Search - Bruckner, Jochum :: Symphonies 1-9

Symphonies 1-9
Bruckner, Jochum
Symphonies 1-9
Genre: Classical
 

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Bruckner, Jochum
Title: Symphonies 1-9
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Release Date: 4/8/2003
Album Type: Box set
Genre: Classical
Style: Symphonies
Number of Discs: 9
SwapaCD Credits: 9
UPC: 028946981023
 

CD Reviews

The classic Bruckner cycle
L. Johan Modée | Earth | 03/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Eugene Jochum is probably the greatest exponent of Bruckner's music of all time. He made numerous recordings of the symphonies, and made classic recordings of the choral works as well.



This box contains the classic Jochum-Bruckner cycle, now incarnated in DG's attractive Collectors Series. It was the first complete cycle, recorded in stereo during the late fifties and early sixties. Jochum used two orchestras for this project: Berlin Philharmonic and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.



Jochum recorded later a cycle for EMI, with Staatskapelle Dresden. That cycle has clearly also its merits, but it has not the classic status of the DG set. Moreover, the DG performances provide a "sense of discovery." So it is not an exaggeration to say that this set is a must have. Indeed, if you just want one set with Bruckner's symphonies - a set that will stand the test of time - this is probably the one to grab.

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Vivid Bruckner
A. Pfeffer | San Marcos, CA USA | 02/25/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like the previous reviewer, Mr. Modee, I regard this DG set as the "classic" statement of Bruckner on disc and prefer it to Jochum's later EMI set for its "purer" style, finer orchestral execution, and leaner sound. What makes Jochum's Bruckner "classic" is its inspirational, personal, and spontaneous quality. It always sounds right. Jochum is not afraid to vary tempos and emphasize attacks to suit the mood of the moment while preserving forward motion and structural cohesion. His Bruckner is the antithesis of the single-tempo, ultra-slow, monumental Bruckner represented, for example, by the absurdly over-rated George Tintner on Naxos. With Tintner, a Bruckner symphony sounds as if it will never end; with Jochum you don't want it to."
Jochum Set a Welcome Addition to My Collection
K. J. Wasniewski | Chicago, IL USA | 05/16/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was happy to acquire the Bruckner/Jochum cycle many years after having owned Bruckner's 7th & 8th on a 3-cassette(!) DG set during my college days. This was where I first heard these two symphonies and grew to love them. So there is some nostalgia here for me. Hearing these once again felt a little like a home-coming. Thanks to Amazon, I was able to acquire this set on an amazing deal.



I am not going to debate the other reviewers' opinions on the merits or shortcomings of this set versus others. I have the Solti/CSO set, the Inbal set with the original versions of several symphonies, as well as some of Barenboim's, Boulez's, Chailly's, and Karajan's, not to mention Klemperer's recording of the 6th, which continues to be re-issued. While some of the pure digital recordings may have sonics that surpass this set, the performances and the warmth of that late 50's/early 60's sound will surely prove enjoyable. (I am writing this not having heard all nine symphonies yet.)



The compact packaging of envelope-clad 9 CDs in a simple cardboard box (with a booklet) avoids the risk of hearing your CDs bouncing and scraping in the jewel box set upon shipment, so there is less anxiety about receiving a scratched CD and wondering whether it will play.



One of the features of this set that I appreciated was the booklet. It features Jochum's own essay on performing the symphonies, which I found insightful. Too seldom do the conductors these days take the time to document their intent and approach for us listeners. This essay reinforced for me that this really was a body of work, not just a collection of nine recorded symphonies. There is another essay, examining the symphonies from a musical historical perspective.



For listeners looking to take the plunge on a Bruckner set, but without a lot of cash, this set is a good value. For serious Bruckner fans, this is the first full cycle recorded, and has never been out of the DG catalog; that certainly says something about it. Bruckner was not so much in vogue in the late 50's/early 60's, or so I have read, so these recordings may have had a hand in the revival that has put more Bruckner performances in concert halls today.

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