Search - Anton Bruckner, Wilhelm Furtwängler :: Bruckner: Symphony 8

Masterful

05/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a masteful performance. The conventional wisdom holds that Furtwangler's wartime concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic are inferior to those with the Berliner. This serves as dramatic refutation. Bruckner's Eighth is a mystic laden affirmation of and communion with God. And this is God with a capital "G": all encompassing, and eternally benevolent. These are major league themes, and Bruckner's score delivers accordingly.The key to Bruckner, though, is often interpretation. The Eighth is an immense work, and its principal demand is for the performer (and the listener) to constantly keep the whole structure in mind. This is where Furtwangler and the Vienna Philharmonic excell. Too often performances of Bruckner's Eighth descend in to bombast. Not with Furtwangler. This performance is perhaps 20% shorter than most modern performances. And as a result, the overall structure not only holds much better, it is also more readily discernable. And what a performance! From the masterful trio in the second movement (who ever raves about the tympany? I do! Just listen to it here!), to the incredibly beauty of the second movement, they just don't play it this way anymore.Ok, so its a wartime performance, the sound is muddled in some spots, and its in mono. Get past this technical quibbling and BUY THIS PERFORMANCE! You won't regret it.P.S. Bruckner, whose every composition revealed his deep faith and conviction, finds his finest expression in this symphony. It is a more impressive religious statement than even his Masses. A fascinating listen is Bruckner's next and last symphony, the Ninth. Written when he was dying, it bears the unmistakable stamp of one who when faced with mortality, suddenly questions his faith, and ultimately finds resolution. After listening to this disc, get the Furtwangler performance of Bruckner's 9th. If anything, it's even better."