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Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 9
£19.99
In stock
Catalogue Number
CDHLD7566
Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony was begun in 1887 and has traditionally been performed in the three movements he had completed by November 1894. He embarked on detailed composition of a final movement in the last 18 months of his life and in 1983 musicologists Nicola Samale, John Phillips, Benjamin-Gunnar Cohrs and Guiseppe Mazzuca began work to reconstruct the Finale. This release includes the first commercial recording of the most recent revision of the earlier performing material, by Dr. John A. Phillips.
The Symphony was intended by Bruckner to be his last and greatest work, a musical testament to crown his entire output. A deeply religious man, his dedication of the work ‘to the dear Lord’ reveals his intent to deal with what Phillips describes as ‘the ultimate questions of belief, death and the destiny of the soul’. The resulting music runs a gamut of emotions; mysterious and solemn, transcendent, rapturous and at times terrifying. The orchestration is rich, including an enlarged horn section featuring four Wagner tubas, and the composer charts new harmonic territory, even anticipating what was to follow with Mahler and aspects of twentieth century composition.
Taken from a rapturously received and critically acclaimed performance at The Bridgewater Hall (with The Times’ 5* review describing a ‘splendid night’ and hailing the magnificent sound of the ‘blazing Hallé) this recording will prove essential for those wishing to hear the work in the intended four movement form.
The recording is accompanied by a booklet containing a personal introduction from Kahchun Wong and a note from Dr. John A. Phillips, surveying the material Bruckner left for the Finale and detailing the work done on reconstructing it for performance.
Manufacturer: Wyastone Estate Limited, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR
Email: sales@wyastone.co.uk
Reviews:
“… a power and majesty held in reserve that makes the closing pages both moving and very impressive. All credit to Wong and the players for so carefully pacing and graduating this exceptionally well-played and carefully prepared performance.” Nick Barnard, musicweb-internationa.com
"I have been shocked by some recent assertions from a particularly opinionated critical source on YouTube that the Hallé has always at best been a second or even third-rate orchestra. Evidence in the form of former music director Mark Elder’s live performances and studio recordings of Elgar, Verdi and other staples give the lie to such an absurd claim, and they in no sense lack tonal weight, beauty or cohesion here. Their new principal conductor, Kahchun Wong, has only very recently taken up the reins and inherited a superb outfit; passages such as the powerful climax to the first movement and the sheer, pure, singing quality of the Adagio give ample proof of that. The Wagner tubas are a special delight.
There is virtually no betrayal of an audience being present – I hear one unwanted noise only – before the wild applause and cheering at the end and the sound balance is impeccable; kudos to the producer and engineers." Ralph Moore, MusicWeb International
"Anton Bruckner, who began composing the Ninth ten years before his death, left it unfinished, interrupted by almost all of his previous symphonies. Regarding his last symphony, the Austrian composer said: 'And now I dedicate my last work to the majesty of all majesties, my adored God, and I hope that he will give me enough time to complete it.' Symphony No. 9, called Dem lieben Gott ('Adored God') was conceived by Bruckner as his final and most majestic work, a musical legacy destined to culminate and crown his entire creative career. It is worth mentioning that the orchestration, which includes an extended horn section with four Wagner tubes, is lush and fertile; a work in which the composer intertwines new harmonic relationships, even anticipating what would follow with Mahler and aspects of twentieth-century composition." Carme Miró, Sonogram magazine
"...this a primary recommendation for the Ninth Symphony in its four-movement form, and a must-hear for all Brucknerians." Christian Hoskins, Gramophone
"Phillips stresses that the vast majority of what we hear is authentic Bruckner, and that “at no point was any independent motivic material introduced, nor was it required.” Some moments are spine-tingling, especially the resplendent chorale at 5’23”, and the reintroduction of material heard earlier in the symphony is wholly characteristic. The D major ending is spectacular, though I think that the coda to Bruckner’s 8th Symphony is musically and emotionally more powerful. This release was edited together from live performances and rehearsals in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall last year. And, as the only available version of this new edition, it’s a keeper." Graham Rickson, The Arts Desk
“Kahchun Wong’s Bruckner has both strength and sensitivity in good measure, and the orchestra sounds terrific.” ALTHOUSE, American Record Guide
"This recording is more than just another Bruckner Ninth: it is an artistic statement that explores the boundary between musicology and interpretation. Kahchun Wong and the Hallé Orchestra offer a reading that remains ambivalent – not entirely convincing, but intellectually stimulating. The sound quality is direct and compact, but overall mixed a bit too muffled. With this recording, Wong confirms his reputation as a conductor with potential, but at the same time it becomes clear that anyone who has heard Gustav Mahler's music with him inevitably gets the impression that his sound world is audibly closer to him. It will be interesting to see what else can be expected from Kahchun Wong." Dirk Schauß, Online Merker (The International Cultural Platform)