Search - Anton Bruckner, Sergiu Celibidache, Münchner Philharmoniker :: CELIBIDACHE / Münchner Philharmoniker - Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 / Te Deum

The best 7th by far

John Grabowski | 04/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have 26 recordings of Bruckner's 7th symphony including a hard to find Furtwangler war time live radio broadcast. But none of those recordings come even close to the the EMI Celibidache recording of the work. Never have I heard an orchestra "believe" in what they were doing more than in this recording. The Munich Philharmonic play like they are being directed by a magician. Words just can not explain the wonder and amazement I allways go through when I play this very special disk. Buy it and ask yourself, how did we ever manage to live with the cardboard 1 dimentional outings of the likes of Karajan?"

Spiritual, ethereal

John Grabowski | USA | 09/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes Celi is just too excessive or eccentric in some way, but for this music he has just what is takes. This is for listeners who want a "religious" experience while listening to their Sevenths. Celi and Bruckner seem to be in psychic communication throughout this work. Or to put it another way, this isn't a concert but a communion. The delicate shadings of the strings, the hushed voicings and *gradual, gradual* diminuendoes. Textures are thick and lush (yet clear!) and tempi are just right. The third movement scherzo may be a bit slow to some, but by slowing down he gets tremendous contrapuntal detail many readings don't have. The last movement climax is thrilling...you'll want to join in the applause at the end--after you recover from the ecstacy of it all. Great sound too. A superb set that should be in every collection of 19th century Romantic music. Even if you've heard other recordings, you should add this one to your music shelf."

The most beautiful recording of Bruckner 7th

Codeluppi Alessandro | 01/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Celi's 7th is spiritual and intense at the same time. As always with him it's an ipnotic, "religious" experience. Not for all,of course.Sadly I'm aware that some listeners simply can't follow his conducting, but I think that they don't like so much the composer too... Personally the EMI set of the Bruckner symphonies with Celibidache is the most important publication of all time. There is only one recording of the 7th that I find superior to this- it's the concert-reunion made by Celi with the Berliner Philharmoniker, but is very rare to find."