Bruckner: Symphony No4, WAB104; Symphony in E No7, WAB107

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Hopefully DG will reissue the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies from Daniel Barenboim's vastly underrated Chicago Symphony Bruckner cycle. If you like brass (and who doesn't?), these are the performances for you. When they were first issued, these performances were criticized for their extremes of tempo and seeming youthful impetuosity. Well, that's no bad thing. It's true that Bruckner seems to respond well to interpretations by sclerotic old Germans, but there's more to his music than that, and few performances have ever conveyed the sheer sonic magnificence of the writing as well as these forces do. Try the scherzo of the Fourth. If you're not hooked, then there's no hope. --David Hurwitz

Bruckner: Symphony No4, WAB104; Symphony in E No7, WAB107, Music, Anton Bruckner, Daniel Barenboim, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic

Average customer rating:

One of the great lost treasures

Because I'm a wunderkind and I want to record it, that's why

Pretty Good Except For the Animal Noises

Barenboim is Great!

Bruckner = Brass

Bruckner: Symphony No4, WAB104; Symphony in E No7, WAB107

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Barenboim, Daniel | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Bruckner | Bruckner, Anton | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000007ODZ
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 in E flat major 'Romantic': 1. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major 'Romantic': 2. Andante quasi Allegretto
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major 'Romantic': 3. Scherzo: Bewegt - Trio: Nicht zu schnell. Keinesfalls schleppend - Scherzo
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major 'Romantic': 4. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

Tracks:

Symphony no. 7 in E major: 1. Allegro moderato
Symphony no. 7 in E major: 2. Adagio: Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam
Symphony no. 7 in E major: 3. Scherzo: Sehr schnell
Symphony no. 7 in E major: 4. Finale: Bewegt, doch night schnell

Amazon.com

Hopefully DG will reissue the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies from Daniel Barenboim's vastly underrated Chicago Symphony Bruckner cycle. If you like brass (and who doesn't?), these are the performances for you. When they were first issued, these performances were criticized for their extremes of tempo and seeming youthful impetuosity. Well, that's no bad thing. It's true that Bruckner seems to respond well to interpretations by sclerotic old Germans, but there's more to his music than that, and few performances have ever conveyed the sheer sonic magnificence of the writing as well as these forces do. Try the scherzo of the Fourth. If you're not hooked, then there's no hope. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

One of the great lost treasures .......2007-06-22

I have a nice turntable and still buy LPs if they are in good condition and are at least 30% less costly than CDs. I also buy LPs if they are not available on CD and then convert them to CD-R. I bought the Barenboim/CSO Bruckner Symphony Cycle 12 LP boxed set 6 months ago. I have only seen one CD boxed set go at an Ebay auction for over $320. This entire cycle is not readily available and that is a shame. I was very fortunate to get my boxed set for under $40 (including s/h) since they only come up 3 to 5 times a year for auction at Ebay.

Like the Leibowitz Beethoven Symphony Cycle from 1961, the Barenboim/CSO Bruckner Symphony cycle is one of the lost treasures of classical music. I have converted both of these cycles to CD-R.

If you have not listened to the early symphonies you are missing out. I especially like Symphony One. Besides the Barenboim Cycle, I have the first Deutsche Grammophon Jochum Bruckner cycle on CD (1958 to 1968) and the mostly 1960s Haitink Bruckner Cycle on CD. I enjoy all three but by far the Barenboim cycle the most. The Jochum Cycle has one of the best 4th symphony performances that I have heard. Every symphony in Barenboim's boxed set is superbly performed and recorded, but for me, symphonies 4, 7, and 8 really stand out. I like his 4th with the CSO much better than the later one with the BPO. I have five 4ths that I greatly enjoy and this one tops that list. Symphonies 7 & 8 are sheer heaven. While listening carefully during recording, they sent shivers up me timbers. The 8th has been the hardest for me to get into mainly due to its length. Now it is perhaps my favorite, even over the 4th.

The 4th and 7th offered in this twofer is a great deal. This twofer is cheap enough to wet your whistle (especially used thru Amzn. Mrkt) and then you can decide to collect the others or not. Do not believe the Barenboim Bashers! One reviewer hates Barenboim simply because he was, in the 1980s, a young virtuoso pianist turned conductor. There have been many a young piano virtuoso turned conductor. How about George Szell, Solti, and Bernstein just to name three!

The Amazon.com reviewer is spot on about the brass section. They are second to none wonderful.

Because I'm a wunderkind and I want to record it, that's why.......2005-09-29

Even in the Seventies, at the outset of his conducting career with big international orchestras, a time when Barenboim had no credentials to compete with veteran Brucknerians, he got his way. It's amazing how much music Barenboim has committed to disc, in fact, without any obvious show of talent on the podium.

You would think form his extensive discography that he is another Bernstein, capable of infusing any work with his own personal stamp. That is far from the case. Barenboim, one must admit, was a wunderkind, but more along the lines of Maazel--he is a facile, willful conductor whose ideas never go very deep. That he has self-styled himself in the great tradition of Furtwangler is ludicrous.

This Bruckner isn't terrible, and the CSO makes a good, if at times brash showing. If you must have Barenobim in these works--why?--his later traversal on Erato with the Berlin Phil. is much more accomplished and in wonderful sound.

Pretty Good Except For the Animal Noises.......2005-03-19

This Double CD of Barenboim's 70's CSO Bruckner symphonies is frustratingly almost great. The interpretations are vigorous, fluid and coherent. The orchetral playing is brilliant. The only thing wrong is Barenboim's unfortunate tendency to sonically deface his recordings by groaning during all of his favorite parts. If you're not listening too closely it's not that bad, but on headphones, which is usual for me, even at moderate volume the ugly, unmusical vocalizations are annoying. Loud, they are very annoying!

Barenboim is Great!.......2004-05-27

In spite of the fact others may not care for Barenboim at least he has the gall to get lathered up into the whirlpool of Bruckner's crescendo markings. The freedom with tempi are really quite elastic and help make the phrases move nicely without forcing too much. I am tired of listening to lifeless Bruckner...at least here we have some fire and blazes in music that needs it.

These are super sounding recordings as well. Power Bruckner with dramatic bite as well.

Bruckner = Brass.......2002-10-08

Sure, Bruckner wrote wonderful parts for the entire orchestra, but it's obvious he tried to capture a larger than life sound utilizing brass through a vast majority of his symphonies, and where can you find better brass than in the Chicago Symphony? Bruckner 4 and 7, presented on this disc, rely heavily on a rich, sonorous brass section, and it's a thrill listening to this great orchestra play this music with the power it deserves...

Track Listings:

Track Listings

Millennium Collection [Import]

The Way I Feel

Ultimate Shirley Bassey [Import]

Vivaldi: Bassoon Concertos, Vol. 5

Where the Dark Road Starts: songs of love [Explicit Lyrics]

Treasures of Love

Trans-Europe Express [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Tropical Dreams

To 2 a Bailar

Chicago Blues

The Gordon Jenkins Collection