Search - Anton Bruckner, Karl Böhm, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Bruckner: Symphony No. 7

The 1977 Bohm version with this same Vienna Philharmonic is

M. A. Scott | Kansas, USA | 11/28/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I own several old recordings (from the 30's to the late 40's) of the Bruckner symphonies, but they're very hard to enjoy with the antiquated sound quality. If it was a great version, you would be able to tell, but this is nowhere near as fine an interpretation as the great 1977 DG recording by Bohm and this same Vienna Philharmonic. I don't think anybody who recorded any of the Bruckner symphonies in the 30's and 40's really caught the vision of these great symphonies that would be brought out by Jochum and a few others in the late 50's and later. I don't quite get the five star review of the person before me, but maybe he's not heard the dozens of different versions that I've heard of Bruckner's 7th symphony. I sort of feel like I'm sort of an expert from hearing it so many times in my life. The first movement is played very quickly at about 18:30 or so. When I looked at the second movement timing of 26:37 I got kind of eager to listen to it, because I always like that movement to be played really long like that at 25 or 26 minutes. Jochum has the best adagios of the Seventh Symphony and he clocks in at 25 and over 26 minutes on his DG and EMI versions. I think it's much more spiritual at those slow speeds, but this Bohm version isn't nearly as good as Jochum. If this was recorded in fine 70's analog sound, I think I would have enjoyed this adagio a lot more. I thought that the 3rd movement was played, interpreted, and timed just perfect, but would still prefer the 1977 one better because of the beautiful sound quality. The 4th movement was a little less successful than the previous movement, but was sort of enjoyable nonetheless. Even my favorite Bruckner conductor Eugen Jochum, who conducted a 1939 version with this same Vienna Philharmonic, couldn't get the vision and measure of this great symphony at that time either. I guess it wasn't meant to be understood fully till the late 50's and early 60's. So don't waste your time with versions from the 30's and 40's, because you probably won't enjoy them either. They sell Bohm's 1977 Bruckner Seventh here on Amazon, and I promise you that it will fully amaze you, because of the great interpretation, playing, and sound quality. I bought it here on Amazon for just over $9.00 with shipping included. Plus, it was brand new and sealed from the outfit called Caiman, which is the biggest seller on all of Amazon. Don't waste your money on this 1948 version by Bohm."

Good sound for 1948 by a young, already experienced Bruckner

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 08/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Karl Bohm (1894-1981) was 54 when he recorded Bruckner's Symphony 7 in 1948, a good recorded account of Bruckner's E Major symphony by a young, but already experienced Bruckner conductor. The Vienna Philharmonic plays beautifully, and the mono sound is quite rich and full. There are places where the flute or oboe sound a little wavery, and in some climaxes the orchestra sounds congested, but this is pre-stereo, perhaps an in concert recording, or radio aircheck. Classico d'Oro does not give us any details, only "1948 recording." I'm thankful they gave us this; it makes a nice supplement to Bohm's 1977 DG account of this same work, with the same orchestra.



The bass is rather prominent in this recording, but not overly so. (I don't use the "Loudness" control when listening to this disc). The overall sound is quite good, however, and the mid-range, often slighted in pre-stereo recordings (especially so before 1945, due to limitations in sound technology of the time) is quite good, also.



Karl Bohm did not change his interpretation of this piece alot in the intervening 30 years between this and his DG recording. Both are very good, and I recommend both. Classico d'Oro is to be commended for offering music lovers fine recordings at a very low price.



Karl Bohm recorded other Bruckner Symphonies worth mentioning: Symphony 3 with the Vienna Philharmonic (Decca, 1973);Symphony 4 with the Vienna Philharmonic (Decca, 1973);Symphony 5 with the Saxon State Orchestra (Classico d'Oro, 1936); Symphony 8 with the Vienna Philharmonic (DG, perhaps difficult to find); Symphony 8 with the Cologne Radio Symphony (EMI, 1974, part of Bohm's entry in the "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" series), all recommended."