Search - Anton Bruckner, Karl Bohm, Wiener Philharmoniker :: Bruckner: Symphonie No. 7

A Magnificent Obsession... Bruckner's 7th Symphony.

F. Wooley | san francisco, ca | 08/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Owning (so far) 28 recordings of this symphony, and supposing I was allowed to choose only one to take along to that desert island, I would have to pick this one, sure that it would act as a most soothing balm to the harshness of my plight; incidentally, this would be the second time that a recording bringing together Karl Böhm, the Wiener Philharmoniker and a beloved composer has the power to fill me with feelings of bliss, admiration and gratitude - the other being Beethoven's 6th symphony, in DGG's mid-price collection, 'the originals'. To my mind, they possess the rare ability to conjure an almost living-and-breathing entity, 'organic' like the burnished wood of the violins that comprise the string section of that most fabled of instruments, the Vienna Philharmonic. But it is not all magic, rather the result of a hard working tradition spanning the centuries, to bear the fruits of a culture that transcends the local to speak and sing to all of the universal. By the time of this recording, Böhm had conducted this work through five decades. All of this for 11 dollars?... what are you waiting for."

An Amazing Bruckner's Seventh

Pav | Prague, Czech Republic | 05/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Karl Boehm's interpretations often discourage the record-lovers by what actually is their greatest merit: they are composer-true. They are never fanciful and looked-for. Boehm simply tries to make the music sound as the composer intended. Another handicap for many is Boehm's more than un-spectacular personality. Let's admit that such a fetishist aspect as the physical appearance and behavior of the conductor does not influence the quality of the recording - you simply cannot hear it.

Being a Brucknerian for some fifteen year and coming to this version pretty soon I still think it is one of the best records ever (and I agree with some of the previous reviewers that one of the most under-estimated).

The sound is warm, the tempos are just right; nothing is exaggerated although the interpretation is full of passion and sort of unworldly detachment for which I always loved this composition.

"

A fine achievement

Robert T. Martin | 03/31/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I doubt if I would ever choose a Bohm performance as a "best ever" but in this effort he's in the company of the greats. His approach is straightforward with fine tempos that keep the music moving. What distinguishes it though is the beautiful and committed playing of the VPO (a commitment that for me isn't as evident in Bohm's so-called legendary performance of Bruckner's 4th). Clearly on the day this was performed and recorded all participants were on their game. Sound quality is excellent."