Repertoire: The BEST Bruckner First Symphony

There are no bad recording of Bruckner's First Symphony, but there are two versions of it, and nothing reveals the insanity of the Bruckner cult more tellingly than the ongoing brouhaha over them. Here are my top three recordings of each version, but the truth is that it's the same work with only minor differences in either case, so just go with whatever you have on hand.

[@AlexMadorsky]

As a huge Bruckner fan but not a Bruckner nutcase, I share your distaste for tedious academic debates over which versions of the various symphonies are the “correct” ones. This is especially true for No. 1, because the differences between the Linz and the Vienna are barely detectable to the average listener. Many regard the first as immature Bruckner, but I couldn’t care less because it is an excellent piece of music, particularly the Italianate scherzo. The Wand is the first version of the 1st imprinted on my brain, and I haven’t heard a compelling reason anyone needs anything else. It’s marvelous, melodious, and masterful. Editing to agree with something else: no excellent Bruckner cycle I know of features a weak 1st. If it’s a cycle I like, I know I’ll like the 1st.

[@bernardohanlon3498]

Dave - greetings from the Penal Colonies. Again, bravo! As the President of the Australian Knappertsbusch Association, I am deeply shocked to hear that Bruckner kooks are afoot and prepared to argue the merits of the Linz v the Vienna versions until kingdom come - and cite Robert Simpson's condemnation of the latter in doing so! Arguments that the Vienna version wasted a year of his life that could have been spent on the Ninth Symphony hold no water with me. If Haydn, in his wisdom and wholeness, tempers the neuroticism of Mahler, perhaps we need to find a composer who has the same impact on these Bruckner kooks - such as Buxtehude! Best wishes, B

[@barryguerrero7652]

Thank you on soooooo many levels.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

You're very welcome!

[@northside7772]

Thanks for delightful insights. When I taught a college class on 19th Century harmony years ago, in addition to such pieces as Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, I used the finale from the Bruckner 1st as an example of some wonderful modulations and deceptive cadences, (for example setting your ears up to expect the tonic chord but giving you instead the tonic note harmonized in the lowered submediant chord. We get the tonic but in an unusual setting. Very striking,) and also how Bruckner moves at the very end to simpler, straight-forward resolutions.

[@johnmontanari6857]

My favorite is the Phil Linz version with obbligato harmonica (extremely obscure 1964 Yankees reference).

[@shostakovich343]

Chailly's first is with the DSO Berlin, by the way, but it doesn't matter - they always played extremely well for him. His cycle is quite remarkable overall, and surely underrated. We still don't generally think of Chailly as a Bruckner conductor because of the hot-headed Rossini guy image he used to have, but most of these recordings are sensible, shapely, and sometimes (the seventh) daringly slow. Really first class.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Whoops! You're right. My bad.

[@Tracotel]

Chailly is not with the Concertgebouw but with the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I know. This has already been mentioned. Still an excellent performance, even if we don't get the Concertgebouw woodwinds!

[@flexusmaximus4701]

Debate on Bruckner scores, is like debate on gospel wording. We need a council of Nicea to ensure dogmatic constituency. But being after nov 3rd, I demand a recount. )) PG

[@edwinbaumgartner5045]

Tinnitus Records should enter the music publishing business with a Bruckner-Edition: Left side the 1st version, right side the last version (Volume 1); left side the 2nd version, right side the last version (Volume 2); left side the 1st version, right side the 2nd version (Volume 3) a.s.o. THAT would be THE Bruckner edition for centuries.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

We will do if you will be the editor-in-chief.

[@jensguldalrasmussen6446]

Even though "I've got Georgia on my mind", you succeeded in taking my thoughts of that topic for a while - no mean feat! It will be such a sad day, when you are through all the Bruckner symphonies - though, Pipo, the cat, may breathe a sigh of relief! If Georgia, NV and PA stay as they are now all the way to the end, it surely must be time for a Te Deum - either Bruckner's...or wouldn't the occassion rather call for a one hour cross- composeral feature? Altetnatively, a Te Deum week-special: every day a video with a run through of the recorded legacy of a different composer's Te Deum?!

[@jacquesracine9571]

Go for Berlioz’s Te Deum. The only way to fully express the joy of going back to normalcy.

[@jensguldalrasmussen6446]

@@jacquesracine9571 For the sheer magnitude of the occassion that would certainly be an appropriate choice! But there are besides Berlioz and Bruckner so many good ones to choose from: Charpentier, Händel (Göttingen TD), Verdi (from Quattro pezzi sacri), Haydn's more small scale little gem - to mention but a few personal favourites!

[@mr-wx3lv]

I have the Abbado VPO recording of the Linz version. I thought it was fab. Great, tough kind of sound from the orchestra. And doesn't hang around.

[@DavidJohnson-of3vh]

A good one with chuckles. Thank you. The only ones I have are Jochum/Dresden and Barenboim/CSO.

[@ancestralvoices1]

David, I only discovered and subscribed to your channel today - and thank you so much for your knowledge, and for causing me to laugh out loud! Can’t wait to peruse so many more of your videos. Bruckner 1 with Jochum towards the end I swear I hear Max Steiner! Somethings wrong with me - but I love it! Thanks again, now off to your Franck Symphony review.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you for subscribing! I hope you enjoy the videos.

[@arneheinemann3893]

What should I say ? Wand was my first recording of the first symphony, followed by Solti, Abbado (both), Chailly, And the Sawallisch box is on my wish list. Greetings from Northern Germany.

[@BalbirSingh-gr2qk]

Superb. Thanks

[@chuckdorr97]

Another excellent commentary. But you are busting my budget! I have tended towards recent recordings out of the misguided premise that sonics are better, and most recent conductors as well (shame on me) so I can hear all the sounds. Today, at the gym, I heard a Gunther Wand performance of Bruckner's 6th on KZbin with the NDR. What I haven't heard before!!! He is way undervalued as a conductor! Snob bias exists not only in the media, but also in the classical music world. Wand is not flashy, fussed repeatedly with his bow tie, but lead an inspired performance. By the visual cues he gave the orchestra, he seems to have finely sliced the brass section enough so you could hear them all and seemed to do the same with the woodwinds to excellent effect. While not a musician by any stretch of the imagination, he has made his mark on me. Same with the Munch Saint-Saens Third Symphony, the Wand B's 9th, and Walter's Brahms 3rd all of which you have recommended in various discussions. But my coinage is shrinking. Anyway, you have a confirmed admirer, here in New Zealand, an American transplant of 4 years.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thanks very much.

[@ABC_Guest]

I generally can't stand Bruckner, but his 1st is actually pretty fun! Maybe my favorite.

[@ThreadBomb]

Okay, I will be the perverse one and say that the 1891 version is definitely worse! It's not an ideological view (I generally prefer his later versions). If you just listen to any minute of the Linz version and then listen to the same minute of the Vienna version, with almost every change he has made the work worse. I think the problem is that Bruckner's style changed in the 25 years between versions, and the two styles didn't fit together. Even the great advocacy of Chailly and Wand can't convince me otherwise.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

It's not perverse to say so, but it is simply a matter of opinion as to what constitutes "worse."

[@Don-md6wn]

This was hilarious. Might you consider expanding this into a list of the craziest online classical music cults?

[@petekohn]

I really enjoy your videos. And I really enjoy the Bruckner 1!

[@adrianosbrandao]

I looooove the Bruckner First. I first heard it after knowing well all the other Bruckner symphonies (even the 0th) and, WOW, it instantaneously blew my mind. I'll never forget that experience: it was fairly late in the night and after the AMAZING finale coda my immediate instinct was to repeat and listen to the symphony all over again. It was love at first hearing :) (BTW, it was the superb Skrowaczewski recording of the Linz version. But my favorite recording is Abbado's indeed.)

[@danielhornby5581]

I only listened to the First when I got the Jochum EMI set some fifteen years ago. I actually thought it was so good that the other symphonies couldn’t possibly be any better. So I didn’t listen to them. Until this week!

[@phillipbissell]

Great review, David! A complete breath of fresh air!!! BRAVO!

[@KBMars]

David, this video is hilarious! Incredibly funny and so informative. Btw my favourite B1 always was a hybrid, mov1 by Tintner Linz 66 and mov4 by Chailly Vienna. 2 and 3, whatever. How about videos about "the IDEAL movements of..." ? just kidding of course. My current favourite is Abbado Linz, discovered through you. Stand healthy and keep keep going, please.

[@Alex-ze2xt]

Like first, watch next. David doesn't disappoint. (You are going to mention Abbado's B1, right?)...in 3 minutes... Right!!! He performs **revised** Linz version, so now you know it too :) Joking, I do not care about the version, Abbado is great and Adagio is one of the best out there, second climax is spectacular.

[@stefanprost6901]

This is the video of yours I most enjoyed up today! Tanks a lot!

[@Don-md6wn]

This video prompted me to reach into my recently acquired Jochum EMI Icon box that includes his Bruckner cycle with Dresden and listen to Bruckner 1 (Linz version) for the first time after over 20 years of listening to classical music. I liked it so much that I went straight to the 2nd symphony (1877 edition, ed. Nowak), another one I hadn't heard, and I liked it even better. I found these first 2 much easier to digest than late Bruckner and not at all boring. Jochum keeps things moving, and the sound quality and playing is terrific.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Good for you! Jochum, of course, is excellent in this music.

[@Don-md6wn]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Your advocacy for Jochum wore me down. I also picked up his Haydn London symphonies set and it is terrific.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@Don-md6wn I wasn't making it up.

[@PhilKelley]

This was delightful. I have never heard a music critic say, "They are all good" (and you give excellent reasons why). Thank you for a refreshing and enlightening video. BTW, I came here for some insights on the best Bruckner Symphony No. 1 recording to because there were so many on KZbin. I got more than just an answer to my question.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@murrayhardie8025]

Brilliant!!!! Thanks Dave.

[@TheCastlepoet]

Dave ~ In keeping with your stern admonition, I'll resist the temptation to list my umpteen favorite recordings of B1; nor will I argue the manifold reasons for the undoubted superiority of one particular version over the other. But... When are you going to discuss Die Nullte? (Aka--erroneously--Symphony No. 0.) Endless opportunity to stir up a fussy Brucknerian contretemps when it comes to that one. I can't wait! Mit besten Grüßen, JD

[@1984robert]

"We need a new edition" - it reminds me: "we need a new remaster" :-)

[@s.k.angyal3768]

May I say that I hoped and you did, mentioning Wolfgang Sawallisch🎶

[@jgesselberty]

There is a reason why the first is never issued as a stand alone. It is also why, when I am in the mood for Bruckner, it will remain on the shelves.

[@robinicus1133]

I can just see 84 Y.O. Arthur and 79 Y.O. Jules fighting each other to the death with their walkers because one thinks Neumann's Brucker 1 Scherzo is too fast while the other believes the horn section is too soft. Too funny!

[@jacquesracine9571]

What about the Vienna version with the Linz Philarmomic? The Pom-Pom-Pom is exquisite.

[@alejandrosotomartin9720]

You have a quite interesting channel. I'll follow it.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you.

[@alejandrosotomartin9720]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Here in Europe we don't know too much about North American composers. Maybe a video suggesting some of them?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@alejandrosotomartin9720 There have been several already.

[@alejandrosotomartin9720]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I watched yesterday your review of Barber. Underrated and with painful end. But we don't know too much.

[@tommorrissey4726]

On to Die Nullte!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No way.

[@richardfrankel6102]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Dave, just to make you smile: In the mid-1970's I was working in your favorite Baltimore Record store. It had a stereo system, of course, and we were supposed to play records we thought the browsing customers might like and buy; but inevitably we'd throw in a few that we just felt like hearing. One day a new Unicorn Lp of "Die Nullte" arrived - might even have been the "00" ‐ and none of us knew the work, so we gave it a spin... ...and, to our surprise, it was delightful! So fresh, so sparkling, so Mendelssohnian! And only when we took the record off the turntable did we realize that the person who'd played the previous record - a 45rpm 12" single - had failed to reset the speed when he'd finished. Yes, we'd played a whole Bruckner symphony at the wrong speed, and loved it! In fact, just between us, I've never enjoyed it quite so much since then.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@richardfrankel6102 I did the same thing with Brahms' Academic Festival Overture on WJHU--so light and fresh!

[@richardfrankel6102]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Maybe THAT'S why you liked Gil Shaham' recent Brahm's Cto. so much! (Just kidding--I love that disc, almost as I love the DVD of his live performance of that cto. With Abbabo/BPO. But, boy, has he ever re-examined his concept of the work!)

[@mr-wx3lv]

Has to be one of the contenders for best "1st Symphony" of the nineteenth century. Very original and often quirky. You can't imagine how different to Brahms it is. Always intrigued by the relationship between those two. David, have you done a video about the relationship between different composers? Would be fascinating to hear your thoughts..

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I've done Mozart and Haydn.

[@eugenebraig413]

Your chuckle at the end = priceless.

[@conuredude]

Thank you for straightening this out for me! I was getting drawn into the madness, but your comments make a lot of sense.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Glad I could help! Bruckner has a tendency to do that to people.

[@nb2816]

Dave, I'm hardly a fanatic regarding the various versions of Bruckner's symphonies, but the problems of the Vienna version of Symphony 1 go beyond reorchestration and fussiness of ornamentation, and involve the wholesale flattening out of all of the delightful irregularities of phrase structure of the Linz version. It was because of Hermann Levi's rejection of the original version of the eighth that Bruckner embarked upon his revising rampage. The 3rd was definitely improved, the first....... ? But the Vienna

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Sorry, I don't agree. Regular phrase structure was Bruckner's hallmark. It doesn't bother me at all. If you want irregular phrasing, try Stravinsky!

[@nb2816]

@@DavesClassicalGuide But the first symphony was written before his "mature" style manifested itself, so to impose it after the fact on this early work was a real miscalculation on Bruckner's part. One of the most interesting features of No. 1 is this irregularity of phrase structure; the opening of the scherzo is a good example

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@nb2816 Bruckner was over 40 when he wrote the First Symphony. It is in no way "immature." You are in no position to tell Bruckner what was or was not a "miscalculation." Of course you can like what you like, but please don't tell Bruckner how to compose.

[@nb2816]

Bruckner's 1st is a great piece, but it's not fully characteristic of his later style. It demonstrates that if he had so chosen, he could have continued the "classical" style of the earlier German/Austrian masters, and part of that involves a more flexible phraseology. I'm just saying that he was probably too close to the matter at hand to fully appreciate the extent of his subsequent development, which was basically incongruent with his earlier style, and what constitutes what I see as the main problem with the Vienna version.

[@stephenhuntsucker2790]

Oh my gosh! I've never laughed so hard at one of your videos until now. Your woopeties were hilarious. It's nice to hear unpretentious ideas about this music.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Glad you enjoyed!