Search - Anton Bruckner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra :: Bruckner: Symphony No. 8

A recording to compete with the best

Mauro Luna Neto | Brazil | 09/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Until now this is Nikolaus Harnoncourt's best recording on his series of Bruckner's symphonies. Although he uses the Nowak edition, the way he conducts this masterpiece is astonishing : sensibility, clarity, detail and a true sense of ensemble are present every moment.The Berliners play wonderfully throughout ( the brass is outstanding).Even If you have the classic readings of Giulini, Celibidache, Jochum( BPO )and Karajan( VPO ), Harnoncourt's view of this ethereal work will not disappoint any expectations. So fans of the austrian maestro need not to hesitate and even his opponents should give it a try."

Best Modern Recording of the Bruckner 8th Symphony

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 07/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nikolaus Harnoncourt, the Berlin Philharmonic and Teldec's engineers have produced the best recent recording of Bruckner's 8th Symphony. Fans who have treasured their celebrated versions conducted by Jochum, Giulini and Karajan should definitely give this one its due. Harnoncourt leads the Berliners in a stirring interpretation which demonstrates much clarity and lyricism in Bruckner's score, via the frequently performed Nowak edition of this work. Harnoncourt strongly emphasizes the somber aspects of Bruckner's music, getting brilliant performances from the strings, winds, and especially, the brass sections of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Yet his fine account doesn't quite match either of Jochum's for their artistic excellence and spiritual kinship which Jochum felt towards Bruckner's music. Regrettably that's probably why this recording isn't as highly rated in recent editions of the Penguin Guide to Music, as his other recordings of Bruckner's symphonies. So here I disagree with Penguin and urge you to acquire what I believe is the best modern recording of this symphony."

Harnoncourt's Eighth is great, if not at the very summit

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 04/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"None of Bruckner's symphonies has enjoyed quite the charmed life on records as the Eighth has. I don't cherish any of Jochum's efforts; the day when he stood in the Bruckner spotlight is long gone, and in his place we have Karajan, who recorded the Eighth commerically at least three times, culminating in a valedictory reading with the Vienna phil. that is both moving and revelatory. Furtwangler has three different live recordings, the best one sonically being in a box from Andante devoted to the Vienna Phil. Boulez on DG isn't far behind, surprisingly, and his orchestra once again is the incomparable VPO. Scarecely at a lower level---and perhaps at the top if you are a fan--come recordings by Giulini and Celibedache, both quite measured in their approach.



Harnoncourt is fairly leisurely, too, especially in the opening movement, and his overal timing of 83 min. just misses the limits of a single CD, requiring a spillover on to two (Boulez and Welser-Most make it on one disc). The Eighth is so eventful that no tempo can be too slow within reason. Harnoncourt's reading sets itself apart in several ways. The Berlin Phil. plays with more extrovert virtuosity than any other orchestra I've heard, and the blending of brass choirs excels even the days of Karajan. Teldec's egineers, working live in the Philhamronie in 2000, capture the music form fairly far back, limiting its visceral impact except in the loudest passages. Harnoncourt takes an interest in shaping every bar and finding twice as much nuance as anyone else. This isn't a forward-mvoing performance but inward moving, like Giulini's. I think the second reviewer below found the perfect words when he cites Harnoncourt's "sensibility, clarity, detail and a true sense of ensemble."



As to why the Penguin Guide doesn't rate this Eighth as high as Harnoncourt's other magnificent Bruckner CDs, it might be its sobriety---I've heard more joy in the slow movement than here. Harnoncourt doesn't hold the long melodic line with as much intensity as Karajan or Furtwangler. Even so, his Performance belongs in the front rank of modern Eighths, along with Boulez and Haitink's live reading with the Concertgebouw on their own house label."