Bruckner: Complete Symphonies / Schaller, Philharmonie Festiva

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Sound and space are mutually dependent. Which works sound best in which environment? Where can the spirit and character of the music most clearly be...

Sound and space are mutually dependent. Which works sound best in which environment? Where can the spirit and character of the music most clearly be expressed? These questions are what inspired the conductor Gerd Schaller to embark on an ambitious major project in 2007: in the impressive environment of the abbey church that once formed part of Ebrach's Cistercian monastery in Franconia, he directed his festival orchestra, the Philharmonie Festiva, in recordings of all of Anton Bruckner’s symphonies. Nearly all the recordings were made during concerts in the cathedral acoustics of Ebrach’s abbey church. The location Schaller chose for the recordings of the F minor Symphony, the early D minor Symphony and the Fourth Symphony with its “Volksfest” (fair) finale is the Regentenbau building in Bad Kissingen, which likewise has outstanding acoustics. To crown the previous Bruckner cycle, the unfinished Ninth has been recorded with Gerd Schaller’s own recreation of the final movement.

What is special about this Bruckner cycle is that Schaller in some cases selected less well-known, “interim” versions or variants that had previously never been performed but give revealing insights into Bruckner’s compositional approach. Featured for the first time ever in this CD edition are Bruckner's Third in its first revised form of 1874 and his Eighth in the interim version of 1888. The cycle of symphonies is supplemented by the F minor Mass, the rarely performed Psalm 146 and his organ works as well as Gerd Schaller's organ transcription of the 9th symphony, which he recorded on the Eisenbarth organ of the former Ebrach abbey church.

REVIEW

All eleven symphonies are presented in excellent performances and three of those - the First, Third and Fourth - are each played in two very different versions...the virtuosity and artistry of the dedicated performers concerned are invariably impressive.

The aim of the project is to present the dedicated Brucknerian with the most recent and musicologically sound editions of Bruckner’s symphonies, such that the development of his genius can be explored and appreciated through the constant changes and refinements he introduced into his works. Although Gerd Schaller is meticulous in his research and the production of critical editions, he is certainly no dry academician; he is also an outstanding organist and conductor whose love of Bruckner’s music constantly informs these incandescent performances.

--MusicWeb International



Product Description:


  • Release Date: February 04, 2022


  • UPC: 881488220070


  • Catalog Number: PH22007


  • Label: Profil


  • Number of Discs: 20


  • Period: Romantic


  • Composer: Anton Bruckner


  • Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  • Orchestra/Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva


  • Performer: Gerd Schaller



Works:


  1. Symphony in F Minor, WAB 99, "Study Symphony"

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  2. Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, WAB 101 (orig. 1866 unrevised Linz version, prep. W. Carragan)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  3. Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, WAB 101 (1891 Vienna revision, ed. G. Brosche)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  4. Symphony No. 0 in D Minor, WAB 100, "Nullte" (ed. L. Nowak)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  5. Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102 (1872 first version, ed. W. Carragan)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  6. Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 (1874 version, ed. W. Carragan)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  7. Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 (1890 version, ed. T. Raettig)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  8. Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104, "Romantic" (1886 version, ed. L. Nowak)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  9. Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104, "Romantic" (1878 version, ed. W. Carragan)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  10. Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (1878 version, ed. L. Nowak)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  11. Symphony No. 6 in A Major, WAB 106 (ed. L. Nowak)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  12. Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 107 (1885 version, ed. L. Nowak)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  13. Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 (1888 variant, ed. W. Carragan)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva

    Conductor: Gerd Schaller


  14. Trauermusik dem Andenken Anton Bruckners (arr. G. Schaller for orchestra)

    Composer: Otto Kitzler Sr., Otto Kitzler Jr.

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva


  15. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, WAB 109 (with Finale completed by G. Schaller, revised version)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner

    Ensemble: Philharmonie Festiva


  16. Mass No. 3 in F Minor, WAB 28 (excerpts)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  17. Psalm 146, WAB 37

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  18. Improvisationskizze Ischl 1890 (completed by E. Horn)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  19. Prelude in D Minor, WAB 130

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  20. Postlude in D Minor, WAB 126

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  21. Prelude and Fugue in C Minor, WAB 131

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  22. Fugue in D Minor, WAB 125

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  23. Prelude in C Major, WAB 129, "Perger Praludium"

    Composer: Anton Bruckner


  24. Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, WAB 109 (arr. G. Schaller for organ)

    Composer: Anton Bruckner