Bruckner: The 9 Symphonies

I had the original EMI recordings in a boxed set. Loved the performances but were disappointed with the recordings. Eventually sold it. Then I saw Warner had reissued the set but could not find out if they had been remastered. Well, took a chance and have been delighted with the improved sound - now great projection and dynamic range as well as silvery instead of harsh string tone and warmer and very dynamic brass. With the volume a little raised the impact in climaxes approaches awesome reality. Jochum was a great conductor of Beethoven and Brahms (could you separate off those for us in boxes please) as well as Bruckner. If you like metronomic exactitude, as has been fashionable for a long time now, you may join Jochum's critics, but if, like me, you respond to his little shoves in tempo from time to time enhancing climaxes in particular but always keeping you on the edge of your seat (no plodding Bruckner here!) you may love these recordings, as I do, now you can listen without dismay at the sound. These may be the only recordings you need. Some have criticised the slowness of the 7th first movement, but at a greater speed, which is now fashionable, the inner strain disappears and the music becomes only beautiful. With Jochum there is more than mere surface beauty and the slower tempo becomes necessary. At times - the 9th especially - the music becomes terrifying, as it surely should. How can death not be terrifying? Anyway, it is all here.

Excellent set, very good value.

All 9 of Bruckner's symphonies, conducted and played by one of the great partnerships of the past, at a bargain price?No-brainer.

Jochum is rightly recognised as one of Bruckner's great conductors and this boxset shows why. Every symphony is conducted and played superbly and, considering the age of the recordings, they sound very fine indeed. If you are new to Bruckner then this boxset, at the current low price it is being sold at, is a fantastic introduction and, if you are familiar with Bruckner (and don't happen to have these recording individually), this will be a wonderful addition to your other versions, and may well become amongst your favourite versions for the majority of the pieces. Well worth five stars!

I've just given this set my first listen and find it on the whole very satisfying, in good sound generally and in some cases very good indeed. A consistent cycle, natural in feel and in its sense of scale. Masterful handling of Bruckner's rhythms with insightful and revelatory phrasing throughout but especially in the scherzo's. A real joy. Only symphonies No 4 and 8 here (on first hearing) feel slightly under par. The 9th symphony exposes Bruckner's raw nerves to the bone and fittingly caps a compelling cycle. The conductor's love of this music glows. Don't hesitate, buy with confidence.

This was the recommendation on record review on Radio 3

This one with Jochum at the Staatskapelle Dresden is the one to have.

I love this music and the recording is of great quality. This is my only set of Bruckner's 9 Symphonies so I can't compare it with other sets, but I'm very happy with my purchase and highly recommend this box set.

Vor kurzem habe ich ein Konzert von Bruckner auf Grund seines Jahrestages gehört, dann wollte ich eigentlich mehr von diesem Komponisten wissen! Sehr gute Aufführungen auf der CD!

Il en existe d'autres mais celle-ci ne fait pas partie des moindre

Although I've owned the Jochum DGG and Tintner cycles of these works for a long time, I felt I had to hear these performances given the very reasonable price that Warner are asking.I'm not an unqualified Bruckner fan, for my taste his symphonies are too long-winded and getting through them, the 9th excepted, without a break is a challenge. Jochum has always been my conductor of choice and reading reviews that said there's little to choose between this and the earlier DGG set I wasn't expecting too much. I was wrong, they are a revelation. First of all, the Dresden recording is a great improvement, a much firmer bass, inner voices clearer, the brass thrilling. Earlier reviews that found the sound harsh have been answered by Warner's remastering. Some have complained about the prominence and harshness of the brass. On my equipment it sounds superb and if it does dominate the musical palette I'm sure that's Jochum's intention. Bruckner asks the strings to play a supporting role in much of his work, the musical argument being carried by brass and wind sections. There is much raw excitement in Jochum's realisations but also plenty of the spirituality that Bruckner fans look for. He has an amazing ability to hold your attention in through the calmest and most introspective portions of the adagios. Unusually, for me at any rate, he manages to make the scherzos feel like organic parts of the symphonic whole instead of quirky interludes.Bruckner junkies will disagree with much of what I've said. For those who are fence-sitters, I'd urge them to try these perfomances. Listening to them, for the first time I feel I 'get' Bruckner.

Ottima qualità del suono e grande esecuzione. Soddisfatti.