Search - Bruckner, Barenboim, Berlin Philharmonic :: Symphony 6

We're still disjointed

Mark McCue | Denver, CO USA | 08/31/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Chailly has gotten his hits for his meandering reading of the Bruck 6 from Amsterdam, so it's time for Barenboim to step up and take his...again.After 20 some years, Barenboim still hasn't gotten down to the serious business of planning and setting up a porportional performance of Bruckner, and proportion is what the Sixth is certainly all about. We can't say that his work this time was pieced together in a studio because it's live...and you can tell because the orchestra isn't up to its recorded standard (and that's something you realistically allow for in concert tapings).Still, bending over backwards, this Sixth is moderately better than his spraddled Chicago mess of this great work. Still, leaning forward, it's all around the place with a finale/coda so fast it's grotesque, the inner movements disjointed, and rubati that result in poor ensemble of an unconvinced orchestra.I'm beginning to wonder if maestri today really believe the listening public will actually put up with this type of music-making much longer because this is not really acceptable for routine concerts in the American provinces much less those of a Continental center like Berlin. Or maybe we do, as a rule, put up with it, since Barenboim's tarnished star shines brighter than ever through all the interplanetary rubble his orbit has scattered."

A Bruckner 6 that ranks with the best

Greg Hales | Vacaville, Ca USA | 08/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Barenboim and the BPO give us a Bruckner 6th that very well maybe the best we had since Karajan's classic account. Barenboim has clear vison and conducting, and while I dont 100% agree with the tempo of the last movement the playing is amazing as it is through the whole symphony. The BPO is the Bruckner orchestra and it proves it again in this recording. This disc should have a place in the collection of any music and Bruckner lover."

A fine / credible recording

Trevor Gillespie | San Jose, California United States | 04/25/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Daniel Barenboim has conducted many if not all of the Bruckner symphonies. The sixth in particular is a difficult symphony to approach because of the way Bruckner wrote the final movement. The approach used by Barenboim leaves the listener anticipating more when the symphony is actually over. Also, his tempos are a bit on the swift side which tends to rob the symphony of its meaning and makes the symphony sound more like redundant variations. However, the sound on this disc is great, and the Berlin Philharmonic continue their tradition of excellent playing. A great alternative is Otto Klemperer's recording on EMI and for a bargain CD, George Tinter's on Naxos"