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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
mahler123 OP
3,391 posts
 
  I agree that the constant comparisons between Bruckner and Mahler are a disservice to both Composers.  I have always thought, however, that these are the two Composers that benefited most from the advent of the long playing (lp) record.  I personally heard Mahler/5 and Bruckner/7 both in concert prior to hearing any recorded performance.  Both times I reacted negatively; at the time I was still absorbing Mozart, Beethoven, Tchakovsky, Bach, Handel....you know, the certifiable greats.  Mahler and Bruckner were just then entering the Canon, but it took the availability of recordings in my case to permeate my prejudices.  I could listen to 1 or 2 movements at a time and get accustomed to the style and recognize the landmarks.  Then having a toehold of interest, I was more receptive to, and ultimately able to appreciate the beauty.  I don’t think that my experience is unique, and I don’t think that improvements In playback technology after WWII are given the credit that it deserves for developing interest in both Composers 
edgewear
543 posts
 
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Otto Klemperer. His stoic and some would say 'architectural' approach is congenial to Bruckner's music. His 1960's recordings of #4, 5, 6 & 7 on UK Columbia are the ideal representation for me and the sonics are generally excellent (on original vinyl, can't comment on the digital transfers).

Unfortunately his tempi became erratically slow in his last years and his HMV recordings of #8 & 9 suffered from this. Here my choice would be Schuricht on HMV for both symphonies and Walter on CBS for #9. Klemperer never recorded the first 3 symphonies. While I don't care much for #1 & 2, I do regret he never did #3. Szell on UK Columbia and Böhm with the VPO on Decca are great alternatives with great sonics (again on original vinyl).

P.S. I'm not a big HvK fan either, but his last live recording of #8 on DGG is rather special. 


lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Klemperer's Bruckner is excellent and is how I imagine early Bruckner was performed.  
I'd love to hear these performances on vinyl. I own the CD boxed set and although I enjoy it and has been well remastered by EMI, it's far from sounding like analogue.
 

mahler123 OP
3,391 posts
 
I have the Klemperer set of 4-9 on Warner.  Are those the recordings that were on UK Columbia that @edgewear refers to?  They are also available on Qobuz.  They are pretty impressive sonically and generally respect the architecture.  My only complaint is that they never seem to soar.  The bar lines are always holding us back.  However, I should relisten 
edgewear
543 posts
 
It’s hard to keep track which of the few remaining music conglomerates has the rights to publish these recordings. EMI used to be the owner, but perhaps they are now owned by Warner. Not that I care.

Anyway, Klemperer made only one recording of these symphonies in stereo, so I must assume these are the same. I hope the digital transfers have managed to preserve some of the excellent sonics of the analog sources. I had some of these on CD’s issued by EMI in the early 90’s, but they sounded very - uh - digital....

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