Album

Karl Böhm may not be the first conductor to come to mind in connection with Anton Bruckner's symphonies, but this is merely because his recordings of these works are too few in number, not because he was anything less than one of the finest proponents of this composer's music. As a student of all things Wagnerian, Böhm naturally came into contact with Bruckner's symphonies early on, and a handful of recordings from the 1930s and '40s document his youthful association with them; however, his late recordings are counted among the most important interpretations, on a par with the first-rate recordings by Günter Wand, Eugen Jochum, and Georg Tintner. This 1971 studio performance of Bruckner's 1890 version of the Symphony No. 8 in C minor with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is a fine example of Böhm's essentially lyrical approach to the work, and stands in contrast to many other renditions that emphasize its power and monumentality. The attention paid to long-breathed phrases is quite evident, and Böhm's care with soft passages is perhaps more noticeable and memorable than the build-ups to the louder moments: there is surprisingly little bombast in this performance, but much warmth and tenderness. Thanks to the excellent preservation of the master tapes and Audite's clean digital remastering, this recording has fresh tone colors and fine stereo separation, and sounds almost as vivid as if it were recorded just yesterday.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1
Anton Bruckner Composer Symphony No.8 in C-, WAB108 ('Apocalyptic') Work 1:15:51 Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Karl Böhm Conductor
1	1.Allegro moderato	13:40			$2.49
2	2.Scherzo: Allegro moderato	13:06			$2.49
3	3.Adagio: Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend	26:37			$3.99
4	4.Finale: Feierlich, nicht schnell	22:28			$3.99