Search - Anton Bruckner, Franz Welser-Most, Jane Eaglen :: Bruckner - Messe No. 3 · Te Deum / Eaglen · Remmert · van der Walt · Muff · London Phil. · Welser-Möst

Really overwhelming !

N. Daniele Pietro | Milano, MI Italy | 03/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even if I'm a longtime Bruckner fan, I came to these works only lately. I admit that I usually like my music "abstract" and I don't listen a lot to "vocal" music , whether sacred or profane. I guess I feel the presence of a sung text and/or a "program" like a distraction from the flow of the music, so to say.. Anyway, even if I'm not an expert in this kind of music, I dare to suggest listeners to get this, because it's quite an experience. Actually, lovers of Bruckner's symphonies will find here all the familiar features: alternation of intimate sections ( for example there's a beautiful part for violin solo in the Te Deum) and huge crescendos, majestic double fugues and ecstatically jubilant climaxes. It seemed to me that Bruckner's "sacred style" is very similar to the "profane" one, and that's not too surprising, given the deeply personal (but also so universal!) quality of his whole output. The vocal writing, too, is compelling, with many passages (especially the choral ones) bursting with a sort of "spiritual thrill" that I found irresistible. Both the pieces are great, but I find the Te Deum particularly magisterial, a masterpiece. In this cd Welser-Most , drawing first-class singing and playing from a very mixed team (international soloists, Austrian choir, British orchestra) achieves a performance with a strong sense of unity and purpose.. Maybe those who like their Bruckner more mystically rarefied may not share his view, because here everything is grandly and dramatically shaped, to maximum effect, but I found it a thrilling and moving experience. The recording is very good, even more remarkable considering that these pieces, probably give great balancing problems to sound engineers. Very generous timing, very close to the limits of the format (79:26!)."