Search - Karl Bohm, Wiener Philharmoniker :: Bruckner Symphony No 8

Karl Bohm was a great Brucknerian

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 04/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Karl Bohm's stereo recording of Bruckner's 8th Symphony, recorded by DG in 1976, is a witness to Bohm's reputation as a great Brucknerian. I highly recommend this recording, not only for Bohm, but for the great Vienna Philharmonic, a match made in heaven for this sprawling, titanic symphony.



Bohm's tempos are always flexible and sensible, and never on the fast side. His Adagios do not bog down, and the long line is always emphasized.



If someone has a criticism of this recording, they might say the bass is a bit shy in places, although this isn't a problem for me, and my system doesn't have great bass response/emphasis. The Vienna brass really soar in climaxes, and the overall feeling is one of terror and ectsasy combined, especially in II and IV. DG could be light on bass response in some recordings, and if that is a concern for you, be aware.



Other options? Karajan/Vienna (DG, made late in his career); Schuricht/Vienna (EMI) and Jochum/Berlin (DG). AVOID: Karajan/Berlin, either EMI or DG.



Further suggestion: Be sure to consider Bohm's Vienna Philharmonic recordings of Bruckner Symphonies 3 and 4 (both Decca releases) and Bruckner Symphony 7 (DG Galliera). The Bohm/Bruckner 3 may be hard to find in the US, but is worth the search."

Top shelf

Jeff D. Wolf | Abilene, TX | 10/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Among the more than 20 recordings I have of the Bruckner 8th, a handful rise above the others: Wand (his first, out-of-print analog RCA is the best of the three), Karajan with the VPO, Omar Suitner on Berlin Classics, and Chailly on Decca/London. Bohm (on one 80-plus minute CD, regardless of what one review here says) belongs in this exalted company. For those who might be familiar with other Bohm recordings, his Bruckner 8th performance and DG's sound quality are outstanding in the same vein as Bohm's Brahms 2nd and Brahms 4th recordings, also with the VPO.



In short, a fabulous recorded performance of one of the 19th century's great orchestral masterpieces."

I am a non-fan of Bohm's, but this is exemplary Bruckner

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 06/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bohm was around 84 when he made this Bruckner Eighth for DG, which comes in good sound and exemplary execution form the vienna Phil. If you are a collector of Bohm's Bruckner, this studio version of the Eighth is much to e preferred over a live 1974 reading from Cologne on EMI's Great Condcutors of the Century series. I am not a fan of Bohm's, but I feel a bit sorry for him here, because DG has no less than three other Eights with the Vienna Phil., from Karajan, Boulez, and Giulini. The Karajan stands at the very peak of Bruckner conducting, but that doesn't make the bohm version a disappointment by any means.



The playing here is sonorous and alert at the same time, with inner vitality and no pomposity. I like Bruckner without rhetoic, and although Bohm is blunt rather than eloquent, he gives us unsalted musical expression that feels real. The Scherzo is appealing in its lightness and quick pace. The Adagio is takne quite slowly but is sustained extremely well--I think it almost equals Karajan's. The finale escapes slam-bang thanks to the elegance of the /Vienna brass and strings.



In all, I find myself very impressed and highly recommend this Bruckner Eighth in a field crowded with great recordings. (Because it spills over on to a second CD, this midprice set costs more than the single-disc Boulez.)"