Search - Bruckner, Maazel, Berlin Philharmonic :: Symphony 8

Look for this fine recording while it still is available

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 01/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Loren Maazel, now approaching 80 years of age, understands Anton Bruckner and has the respect for the composer's mightiest symphony - the Eighth - that comes from years of conducting this masterwork. Some have mentioned that this recording has hallmarks that suggest a studio recording and that may be the only viable criticism here. But having just experienced Maazel's magisterial conducting of this incredibly beautiful and profoundly moving symphony in a live performance as guest conductor with the Los Angeles Philharmonic with the brilliance of the perfect acoustics of Disney Hall at his disposal, this listener can comfortably say that Maazel's Bruckner is among the finest of interpretations. That is a major statement in view of the many 'grand old master' recordings of this work from which to choose. But couple Maazel's masterful control of all of the moments in this work with the Berlin Philharmonic as his orchestra here and this is a recording to treasure.



Because the Adagio movement of this symphony is widely regarded as the most radiant Adagio ever written, it is a movement to use as a comparison with the other recordings. Maazel allows the celestial yearnings of this movement to rise in uninterrupted fashion, finding just the right timing of the various sections of this movement to grow out of the overall design to of the movement rather than the not unusual 'stop and start' sound that mars even some of the finest of the other treasured recordings. It simply gleams.



It would seem that this recording is headed for deletion (this EMI Red Line version is tough to find but worth the search). But as many Bruckner devotees would agree, there can never be enough recordings of this most magnificent of symphonies in the library. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 10"