Review: Poschner's Misconceived Bruckner 7th

[@jasonlinn]

Just listened and the end of the 1st movement is even more ridiculous than I imagined based on your description

[@richardfrankel6102]

About the sung musical examples: I find them incredibly helpful! When it's a musical example from a piece I know, I always know exactly where you mean and what you're trying to point out about it.

[@salocindejuan9648]

Excellent review and explanation! Thank you.

[@lucbenac9756]

Perfect timing. Presto has Poschner on sale so I splurged Bruckner 5,6 and 8 based on your recommendtaions and some listening. I was tempted to add 7 but a brief listen of bits did not convinced. Now you just confirmed it.

[@edfromlongisland2623]

Thanks for saving me some money, lol! I am awaiting Poschner's Bruckner 8th, which should be winging its way from the U.K. shortly, I hope. I appreciate your timely reviews!

[@ud-]

Your comment about the 4th movement in the 9th symphony is pure truth when I listened to it for the first time I said that's not how Bruckner handle it's compositions and the symphony itself shouldn't always have that major finally and after all we don't know what Bruckner had in his mind I congratulate you for your knowledge Mr Hurwitz ❤

[@richardfrankel6102]

And, another thing: when you sing a part of a score, I begin to understand what it means to be a (self-proclaimed) "Structure Whore". I mean, I can sense your utter delight in the way the pieces of a score all fit together, like some giant, audible jigsaw puzzle. We can hear your joy in this analytical process. And THAT, in my book, makes it great singing!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Awww! Thanks.

[@jackhinkley6162]

This review prompted me to listen again to Chailly with the RSO Berlin which I haven't heard for a long time ... but how refreshing and wonderful this is. Poschner may have his ideas but from the sounds of things, ie the pacing for the codas for I and IV etc., his version will not stand up to the Chailly or others.

[@tomphoenix8697]

End of the 1st movement is hilarious. I get lots of animal noises - but with the farm burning.

[@bbailey7818]

My score of the 7th says simply Sehr Ruhig for the last 32 bars of Mvt 1 with poco a poco crescendo. Nothing about moving a bit faster at all. Is a puzzlement. (Haas vs. Nowak?)

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, it's in Nowak but not Haas.

[@leestamm3187]

Thanks, as always, for your cogent (usually) observations. Am I wrong, or did I hear a few brief snippets here from your unpublished Bruckner book?

[@massawax]

Noch und noch etwas schneller is more or less same ss "stringendo", "wrapping up". David is completely right. Max Rudolf renders that masterfully.😊

[@barrondeschlozer]

Dave, thank you for this review - I was really looking forward to this release, especially after that absolutely fabulous 8th. This 7th is a disaster. And not only because of the ridiculous ending of the first movement. The performance feels like a rushed, uncommitted run-through; the orchestral playing is not great, balances are off, and the recording just doesn't sound all that good. I'm wondering if maybe there was a last-minute switch of orchestras - I recall seeing in the documentation for this series that this recording was supposed to feature the Bruckner Linz, but it's the much inferior sounding Vienna ORF that we get...what a HUGE disappointment. But that 8th is spectacular...!

[@CaioLopes1989]

Mr Hurwitz, is the 3rd symphony a Finale symphony?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Absolutely not.

[@CaioLopes1989]

@@DavesClassicalGuide So only 3rd, 6th, 7th and 9th aren't Finale symphonies?

[@lukestables708]

The hands here are almost Ólafsson-esque! Hopefully in the distant future Bruckner can be cloned back into existence and forced to complete the 9th so we can finally find out how it should sound.

[@stefanhorlitz]

Imagine he'd write just a bunch of light variations on some Austrian Schuhplattler song.

[@massawax]

If a resurrected Bruckner was dug out of his burial in SankFlorian and I had the chance to come across him I would urge😂 him not to add a single note to what is extant. We've had enough versions and variants from pupils, conductors, apostles and later scholars. I have become persuaded that in our times, we need sensible, capable and well-educated conductors to reinstate Bruckner's music in it's proper historical dimension. Any cult-like type of adoration by groups of exoteric specialists and devotees ultimately works against the very acceptance and understanding of this truly extraordinarily original composer.

[@massawax]

@@stefanhorlitz I'd certainly encourage that approach! Very wise of a resurrected Habsburg subject in the 21st century!