Anton Bruckner Nikolaus Harnoncourt Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Bruckner Symphony No 5 with Excerpts from the Rehearsals +Album Reviews

First Thoughts...

Iyer | Bethesda, MD | 03/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Disclaimer: I have just completed listening to this rendition. I will have to listen to this several more times to fully understand what Harnoncourt is trying to do, but am writing this "First Thoughts" posting in the hope that it will give prospective buyers some preliminary guidelines.

Not surprisingly, Harnoncourt has taken the "Text" to the cleaners and has completely rethought the partitur with the collaboration of Benjamin Gunnar-Cohrs. One fascinating example of this is the revelation of the relevance of Mozart's contrapuntal technique in his Requiem on Bruckner's composing method. The endlessly rewarding rehearsal CD that comes with the actual performance (or "performances", since this is the usual cut and paste job done over several live recordings) explicates this in some detail.

There are several new and wonderful things that Harnoncourt has brought out in this the most structurally perfect Bruckner symphony. I will post some musings on how they work after repeated listenings. But my overall impression is that, in the end, (and please bear mind that this is a first listen on my part) Harnoncourt has done the work of a master restorer (and I mean that as the highest praise) in revealing the inner workings of this great score, but has somehow fallen short of illuminating the canvas as a whole.

It is too early to compare this rendition with the acknowledgedly great recordings of Horenstein, Wand (NDR), and Sinopoli, but this is a CD that you should give very serious consideration. I feel that it is a rendition that will reveal its truths slowly but surely.

The playing of the VPO is, despite an uncharacteristic horn flub in the last movement and the usual over-bright trumpets, generally first-rate, with some magical moments in pianissimo playing that only this orchestra can summon.

Happy listening!"

Harnoncourt's Bruckner's 5th

N. Hopkins | Stockton, CA USA | 12/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Over the past half century I've owned upwards of three dozen recordings (on LP, tape, and CD) of the Bruckner 5th -- every one, in fact, I could lay my hands on.

Harnoncourt's is -- to my great surprise -- far-and-away the best. The tempi are perfect; the dyamics are perfect; the playing, especially in the strings, is perfect.

Among many other highlights of this recording: the beautifully paced chorale in the 2d movement, the sensible contrast between the scherzo and trio sections in the 3d movement, the stately pacing of the fugue in the 4th.

Knowing Harnoncourt mostly from his recordings of the complete Bach cantatas (alternating with Gustav Leonhardt), I was much impressed by his recording of Bruckner's 9th. It is very good. But his recording of the 5th exceeds anything he has done outside Bach."

Magnificent

Dave | Hoffman Estates, IL USA | 08/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of Bruckner's 5th with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Vienna Philharmonic features superb playing and recorded sound of an enormous dynamic range. The orchestra is presented as both transparent and weighty, such as the timpani strokes, which have great clarity and presence. The soundstage is also very deep and immersive, and the pianissimo parts are practically inaudible while the fortissimo (and beyond) is almost overwhelming.

This quality really supports Harnoncourt's interpretation, which is one of contrasts throughout -- both in dynamics and tempi. His handling of this difficult work, particularly the complex fugal finale, is extremely persuasive. This performance is definitely a must if you're a fan of this great symphony, or if you're unfamiliar and wish to discover it. The bonus CD of the rehearsal excerpts is also very interesting and should help you brush up on your German..."

One Of The Best Bruckner 5th Symphony Recordings Currently A

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 05/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nikolaus Harnoncourt's 2004 live recording of the Bruckner 5th Symphony performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker is among the finest available. It is definitely the most interesting release now, simply because Harnoncourt, as the fine musicologist that he is, has done a superb job in tying in all of Bruckner's musical influences, most notably Mozart's (For those interested in seeing how he's transformed his scholarship into actual practice, this recording includes a bonus CD of excerpts from rehearsals with the Wiener Philharmoniker, which some listeners may find more rewarding than the actual entire recording of the symphony itself, simply for giving them some important insights into Harnoncourt's musical scholarship and how he has translated it into intriguing, often successful, performances with many of Europe's great orchestras.). He has also relied on the most recent published corrected version of Bruckner's score. But, for those concerned primarily with performance, is this indeed the most exciting version available?

Long-time fans of Bruckner's music - of which I admit that I'm not with the notable exceptions of this symphony, the 4th, 7th, and maybe the 9th symphonies too - may find more rewarding Eugen Jochum's celebrated accounts with the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Dresden Staatskappelle. Speaking of the Dresden Staatskapelle, Giuseppe Sinopoli's 1999 recording may be the best recent recording, with a brash, bold interpretation that many may regard as far more interesting than Harnoncourt's. At best, Harnoncourt's interpretation is rather lush and warm, due of course to the exemplary musicianship demonstrated by the Wiener Philharmoniker. Primarily for these reasons I am a bit hesitant to mention Harnoncourt's interpretation of the Bruckner 5th Symphony as a definitive one, but it certainly merits attention from potential purchasers as among the most intriguing, best-performed accounts currently available."

Personal expression triumphs

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Fifth is probably the least known of Bruckner's symphonies and certianly the hardest to hold together. Its sprawling structure too easily breaks down into disjointed segments, all the more when you consider how often he repeats the same material or uses the same devices. It's a rare conductor who can make the work sound completely coherent and convincing. Harnoncourt does so superbly. He approaches every section with his own expressive ideas, shifting tempos, massaging the phrase, and applying generous rubato. These personal touches heighten dramatic contrast, which would seem on the surface to be jsut the thing a disjointed symphony doesn't need.

But for works of high Romanticism like Bruckner's symphonies, strong personal expression is in fact authentic. By gripping us emotionally and keeping us on the edge of our seats, Harnoncort does what Bruckner wants. Add to this the magnificent Vienna Phil., the premiere Bruckner orchestra in the world, and you have a study in perfect style. RCA's hybrid SACD sounds very fine through a regular stereo system, but be aware that the dynamic range is huge, and it takes patience to accommodate music that whispers one moment and thunders the next.

In sum, this is a great addition to Harnoncourt's Bruckner discography, the most impressive since the era of Karajan."

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	Anton Bruckner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (with Excerpts from the Rehearsals) [Hybrid SACD] Genre: Classical
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