Search - Anton Bruckner, Houston Symphony Orchestra :: Bruckner: Symphony no 2 / Eschenbach, Houston Symphony

Most Brucknerians would not claim that Bruckner's Second Symphony is one of his masterpieces. Eschenbach, however, conducts it as though it were one of his favorites. He keeps the sometimes discursive first movement in motion without hurrying, sings the Adagio very affectingly, emphasizes propulsive rhythms in the Scherzo, and, in the finale, does the same thing that he did in the first movement, keeping it alive. The Houston Symphony plays like a great Bruckner orchestra, with depth of tone and wide dynamic range, and the live performance recording sounds really first-rate. The printed timing for the finale is way off; it's 19:55, not 10:30. Other than that minor mistake, this is really a flawless release. --Leslie Gerber