Bruckner: Symphony nº 8 - Leif Segerstam - Sinfónica de Galicia

ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Sinfonía nº 8, en do menor
Allegro moderato (00:18)
Scherzo. Allegro moderato (18:40)
Adagio. Feierlich langsam; doch nicht schleppen (33:58)
Finale. Feierlich, nicht schnell (1:03:45)
Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia
Leif Segerstam, director
Grabación realizada en el Palacio de la Ópera de A Coruña el 21 de octubre de 2016.
Realización de Antonio Cid/RDC Producciones
Audio: Pablo Barreiro/CRTVG

[@Scathingly]

Wherever have I been and whatever is wrong with me, as until today I'd never ever heard of Bruckner, but damn, Maestro Segerstam and his magnificent orchestra surely gave me a glorious introduction!! I enjoyed the performance immensely from start to finish and I'm so appreciative.

[@muslit]

on a certain day, and if i'm in the mood, the Bruckner 8th could be the greatest symphony ever written

[@nightjaronthegate]

It is.

[@trag1sche]

IT ALWAYS WAS

[@Starless2012]

Some days I think Bruckner's 5th is the best..

[@DaSunfish]

@Bruno56 I think you're forgetting all the amazing Tchaikovsky and Bach compositions not to mention Chopin, Debussy, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, and Vivaldi. There's just so many great one's out there!

[@uweaschmutat4575]

the crown of symphonies

[@jaimelocoroco9181]

En este momento la Sinfónica de Galicia está sin duda entre las cinco mejores orquestas del mundo. ¡Bravísimo!

[@terencemeikle534]

Wonderful. Segerstam's interpretation is one of the finest I've heard in my half century as a Brucknerian. There is a lightness of touch here, avoiding all bombast, and Bruckner's occasional strokes of humour are nicely brought out. A fantastic orchestra! 👏🏿

[@fflambeauutube]

Leif Segerstam looks like he could have climbed Bruckner's mountains several times over. Or hewed them out of rock with one hand. He is amazing. A brilliant conductor. Very nice playing by this orchestra too.

[@ariniemela1823]

BRAVO LEIF! Leif Segerstam have full control of the structure and dynamics. Low tempos allow breathing of this colossal symphony. After second hearing everything seems to be so natural and logical in this mystical symphony. The orchestra sound is totally transparent and you can hear every single tone and instrument. Excellent orchestra and audio visual production. Thanks.

[@matheubrun]

I love conductors that conduct while sitting down (like Leif and Celibidache). It's as if they are so confortable that there is no hurry to leave and thus bring out all of the poetry of the music!

[@mrinman7407]

You might have something there: Celi's tempi got noticeably slower after he had taken to conducting sitting down.

[@marcvdbosch1802]

With Segerstam its something else. He is 160 Kg. He walks very slowly and can't stand that long on the podium. He has to sit !

[@dusankosanovic5386]

Performed and conducted as I understand Bruckner. Superb. Mr. Segerstam found the ideal way how to perform Bruckner in very slow tempi and stay dynamic and clear. Beautiful. A final word of Brucknerian music today!

[@hwh1946]

Great performance and what a great orchestra! One of the finest Bruckner performances I ever heard. Bravo!

[@suzanakosanovic1613]

Sinfónica de Galicia, maybe the best orchestra nowadays...nice & slow, dynamically exciting, very clear sound of very fine individual musicians gathered in one grand orchestra. Bravo again!

[@hughjorgan7871]

Surely to rival Berlin or Chicago!

[@MsArrowroot]

This is one of the best symphonies of them all - an island little visited by music lovers. An amazing and marvellous work.

[@pzwackelmann7681]

Bravo, bravo, bravo, what a performance ! Mr. Segerstam an the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia realy played Bruckner. The right tempi, the right sound.

[@shawnhampton8503]

Really great orchestra. Their sound is gorgeous.

[@jorgemittelmann620]

Una locura. Me faltan palabras. 🎺🎻🎼🎺🎼🎻🎻🎺🎺. Celibidache estaría orgulloso. Puede ser la mejor versión accesible en Internet. Sorprendente. No puedo evitar pensar cómo hubiese transfigurado Bruckner el tema inicial de la 9a, de haber completado el movimiento final. Admirable cómo el tema sombrío que abre la 8a se ilumina en la coda del movimiento final. Doppo morire...

[@brendanward2991]

One of the finest interpretations of this outstanding masterpiece.

[@josemanuelbreafeijoo1156]

Mi sinfonía preferida de Anton Bruckner, en la que antes del grandioso final aparece ese maravilloso adagio con un indescriptible pasaje melódico: 58:56. Para dejarse llevar... Soberbia interpretación de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia (¡merece ir a los Proms!), maravillosamente dirigida por Leif Segerstam. ¡Bravísimo!

[@vaughanosgan8766]

Way to go Leif...the orchestra is playing its heart out for you....

[@stuartkinzler3051]

Maestro Segerstam carries off an extraordinary performance with an superb orchestra of an underappreciated piece.

[@matthewmosca5002]

Spellbinding performance of this symphony- some have called the Bruckner 8 "the Everest of Western Music" - this orchestra has a most magnificent individual sound, -and the brass are astounding! this is the pace that I prefer with most Bruckner, but you need the finest orchestra and conductor to pull it off. We have it here! thank you for posting. An overwhelming experience.

[@Butchuckles]

Aigi Hurn was one of the best principal trumpeters in all of Europe. He left us way too early on July 9, 2020 and I miss him dearly. He was a great friend.... signed, Charles Butler.

[@bomcabedal]

God, I love just about everything Segerstam does. And a fine orchestra.

[@professordodo1]

Since my comment two years ago I have heard many other performances, and though ggod many are, I still return to this one frequently for the sheer beauty of the sound and the interpretation which I believe are unassailable.

[@hughjorgan7871]

Most definitely.

[@Jivanmuktishu]

I'm an 83.yo so Ive heard a lot of Bruckner, including ,any versions of this Eighth Symphony. This is the best I ever heard...so far...

[@benediktschlegel8233]

best so far??? What about Celibidache?

[@angelosilva4051]

Direzione straordinaria orchestra a grandi livelli Bruckner genio assoluto. Emozionante.

[@Berto-bo7mr]

Leif and the excellent Orquestra Sinfonica de Galicia deserved a FULL HALL It's an appalling turn out. However, those who were there showed their appreciation admirably. Great performance!

[@rainerwillamowski3527]

Ein hervorragender Bruckner. Ein ausgezeichnetes Orchester!! Und Segerstam at his best. Was will man mehr. Eine so intensive und begeisternde Aufführung von Bruckners Achte habe ich schon lange nicht mehr gehört. Bravo!!!

[@franciscolopezus]

This is a wonderful orchestra. Excellent conducting.

[@edgardoluciocrocetta2437]

Esta orquesta se creó en 1992 y está a la par de las mejores del mundo, muchas de ellas más que centenarias.

[@emiliosanzprieto5687]

Adoro a Bruckner. Excelente interpretción de esta gigantesa sinfonía.Su tercer moviminento, pura mística absolutamente emocionante fue magníficmente interpretada.Me perdí este cocierto y lo lamento.

[@Namuchat]

Cet orchestre est extraordinaire, vraiment galicieux!

[@BaroqueInToronto]

After listening to this glorious epic, it is a joy to watch the applause and especially Segerstam walking through the orchestra bellowing and singling out the soloists. The joyous energy and appreciation between them is beautiful!

[@scotzer]

Remarkable that Segerstam approached this enormous work with such slow tempi and made it more transparent and brilliant than I recall hearing it in a long time.He really shapes the themes such that a certain weirdness I don't associate with Bruckner comes out of the performance, which is something I was surprised and happy to hear. I love his apparent pleasure in the orchestra, too. Bravo, tutti!

[@eyesandears6341]

Surely the equal of any performance of this great work: somewhat surprising among such a gifted and illustrious circle of rather better known musical talent. Bruckner's instruction "Do not drag" in the adagio is followed - just! But I have never heard bowing like this at 57:45.

[@fratello885]

Absolutely overwhelming and authentic performance of this great work, miraculous cooperation between conductor and musicians - with humility in the service of the music (the very good instrumentalists don't overact with superfluous movements as it has become a selfish habit allover in the orchestras!) - Thank you!

[@carloslaguensbermejo9812]

Excelente interpretación de esta célebre sinfonía del compositor austriaco Bruckner por la magnífica orquesta gallega bajo la batuta del gran director L.Segerstam. BRAVO !!!

[@professordodo1]

This is a great performance despite the apparently slow tempi which Leif carries off magnificently, helped of course by this excellent orchestra. The brass can compete with many of the so called great orchestras of Germany, Austria, USA, Russia etc. Merits repeated listening to for the detail.

[@KeirUlrich-ts6tv]

Segerstam's version of Bruckner 8 is the most passionate and compelling. Bravo!

[@rodrigoolmo]

Si esta es la mejor grabación de la 8ª de Bruckner se dice y ya está.

[@INdepablos]

Esta Orquesta tiene el mejor grupo de metales del mundo!!!!! Bravísimo, OSG!!!!!!!!!

[@fabiusgraco5296]

É isso que admiro em uma orquestra. Não deixa seus ouvintes internautas sem novas postagens. Parabéns pela iniciativa, porque isso somente reitera a integridade desta orquestra com seus seguidores. Obrigado e uma abraço latino!

[@enzodiaz1693]

Fabius Graco

[@fabiusgraco5296]

Obrigado.

[@dusankosanovic5386]

I've found my favorite Bruckner orchestra! Bravo, fine Spanish musician girls and boys!

[@dnk9118]

magnifico leif, como siempre la o.s.g espectacular (la interpetacion la mejor)

[@jgesselberty]

A good, measured pace, similar to Celibidache, who takes it even slower. Remember, that Bruckner was not building skyscrapers; he was building cathedrals.

[@liauchungren848]

Bravo John, and Amen, YES, Bruckner was building a majestic CATHEDRAL in his music with a Wagnerian drama in the background. Your words are dead-on, my very sensitive friend !

[@ramsisghazzaoui5032]

Genial el director finlandes junto a la Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, en La Coruña.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

This No8 embodies the musical aesthetics of Bruckner that is indescribable beauty, and something indescribable, and indescribable feelings

[@joedeegan3870]

Excellent Audio and Video.

[@davidjared3402]

Bravo, Maestro Leif. You are a blessing!

[@mrc5273tjscgovbr]

Fiquei surpreso com a beleza e inteligência da interpretação. Andamento perfeito e belíssimos planos sonoros. Por fim, que regência clara!!! Maravilhoso!!!

[@suzanakosanovic1613]

It seems that the 'Brucknerian' sound ideally fits into southern temperament! Very warm sounding even the most horrible 'icy' or dreadful feelings passages come.

[@rufocermoles8062]

¡¡¡Bravo!!! Excepcional. Quién nos iba a decir hace un tiempo que tendríamos orquestas así en España. Pero que alguien le dé vitaminas al de los timbales.

[@Leon-Hardt]

Te doy la razon; en esta sinfonia y sobretodo en el Scherzzo tiene peso el percusionista; entiendase: Timbales. En el Allegro moderato tambien, ya que Bruckner le da importancia a estos (timbales pero en esta version los ejecutan con las baquetas afelpadas lo que le resta brillo) luego de la fanafarria de las trompetas. En el Adagio una nota antes de climax, "terrofico" diaria Yo, entra en fortissimo en notas bajas (no se mucho cual) y para culmen en el Finale: al principio en forma de cabalgata, luego, mi favorita: la Marcha donde excelentemente ejecutado es imponente y para glorioso final el timbal sobresale en 23 repeticiones similares a la cabalagata del inicio antes de la fuga cuadruple; una obra excelsa diga de estar a la par de la "Novena" del "Gran Sordo" Mis saludos.

[@alvarofierroclavero7965]

Bravísimo Leif, qué gran músico eres

[@ruslanfominov3675]

дирижёр с прекрасным чувством восприятия и передачи информации,заложенной автором в самОм произведении = это ни что иное как Дар Божий :) потрясающе! Браво!!! прекрасная работа оркестра (в целом) = молодцы!

[@VAMOSREVOLUCIONAR]

Deixo também a minha admiração pelo maestro LEIF, sobriedade e competência impressionantes.

[@Egbert_Souse]

BRAVO TUTTI CORNI and TUBENS!! As good as it gets and I'm a retired hornist who, at the very least, knows what it takes to sound that good. Great orchestra all around and the conductor appears inspirational (most of them are more like dentists pulling teach). This is a world class orchestra that, surprisingly, I've never known much about beautifully recorded in what sounds like a very good hall especially given how together the orch was. Of course, acoustics are hard to ascertain from any recording and I think I saw some close miking which gives the recording engineers a lot of, shall we say, flexibilities when it comes to balances, etc. But however they did it, they did it very well. Thanks for posting. BTW, I submit that two microphones suspended above the conductor gives us what they hear and, done right, what they want the listener to hear. An honest unenhanced rendering. I digress...

[@peterwhyte317]

I think that was a magical performance/recording/video. Thank you!

[@hectorberlioz9569]

Great music,great performance and great conducting....

[@SuperJusticio]

La Sinfónica de Galicia, como siempre, insuperable!

[@antoniocarlosantunesantune3217]

Bruckner é o compositor mais heavy metal da symphonic music ! Extraordinary....

[@tinsares]

Decir algo que no sepamos de la OSG y del Maestro Segerstam, es decir algo que ya es obvio, simplemente dejémonos ir con la música y relajémonos felizmente con esta exquisita obra.

[@martinerazim183]

tinsares v

[@lydiacollins8903]

Fine performance. The sound quality is excellent. Compliments to the audio engineer, Maestro Segerstam, and the players!

[@newyork1401]

orchestral music and esp at this quality may be the greatest gift to and from man and may be the thing that eventually saves us from ourselves or from some ominous onlooking force

[@michaelkahlert-carstens7448]

UNGLAUBLICH wunderbar ! Man liebt jedes einzelne Instrument !

[@classic4ever780]

C'est superbe. Un orchestre magnifique et un chef d'un haut niveau (même si j'ai du mal à distinguer le meilleur du pire dans les interprétations des symphonies de Bruckner...). C'est pour cela que je me contenterai de ne pas tarir d'éloges sur cet orchestre de Galice !

[@barrybernstein4459]

A terrific performance. Celibidache would of raved at the tempi !Exactly how this supreme masterpiece should be played. With this and his 9th symphony Bruckner joined Beethoven at the very heights of symphonic composition.

[@matheubrun]

The secret to bring out the perfect tempo seems to be to sit down while conducting.

[@jorgemittelmann620]

So true!! ❤️❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@liauchungren848]

I totally agree with you that Anton Bruckner rank his position as equal, to that of Beethoven as the last Great Master of the 19th Century in the Austro-German musical tradition besides Johannes Brahms. We are very fortunate that we are receiving HIS wonderful musical legacy that he left for all mankind. I LOVE BRUCKNER !

[@hughjorgan7871]

Notice the Celibidache performance in Japan on youtube has only 4 French horns.

[@AncientOfDays]

BEST ORCHESTRA! Sublime performance.

[@user-km1vm7hy6i]

今までカラヤンのブル8が至高と思ってたがそれを超える名演があった。 曲の構成をどう意味付けしてるかよく分かるし曲想のつけ方も絶妙。三楽章などはトリハダもんです。 アンサンブルもほぼ完璧。響きがとても美しい。 心が洗われるブル8でした。

[@nellyn1365]

Sublime, ce chef d'orchestre est habité, bravo😙🤗😍merci de ce moment délicieux

[@jaimelocoroco9181]

Tan sólo dos palabras: ¡¡¡IM-PRESIONANTE!!! (La OSG como siempre SUBLIME)

[@hilarylewis7017]

Definitely excellent performance and directing!! Everyone was firing on all pistons!

[@vaughanosgan2623]

Utterly fantastic

[@beatrizgarcia9890]

Hermosa sinfonía, excelente orquesta, gran director..!

[@leestamm3187]

An interesting interpretation by Segerstam, proving that taking it a bit slower need not make it any less powerful.

[@MartinHatchuel]

How magnificent. Thank you

[@ilseelisabethvahrenkamp1516]

Stupendo concerto!

[@43nostromo]

OMG. If I could watch Santa Claus conduct, I'd be at the symphony every week. Hell, every night!

[@ibizaking]

bar5, great! bassoon in stead of clarinet in the right key!

[@miguelangelperez5176]

Maravilloso💖💖💖

[@yvanmcgregor5823]

Much Gratitude:)

[@joedeegan3870]

Wonderful Performance !

[@hilarylewis7017]

There is some music in this world that leaps off the sheet music at you! This is one of them!!! Thank you for sending Bruckner my Almighty God!!!

[@mergy16]

Genio! que fantasticos😚

[@eugenioperez2290]

Fantasticos!!!

[@liauchungren848]

Outstanding and very moving performance of the Bruckner's Great 8th. Lovely man, bravo and bless him, but he truly need to do something about his over-weight. Music is so wonderful, third movement left me in tears.

[@daisuke6072]

素晴らしい〜wonderful

[@Senfonikankara]

Bravo

[@jorgeledesma4524]

Very good performance of Bruckner's 8th symphony.

[@Egobaldo]

Endless and relentless, but beautiful. 👍

[@HermanvanRumpo]

Well done , Santa !

[@yuyunfei9994]

Bruckner №8 my love

[@inraid]

superb!

[@shin-i-chikozima]

No8 promotes spilitual uplift and awakening, and invigorates the soul

[@hughjorgan7871]

Galicia! One of the world's Greatests!

[@PensarLibremente]

Me gusta esta música. Pensadores, filósofos, psicólogos, físicos, matemáticos, biólogos escuchan esta música para estudiar y meditar.

[@ernestomaceira6380]

la escuché por primera vez el día siguiente a la muerte de Franco.. En cualquier emisora de radio, en el estéreo portátil de mi tío Paco, un Grundig. Sobrecogedora Grabé accidentalmente unos compases de Bruckner 8 en una cinta de sinfonías de Mozart. de la sinfónica de Viena con Böhm para DG. Casi me muero. Y mi padre, deswpués, casi me mata

[@VAMOSREVOLUCIONAR]

Embora o enorme legado que esta orquestra já nos proporciona, desejo que continuem o excelente trabalho, que a GALICIA , a quem dou os parabéns, saiba encontrar forma de a "perpetuar".

[@donaldallen1771]

I'm just going repeat what has been said already, but I'm going to say it anyway. This symphony is simply magnificent. Who am I to disagree with Johannes Brahms, but I think he was just wrong about Bruckner's work. Leif Segerstam is a fantastic conductor. And he's got a wonderful orchestra here. It's hard to imagine this masterpiece done better.

[@filippociffo3233]

Bravi, Leif sei grande.

[@richardwilliams473]

I love the yell of approval from the conductor to the orchestra at the very end!!!I think he was speaking Finnish?

[@blahblahblahblah2837]

Great performance! 1st violins, second desk - Too Many Cooks, anyone?

[@daisuke6072]

素晴らしい