Cheap Karajan/BPO/Bruckner 8


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Posted by Chuck Jackson on October 04, 2003 at 21:20:41:

OK, so I am in the local Wherehouse Music Store looking for used bargains the other day and I stumble across about 25 copies of a two CD set of Wagner and Bruckner on Angel with Von Karajan and the BPO. The Bruckner 8 was recorded in 1958. It was quite relevatory. Many on this board know that I have a HUGE problem with the homogenization of world orchestral sound in the past 15 years. If you want to know what the BPO sounded like in the 50's before it got "malled", buy this cd. Here are some observations:

1. The string sound is incredibly warm, but very distinct. There is an incisiveness to the attack on the louder sections that rivals the brass. The slow movement is absolutely stunning, the string sound is so thick you swear you could walk on it. Oddly enough, the intonation is much better than Karajans 1974 recording of the same piece on DG.

2. The brass sound is very unique. Dark would be the closest I could come to describing the sound. Even at it's loudest, the brass never have a brazen sound. The "soupy" attack that characterizes the VPO's brass is evident here on all atacks below a mf. The loud stuff will split your skull. The tuba playing is VERY weighty and present. If we are to go with convention, the tuba is playing a big BBb. The little solo in the first movement is played very loud, but musically. Horns are especially wonderful as are the Wagner tuben in the last movement.

3. The tympani sounds like a bowl of oatmeal being hit with a wet noodle. Too bad, as the tympani shots in the opening of the last movement can be terrifying if played lustily.

This is a wonderful recording for those of you who are looking for a good representation of an incredible orchestra at it's peak before "modern" times.

Also on the disk are the Preludes to the 1st and 3rd Acts of Lohengrin and Parsifal. They were recorded in 1974 and show a turn to a more mayonnaise and white bread sound. While this recording will not rank up there with the 1944 VPO/Furtwangler nor the 1988 Von Karajan/VPO recording as my favorites, I am drawn to it for the lovely representation of a true Germanic orchestral sound.

Thanks for reading.

Chuck




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