: Langsam
Symphony No.6 In A Major: IV. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

Amazon.com essential recording

Why has Bruckner's Sixth Symphony remained relatively unfamiliar compared to his other mature masterworks? After all, it features thrilling orchestral effects, is decked out with profuse variety, and includes one of the composer's most grippingly beautiful slow movements. Bruckner also found it to be one of his boldest statements; in this account (Nowak Edition), Riccardo Chailly presses down against the veins of tension coursing through the symphony to create a largely exciting, charged momentum, particularly effective in the symphony's rhythmically overdetermined climaxes. He seems less interested in pursuing Brucknerian repose and serenity than Georg Tintner (who has recorded a splendid Sixth in his budget series on Naxos) and never achieves the sustained level of organic inevitability that still makes Klemperer's classic account the touchstone interpretation. Still, there's plenty of poetry in his voicing of Bruckner's unusually lush garlands of melody in the Adagio and a driving pulse that's hair-raising in the especially scary Scherzo. Chailly gets a fine performance from the Concertgebouw, above all in the unstoppered brilliance of the horns and trumpets (listen to their antiphony in the long first-movement coda for an especially magical effect). The coupling with four orchestrated Goethe songs by Hugo Wolf--one of the happy few to understand Bruckner in his time--shows off Matthias Goerne's ravishing, always-expressive tone, and makes a choice lagniappe. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

terrific sound.......2006-03-11

I liked this razor sharp recording a lot (and I own quite a few others). The conducting is excellent in my opinon. The orchestra playes when it should and stops in the breaks.
Celibadache's is very good also though not as accessible.
Klemperrer's is excellent conducting-wise, but the level of playing is not as good as in this recording.
Highly recommended.

Fine Bruckner, even finer Wolf.......2002-04-20

The primary appeal of this disc for me was the Bruckner, one of his more underrated symphonies. I already own an outstanding version by Wolfgang Sawallisch on Orfeo, but was not about to miss this one, which turns out to be an excellent performance.

Chailly's way with Bruckner, like his Mahler, emphasizes the inner voicing. For me it works, but clearly it may not for all Brucknerites (many of whom hold very strong opinions!). If there are more moments here that feel "wandering" it is probably the fault of the score, not Chailly's interpretation. Nevertheless, the quality of the orchestral playing, and many fine passages throughout, make it worth hearing.

The real discovery were the Wolf songs, gorgeously sung by Matthias Goerne. If you like the Straussian long line, these beautifully orchestrated gems will probably appeal to you. This was also my introduction to Mr. Goerne, a formidable singer indeed.

Since most recordings of the Bruckner Sixth have no couplings, this one gets a strong vote for including these compelling Wolf pieces.

An interpretative failure.......2001-05-09

First of all, let's please stick to reviewing the recording itself rather than others' reviews. That to me is a start toward rationality.

As a conductor, I can attest to the well recognized fact that Bruckner's Sixth is a tough nut to crack. There are a lot of musical challenges which if not properly treated, will easily disintegrate the structure of this work. Bruckner's thematic materials are normally expanded through patient development. This telescoping effect requires foresight, and superb control form the part of the conductor, and Chailly in this particular recording failed to do so. The music starting from the middle of the first movement begins to fragment to multiple directions. To these ears the first movement is the weakest in this recording. And that delivers the early yet fatal blow. The Concertgebouw, which is my favorite orchestra, play like a well-polished ensemble but without a much needed sense of direction. Too bad.

I personally has less problem with the tempo than with the overall integrity of the music. The second movement could be a little slower, but it doesn't bother me. I would probably have guessed this to be a late Karajan work if I were to listen to the second movement blinded. For the orchestral color was so incredibly well blended, but absolutely failed to highlight the significance of the thematic recapitulation, for I didn't sense the music going anywhere. It was reduced to a rich, sonorous, exciting symphonic sound with absolutely nothing more to say. That by itself is a major failure to these ears.

I am perfectly ready to overlook the errors (some rather glaring) in the first movement for I don't believe in note-perfect performance, but I came away not feeling the greatness of Bruckner in this recording.

And Anton Bruckner is my hero...

To the nay-sayers : This one is excellent !.......2000-12-06

This one is for the nay-sayers. I read your discussion with interest and I must say I obviously disagree with the criticism. The point is, what do you ask from Bruckner. Do you want to silence your conscience for not going to church by engulfing yourself in the so-called religious depths of Bruckner. Or do you want to be enlightened by Bruckner's sublime manipulation of tonal colours and orchestral textures and large architecture. I myself am a convinced atheist. Yet I find immense pleasure in Bruckners opus. On the other hand I'm incredibly bored by the Klemps, Jochums, Celibedaches et. al. Not because they are not quick enough, but because imo they fail to see that Bruckner above all is MUSIC and not a holy mass. I've had a similar discussion about Wagner's Gotterdammerung, which imo is also ruined by the hordes of conductors who just want to grail-resonate in act I and III and rush through all the drama that's in the story. Now back to this Chailly recording : I live in Amsterdam, a few minutes bicycle ride from the Concertgebouw. I have not been able to see this 6th, but I've had the pleasure of hearing Maestro Chailly conduct the 8th with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Personally I can't see anything wrong with it.....except that he doesn't conduct it like Klemp et. al. But this is just a matter of taste ! It's the same as those m%r(ns who blast away every Wotan who doesn't sing the role like Hans Hotter or every conductor who doesn't conduct Wagner like Furtwangler. This sixth shines in all it's glory (aided by the fantastic recording we've come to expect from Andrew Cornall) and I can't find anything un-Brucknerian about it. The structure is very clear but at the same time Chailly leaves all room for melodic beauty and for Bruckner's harmonic magic. Most of all this is one of those conductors who clears Bruckner of the image of "sound cathedrals" by perfectly outlining every contrapunctal line in the score and yet keep the whole perfectly integrated. Granted if you're stuck on one vision of Bruckner you're bound to hate this recording, but on the other hand if you love Bruckner's music qua music (as opposed to qua spiritual meaning) I can't imagine someone to dislike this recording. I don't think that Chailly goes for effectiveness, since I know him to be a very conscientious conductor whose integrity towards the music is beyond doubt. In the line of great Brucknerians, which for me consits of Haitink, Wand and very maybe Celibedache Chailly holds for me a fully justified place. Happy listening to whomever cares to explore this Bruckner miracle !

The problem is simpler than you think.......2000-07-12

Let's simplify this, folks: there are two ways to do Bruckner, fast or slow. Sometimes they both work well in the same work, but not in the same performance, and that's what causes Chailly to make something close to twaddle here in the bottom of the Sixth.

He's off to the races here, chuckling along there. There's an overuse of the rubato. There were obviously a lot of takes which means maybe there wasn't a lot of rehearsal for this one. Chailly seems to be trying to get the work to "display" as he goes along, but it won't budge. He doesn't have the key to the kingdom.

But cut him some slack, folks, a lot of maestri have made a mess of this one, too. Let's face it: it's the weak sister in both Jochum sets, the Tintner, the Haitink, the Inbal (whatever version he might be trying out this week). Reichert, Walter, Steinberg, Solti (a lot worse than this), Rosbaud, Sawallisch and Karajan couldn't do much with the thing, either. Bohm was so out in the currents that it completely ruined Bruckner for him. It's not that it's bad work, it's a real challenge to interpret.

Yes, Horst Stein got the right idea, and Klemperer surely did. They started from that old notion of mapping out a Bruckner forest and its boundaries first, then starting in clearing through the thickets, methodically, sensibly, honestly...and accordingly, the old Sixth opens up nicely. It's no great intellectual exercize, it's just hard to do. Remember, Bruckner even found work ON it sending him off on some tangents that had to be snipped out later (by him, not the famous "editors").

Klemp and Stein knew this and planned accordingly. They, and subsequently we, were immediately rewarded for the effort.

Listening to Chailly, I think he'll have some more to say later about Bruckner's Sixth that's valid, but he'll have to get organized first. Don't hockey all over him; I have a feeling he'll be back with this to better effect.

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