Bruckner - Symphony n°8 - SK Berlin / Suitner

Anton Bruckner
Symphony n°8 (1887/90, Ed. Haas)
I. Allegro moderato 0:00
II. Scherzo. Allegro moderato 15:36
III. Adagio. Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend 30:26
IV. Finale. Feierlich, nicht schnell 57:22
Staatskapelle Berlin
Otmar Suitner
Studio recording, Berlin, 1986 & 1987

[@walterht8083]

I have to thank Hurwitz for recommending this one. It's really great.

[@PeteFine]

Thank you for posting this! (I too checked it out because of Hurwitz, but was not disappointed). There is a certain emotional energy and power in this performance that Bruckner deserves. Great feel for tempi, rubatos, and ritards where appropriate to emphasize the music. Great performance.

[@vanhowell3011]

How many more little-known but truly great conductors had careers in the old East Germany? Musical depth instead of narcissistic showmanship... Herbert Kegel's Missa Solemnis, Kurt Sanderling's Mahler 10th, and now Suitner's Bruckner 8th, and probably some others I don't recall, all amazing in their humility, sincerity, and awesome power. Recordings that never lose their freshness.

[@brentmarquez9057]

I've never heard of Suitner, but thanks to this upload now I have. Thanks for the recommendation on Mahler 10 with Sanderling - I haven't heard that one either (but am familiar with Sanderling-he has a great recording of Mahler 6 I like as well). And I agree, Karajan who? I really appreciate these unsung musical heroes who cared more about the music than their superstar image.

[@mankiperukangas7785]

@@brentmarquez9057 The Mahler 6th is by the son Thomas Sanderling, 10th by the dad Kurt.

[@mankiperukangas7785]

Kegel’s Shostakovich and Gurrelieder are also fantastic. Then there is Bruckner by Heinz Rögner and Haydn, Brahms and some Bruckner by Gunther Herbig. Great stuff, all of it.

[@brentmarquez9057]

@@mankiperukangas7785 oh ok thanks, I knew there were two Sanderlings and I always get them mixed up

[@mankiperukangas7785]

@@brentmarquez9057 There is another son who is a conductor too. His name is Michael Sanderling.

[@elwynjones763]

All the superlatives here are amply justified. What struck me was the clarity of the timpani within the overall sound, especially when played quietly. Bruckner knew what he wanted and gets it here 200%. Magnificent!!

[@richardwilliams473]

The Brass and Timpani playing is Superb at the very end ! BRAVO

[@mohammedalomari1998]

This is a performance of a genius conductor. Brucknerian and sublime

[@Barbirollifan]

This is a sensational performance! I hope this gets a reissue on CD soon.

[@yowzephyr]

The music critic David Hurwitz says that this is his very top favorite of all Bruckner 8th recordings. (Hurwitz has a web channel. Fun guy to listen to.) ^

[@corgansow7176]

He's on the point. I've listened to Karajan, Giulini, Maazel, Horenstein recordings to mention a few. This recording is really the best Bruckner 8th

[@rbmelk7083]

David Hurwitz’s channel is very good. The guy really knows the repertoire and discography. I agree with his recommendations 85% of the time, and he’s spot on with this being a top pick for Bruckner’s Eighth.

[@vladradek]

I found this via Hurwitz. I agree totally. Fabulous performance and recording.

[@gpome1234]

Although a thrilling capture to an ending of a mighty symphony, I feel this finale tempo to be too fast. I much rather preferred when David Hurwitz said Gunter Wand. Please listen to that finale, HOWEVER not with Berlin, but with Munich. That one is just right. 👍

[@steventiger880]

I just watched that Hurwitz program, and followed it by listening to this performance. I agree with him--this may be the very greatest Bruckner 8th I have ever heard.

[@richardstiedl1599]

Slyšel jsem hodně verzí,myslel jsem že od furtvanglera je nejlepší.to sem se spletl.tahle je božská.diky

[@berlinzerberus]

GORGEOUS SLOW MOVEMENT! How amazing! - Klangkultur und Homogenität der Staatskapelle lässt die anderen Berliner Orchester alt aussehen!

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne und detaillierte Interpretation dieser großartigen Sinfonie mit seidigen Tönen aller Streicher, milden Tönen aller Holzbläser und brillanten Tönen aller Blechbläser. Der dritte Satz klingt besonders detailliert und echt feierlich. Der erfahrene und geniale Maestro dirigiert das perfekt trainierte Orchester im relativ langsamen Tempo und mit sorgfältig kontrollierter Dynamik. Wahrlich ergreifend!

[@conl130]

Absolutely astounding

[@長田博-q1h]

日本でも人気の指揮者、オットマール・スウィトナー。 私が好きだった指揮者でもあります。 凄いエネルギーの演奏、素晴らしい！！

[@rbmelk7083]

I never thought I would hear a Bruckner Eighth I liked more than Skrowaczewski’s with Saarbrucken RSO. Wow!

[@janouglaeser8049]

I still prefer Skrowaczewski (and Wand with the NDR) 🤔

[@orientaldagger6920]

@@janouglaeser8049 Wand would be my top choice. Spirituality minus the plodding tempo and all the fuss. THe NDR is his orchestra and his instrument. If you own one B8 it should be Wand in some fashion.

[@janouglaeser8049]

@@orientaldagger6920 I agree. I also love his Frankfurt recording (again with the NDR). For me it's the top choice if you feel his Lubeck recording has too much reverb.

[@antoniocristodoro475]

Dave Hurwitz ha sempre ragione! Suitner è uno degli interpreti migliori di Bruckner, crede fino in fondo nella partitura, che interpreta in modo eccellente, con straordinaria naturalezza. Tra le migliori “ottave”. Per la mia sensibilità solo Giulini è alla stessa altezza, con gli archi dei Wiener in splendida forma. Suitner non ha i Wiener ma ha comunque una splendida orchestra (un violino solo da brividi nell’adagio) e gioca sui contrasti tra legni e archi in modo superbo. Anche la qualità tecnica non teme confronti, e siamo su KZbin. Grazie a chi ha caricato questo splendido file, speriamo in una pubblicazione ufficiale.

[@remomazzetti8757]

No critic is always right, especially not a self-serving ego maniac like Hurwitz.

[@dogukancelik9512]

This is juuuusst AMAZING!

[@isaacsamuel9520]

If this glorious recording ever were to be deleted, please make sure to either upload it here or somewhere accessible to us general public!!!!

[@vinylisland6386]

Wow! The impact in the tutti is phenomenal. But the sound overall is very nice. Matacic with the NHK is very special, too.

[@Fortunfortvej]

David Hurwitz is right here! This is the number one recording

[@janouglaeser8049]

I prefer Wand and Skrowaczewski, this orchestra plays too out of tune at various passages.

[@detectivehome3318]

@@janouglaeser8049 I pity you

[@janouglaeser8049]

@@detectivehome3318 I'm sorry if I caused you any distress. Hope you recover soon, have a nice day!

[@detectivehome3318]

@@janouglaeser8049 I'm fine thank you. Hope you're ok.

[@janouglaeser8049]

@@detectivehome3318 I am, great to hear that, you had me worried!

[@grantparsons6205]

Another marvellous East German recording of this work is by Kegel & the Leipzig RO.

[@Felipe.Taboada.]

David Hurwitz brought me here.

[@haineshisway]

Yeah, so you'll just buy anything he recommends, right? You just automatically believe him. I find that amazing.

[@janouglaeser8049]

​@@haineshisway Who said this? I hold Hurwitz in high regard and take his opinions seriously even though I often find myself disagreeing with him!

[@haineshisway]

@@janouglaeser8049 Many have said it - over and over. I just find it funny, but that's just me, I suppose. I take few people's opinion's seriously.

[@janouglaeser8049]

I was asking who said they "automatically believe anything he [Hurwitz] recommends".

[@detectivehome3318]

@@haineshisway yes I trust him 100% with repertoire which I am unfamiliar with. I don't usually trust people. He is one of the most honest, sensible, funny, decent people I have ever seen.

[@bretfoley424]

Nice intensity

[@hughjorgan7871]

Outstanding!

[@chrisd9793]

Does anyone know where I can buy a copy? Dave H of classicstoday says it might be available in Japan, but as a Brit I am now well up on my Japanese classical CD retailers!

[@TheAngmarArchives]

It's available on amazon at the moment for £34 from Yes!Japan...I just ordered a copy.

[@gloomyloser_]

splendid!

[@tomlin1312]

音響清冽,氣氛柔和,音樂性佳

[@nout1972]

Great recording indeed, I prefer this one over Wand's 1987 NDR recording, but not over Wand's 1993 NDR and 2001 Berlin recordings. I may even prefer Boulez over Suitner. If I am being cynical it is rather telling for a critic to pick a rather obscure recording, one that is out of print as a favorite :)

[@orientaldagger6920]

I tend to agree. If you are going to pick a top recommendation for such a warhorse an important criteria should be general availability. Giulini/Maazel/HVK/Wand all are readily available in some form or another. I suppose Suitner is available now on KZbin.

[@willduffay2207]

To be fair to Dave, he does suggest at least half a dozen other recordings before mentioning this one, and then does acknowledge it's very difficult to get hold of etc etc. So I take his recommendation as well-intentioned.

[@mr-wx3lv]

Wow...for excitement and sound effects, there's non better. Pity though, the strings got swamped as is so often in Bruckner. But sounds like they really enjoyed playing that. Never heard of the conductor... what else did he record?

[@PelmetsAreAwesome]

Check out Suitner's Dvorak cycle! There are some great performances in there and the set is inexpensive.

[@symphonynut3291]

His Mozart Haffner Symphony with the Staatskapelle Dresden is the best I've heard.

[@ilirllukaci5345]

I always thought the bruckner 8th benefitted from a certain translucency.

[@홍홍-v8d]

눈물나게 좋다

[@PeteFine]

And to the person that commented that some playing was "out of tune"... I don't really hear it, and if a few notes in this long, massive symphony were indeed very slightly off, I will gladly sacrifice that for the incredible performance. These players were allowed to let loose and it worked!

[@vittoriostoraro]

Excellent, but I still prefer Karajan on DG.

[@orientaldagger6920]

Well it is different. Karajan/Vienna is just one of those otherworldly performances. One of those instances where HVK just lays the score before you so to speak and let the VPO do its thing. The brass of the VPO is just surreal and the strings what can you say. It is just one of those things that come together that you cannot really ask for. Amazingly HVK outdid himself in an equally magnificent B7.

[@ConcordMass]

1:17:43, 1:18:28

[@detectivehome3318]

1:03:17

[@michelangelomulieri5134]

Skrowaczewski!