Search - Herman Abendroth, Leipzig, Radio Symphony Orch :: Conducts Bruckner Fifth

Testimony

08/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Who remembers Abendroth ? Another student of Felix Mottl, his nickname was nothing else than "the other Furtwängler" (gulp) and it is all too sad that his major recordings of Schumann or Beethoven are so rarely recommended. Here is, in my opinion, one of the two or three best interpretations of the Fifth Symphony on record. Less hurried than others (Knappertsbusch for instance), Abendroth gives this work a sense of grandeur only to be found in Jochum's live recordings. The only shortcoming here is sound quality : good enough for a 1949 recording, but a bit noisy. But that shouldn't prevent any serious collector and, to a wider extent, any Bruckner fan to buy this CD."

Very good Bruckner

Jeffrey Lee | Asheville area, NC USA | 08/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It takes Abendroth a while to get going here. The interpretation improves significantly as it moves forward. In the beginning, I find his take on the adagio a trifle drawn out. Also, some of the silences during Bruckner's pauses seem to be left hanging. Several moments including these tend to create an aural scenario that at times almost seems to border on the episodic. Knappertsbusch, who is sometimes cited for being pokey, maintains the musical flow here in more continuous and convincing fashion. In fact, in his 1956 Vienna/Decca presentation his first movement, in contrast to Abendroth, is hurricane-like. There are some very nicely expressed moments in Abendroth's second movement, though in areas where horns should be boldly and/or smoothly assertive, they register somewhat raucously. I have no quips regarding the third movement. I like its style very much and its flow is well preserved. The Leipzig Radio Orchestra executes nicely here and throughout the entire symphony. Sections of the last movement exude some very sensitive and lyrical playing. About midway through there is more than just a hint of the building process that leads to the work's closing portions. From here on Abendroth is most convincing right through the finale. All considered, one of the better interpretations of this monumental piece, though the sound leaves something to be desired especially at higher dynamic levels where congestion is evident. My favorites continue to be Knappertsbusch's 1956 Vienna Philharmonic (Decca) and live 1959 Munich Philharmonic (Music and Arts) readings despite his use of the Schalk version, about which I have a few reservations, and Jochum's Berlin Philharmonic and Amsterdam Concertgebouw accounts. I also understand that a very fine Bruckner Fifth with Carl Schuricht and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony is being released on the Hanssler label. I look forward to reviewing that cd at a later date. Incidentally, like Jeff Lipscomb, I too favor the Arlecchino pressing for Abendroth's Bruckner Fifth."

Bruckner Symphony 5-Hermann Abendroth

Doug Rea | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | 06/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To me, this recording is the definitive Bruckners' Fifth. I have heard(and struggled through) nearly all of the other recorded versions out there, and none holds a candle to Abendroth. (It is a real shame that the great conductors Bruno Walter and Sir Eugene Goosens did not record this symphony, as I have heard they both did a great job of it live) Right from the start, you can tell Abendroth identifies totally with the the music and really understands it-he interprets it in an unhurried and sensitive way, truly befitting its monumental stature.
You can tell that it is a German conductors' approach, and so be it-the German approach to Bruckner really works well. It has pretty good sound quality for 1949, and it captures the essence of the work, even more so than, say, the more noticed recordings of Jochum and Furtwangler. It is Abendroths' best Bruckner recording, and is deserving of alot more attention."