Bruckner: Symphony 8 (Solti)

 

As with Bruckner's Seventh Symphony, Sir Georg Solti is generally preferred leading the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the 60s in Symphony no. 8 in C minor compared to this Chicago reading in the early 90s.

So too in both performances, Solti uses the Nowak edition of Bruckner's score, one I am less familiar with, generally preferring Haas.

Either way, Chicago and Solti were made for a symphony such as the Eighth, both willing to give over the goods of an apocalyptic symphonic scale.

In my eyes, the only thing missing from this performance is a sense of purposeful direction. Chicago plays sweetly in the pastoral portions and fiery in the many climaxes, yet the ensemble and conductor more or less stumble upon these opposite sections rather than convincing us of a cohesive whole, beautifully played though it be.

Decca's sound is crystal clear, providing insights from this ensemble sometimes not able to be heard elsewhere. The second movement Scherzo is one place where all of the colors of the orchestra come through crisply, a wonderful area of the symphony to hear different sections of the orchestra away from the full ensemble.

As I near the end of Solti's Bruckner cycle, I am not unhappy to have heard his take on the composer's symphonies at all. Indeed, the early symphonies are easily my favorites from Chicago and Sir Georg. And no one can take away the abilities of this ensemble, nor the talent at the podium, so there should be a large and willing audience for these later works from this musical partnership.

Yet, the more I am listening to these symphonies, the more I realize I am more in line with a so-called metaphysical Bruckner. Those who don't ascribe to such a position should have even more to enjoy here.

 

 

Work
Symphony 8 in C minor, WAB 108 (Nowak)
    I. Allegro moderato (15.00)
   II. Scherzo (14.25)
  III. Adagio (24.09)
  IV. Finale (20.09)

Performers
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Sir Georg Solti, conductor

Label: Decca
Year: 1992
Total Timing: 73.59

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