Bruckner: Symphony 6 (Karajan)

 

As I have mentioned elsewhere on this blog, I have yet to completely come to terms with Anton Bruckner's Symphony no. 6 on record.

For a conductor who is deemed patient in Bruckner's symphonies, it seems to me Karajan is a tad hasty in the outer movements here, but particularly the opening of the final movement.

Otherwise, I receive the reverent solemnity of the second movement in spades, and the not-so-rushed Scherzo in the third movement, per Bruckner's instructions. And of course, Berlin ably ramps up the climaxes of this symphony effectively, carefully prepared by Karajan for maximum effect.

The Sixth Symphony is often considered his lightest in the genre, perhaps tied up in the titular A Major key, but also maybe its relative brevity compared to the other symphonies surrounding it. Yet, the restlessness between a certain mix of lightness and darkness in the music is probably what keeps me from reaching this work on the whole, and I would hate to think the shorter runtime didn't allow Bruckner to fully cohere his musical views. In this way, I always appreciate concision, if nigh-upon 60 minutes could be considered such. Berlin and Karajan are not entirely successful in this realm for this listener, yet I feel this rests more on Bruckner's shoulders than it does these performers.

 

 

 

 

Work
Symphony 6 in A Major, WAB 106 (Haas)
    I. Majestoso (15.16)
   II. Adagio (18.58)
  III. Scherzo (7.52)
  IV. Finale (15.32)

Performers
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Label: DGG
Year: 1979
Total Timing: 57.36

 

 

 

 

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