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Best Sounding Bruckner Recordings

There is a Mahler for Audiophiles thread here, but I am not sure if there is one for Bruckner.  IMO these are the two Composers that benefit the most from high quality sound.  Both Composers relied extensively upon spatial effects.  Bruckner, with his Organist background, was conscious of reverberation effects, and tended to treat the entire Orchestra as one vast Organ.  Mahler had many spatial effects built into his Symphonies.
  I listen to many historical recordings, but I find that these two composers suffer the most when sonically compromised.  I have no problem enjoying a Toscanini Beethoven Symphony, as the majesty of the music and the playing overcome sonic limitations.  However, listening to the Horenstein Bruckner Seventh from 1927 is a real trial.  Even the best restorations make it sound like it was recorded in a phone booth, and the towering beauty of the piece is missing.
  Now, with Bruckner, we have the problem of all of those multiple editions.  I am going to confess straight out that I have no expertise here .  And given that this is an audiophile site, I will concede readily that the best sounding Bruckner recordings may not necessarily be the ultimate in recorded performance.  However, I am looking for comments about great sounding Bruckner recordings that are also good performances 
mahler123
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
@mahler123, I hear what you are saying with respect to Bruckner suffering from bad recordings.  I too, can listen to Toscanini recordings of Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, etc all day long.
I'm going to go out on a very long limb here, and no doubt loose whatever credibility I may have previously had regarding classical music. 
For years, my go to Bruckner conductor was Eugen Jochum/Dresden.  I still enjoy an occasional listen.   But I have really found myself drawn to the more recent Venzago cycle on CPO. As I listen to those recordings, I hear the influence of Schubert.  I don't hear Bruckner as a Wagner (or Mahler) wannabe.  Venzago's cycle has not, to my knowledge, been well received.  But I would be interested in what you might think of his efforts.  In my humble opinion, he brings something worthwhile, especially to the early (0-3) symphonies, which many times can be a bit of a snooze fest. 
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Gunther Wand/BPO Live (RCA Red Seal) is my go to for 
excellent performances with great sound. The imaging and detail revealed is exceptional for non-audiophile releases.

Giulini with the VPO (DG) is a favorite even with the over-mic'd brass section. My favorite #2 is Giulini with the VPO on Testament.

Kurt Sanderling's #7 with the SWR Sinfonieorchester is in very good sound.

For excellence in performance I still go to the Furtwängler box set, VPO & BPO. Music & Arts did a remarkable restoration of symphonies 4-9.


 
roxy1927
135 posts
 
How is the audience noise on the Furtwangler Music and Arts? At times they all seem to be suffering from influenza.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
@roxy1927,
Audience noise is minimal from what I recall. It's not filled with coughing and such, maybe some movement in the seats. Overall, these are compelling performances. 
I generally like Furtwängler's changes in tempo, except in a few areas where they are too fast and rushed. But these are few and far between.
A very worthwhile listen, now streaming on Qobuz.

mahler123 OP
3,378 posts
 
@brownsfan 
  For many years the Jochum/Dresden set was my only Bruckner.  In the seventies when I started collecting it was the only affordable Bruckner.  Karajan on DG and Haitink on Phillips would release individual symphonies in huge boxes that each would cost more than the Jochum.  I also purchased the set in the early days of CD and still give it the occasional spin.   As I began to experience other Bruckner conductors my main complaint with Jochum was excessive rubato.  He frequently disrupts the long arching lines with speed -up-slow-downs that give me vertigo.  Karajan is the anti Jochum.  His phrasing causes those long lines to emerge as if in one breath
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