Anton Bruckner Weber Horst Stein - Bruckner Symphony No 6 Weber Overtures (6 tracks) +Album Reviews

The Holy Grail of Bruckner 6th's!

Dace Gisclard | USA | 03/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For 32 years, this achingly beautiful No.6, with Walter's Nos.4 and 9, has ranked among my most treasured Bruckner recordings. It's a dream come true to have it on CD at last. It sounds more glorious than ever in its digital remastering, and the dynamic range seems to have been widened a bit.

All other recordings emphasize the monolithic aspects of the first movement at the expense of the lyrical. Only Stein strikes the right balance. I have heard no other recording of this symphony which displays so much of warm human heart, yet at all times remains noble. I've owned and discarded a LOT of the other recordings, including Klemperer, Tintner I, Tintner II, Celebidache, Lopez-Cobos, Eschenbach, Davis, Haitink, Chailly, Blomstedt, Wand and Sawallisch. After Stein, Skrowaczewski is probably the best of the lot-I recommend his series highly as a whole. Nevertheless, Stein remains one of only two conductors I've heard who allow the first movement the rubato and subtle tempo changes it needs without insulting the listener's intelligence by making them obvious or mannered. (The other was Heribert Reichert, with an inferior orchestra.) Although Stein knows when to be grand, the slow movement radiates disarming tenderness. Throughout the symphony, tempi and pacing feel absolutely right, and every note carries conviction-you MUST hear this!

Of course, the sensitive playing of the Vienna Philharmonic has a lot to do with the success of this performance. Perhaps part of the secret is that Stein has the good sense to stay out of the way and just let this incomparable Bruckner orchestra play this composer as only it knows how. Do yourself a favor by ignoring the execrations of THE AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE, due, possibly, to their chumminess with William Carragan, a Nowak advocate? (Although the notes for the LP stated that this is the Nowak version, I suspect it is Haas.). But don't just take my word for it-HIGH FIDELITY, said of the LP release in 1975, this is "Bruckner conducting that is fit company for the best"-Amen!"

A robust and sublime musical treasure!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 06/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
Bruckner's orchestral polyphony as well as its unmistakable and special harmonic language, seem to unite the 16th century with the 19th century. many people - as I do - love in his music that immense and portentous ability to convey by those sidereal spaces, where the superior vision, spiritual background and melodic inspiration simply has not parallel. Bruckner represents the last giant of the Symphonic genre. His caudal of musical ideas frequently tend to startle a good portion of musical newcomers, his solid structure and perfectly intermingled dramatic density, visual landscapes and powerful conviction. Fiery attacks and accurate sense of expression require and demand a director totally committed and involved with his majuscule intensity.

In this case, you have both elements ; a consecrated conductor and a fantastic Orchestra, formidably coupled in spirit.

This Symphony is not precisely the best known among his musical legacy. Nevertheless, it possesses that universal inspiration as well a profound sense of cosmic lyricism that transcends the used commonplaces in which the lexicon is able to surmount human categories to propose an encounter with another musical dimension.

Although Horst Stein is not regarded among the most sacred giant Brucknerian conductors, this version since its release in 1974 has achieved and maintained its own status.

I got this performance since the moment it was released on LP format, but the quality sound and memorable intrinsic virtues make of this one, by far of my three favorite versions ever recorded.

Don't hesitate for a second and decide to acquire it, because we are talking about a successful combination of factors that hardly may be encountered actually.

"

Excellent reading by Horst Stein of Bruckner's 6th

Eberhard Bappert | Stuttgart, Germany | 01/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Horst Stein's musicianship becomes clearer and clearer to me as I hear more and more of his fine performances with the best as well as with less known orchestras. His reading of Bruckner matches his great interpretations of Max Reger. Too bad he gradually disappears from the catalogues."

One of the Top Recordings of the Bruckner 6th Symphony

Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 03/06/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After a lapse of many years I recently heard this recording again courtesy my son, who chose to play for me this Stein/Vienna performance of Bruckner's 6th Symphony, one of his favorites from a vast collection of Bruckner symphonies.

Well, having previously slightly preferred a few other recordings of the symphony I'm now quite the believer in this one! From the very outset Stein convinces a listener that the Bruckner 6th is quite worthy of being placed alongside its later brethren, and gives the music a fully commited, thoroughly thought out reading! The majority of the issues common to performances of this work, mainly problems of pacing and transition, which can leave the work sort of unbalanced and ungainly, almost lopsided, here appear largely overcome.

The work of the Vienna Philharmonic is light years ahead of the playing found on Klemperer's version, Bruckner: Symphonie No. 6. The Vienna players sound perfectly natural and assured and at home in the music - a big, big plus! Stein gives a more thoughtful reading of the profound Adagio than is the case with an otherwise marvelous Keilberth recording with the Berlin Philharmonic. Bruckner:Symphony No.6(Though in Keilberth's defense, he views the work in sunnier, somewhat lighter, more Schubertain terms than do Stein or Klemperer - who both are solid exponents of a much grander vision.) I'm happy to own all three!

In sum, a grand recording of the first rank, and quite worthy of all the praise it has recieved. I'd earlier found the sound a bit harsh, and perhaps because of this judged the performance as a bit too aggressive - I now happily confess to being quite mistaken!

For the ultra Bruckner fan - The fabled Bruckner 6th recording led by the little known Heinz Bongartz from Dec 1964 with the Leipzig Gewandhaus can now be found as part of a set Legendary Masterworks Recordings [Box Set] Good as the Leipzig performance is, I think the Vienna version under Stein offers a better balance of orchestra playing and recording, though anyone who wants to go for the Bongartz will not be disappointed! (Name confusion - Heinz Bongartz was also the given name of writer Jürgen Thorwald, who opted to use the pseudonym Thorwald after the Russian occupation of Eastern Germany. Oddly enough, this German name didn't keep conductor Bongartz from leading the Dresdner Philharmonie from 1947 till 1964. His recording of the Bruckner Symphony 6th with the Leipzig orchestra follows immediately after his leaving the Dresden job.)"

Search - Anton Bruckner, Weber, Horst Stein :: Bruckner: Symphony No. 6; Weber: Overtures

CD Details

CD Reviews

	Anton Bruckner, Weber, Horst Stein Bruckner: Symphony No. 6; Weber: Overtures Genre: Classical Track Listings (6) - Disc #1 Symphony No. 6 In A Major - Maestoso Symphony No. 6 In A Major - Adagio: Sehr Feirlich Symphony No. 6 In A Major - Scherzo: Nicht Schnell - Trio: Langsam Symphony No. 6 In A Major - Finale Overture: Der Beherrscher Der Geister Overture: Abu Hassan
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