Re: New topic: which Bruckner boxes should be avoided?

On 04/07/2024 20:28, Herman wrote:
 > If all Bruckner boxes are good by default, there wouldn't be any bad
 > Bruckner boxes to avoid.
 >
 > Is the dead, recently deceased conductor a former Concertgebouw icon?
I am reluctant to identify the box that may be 'bad' (in my perception!) for the same reason that you don't cull your collection: the risk of regretting it later.
 >
 > I don't have any complete Bruckner collections. I have the Tahra box
 > with Jochum conducting 5 thru 7 with the RCO. I like Haitink's later
 > live recordings, particularly the 6th in Dresden on Profil. I used to
 > like Wand, but got a little tired of his style, esp. by the time he got
 > to redo everything again in Berlin.
 >
 > I like conductors who get the best out of those lovely string tuttis in
 > Bruckner.
Same here, although I may prick up my ears and think 'wow, this is great' for other reasons, or because of other aspects, too.
In my mind, the 'bad' conductor's Bruckner is obviously not really bad, at least not obviously bad, of course -- on the contrary, if anything seems obvious it is that it must actually be quite good! It's _nice_, but something is missing, the music doesn't flow, the orchestra is not on fire, or whatever (je ne sais quoi), so that I don't get into a state of flow myself and I prick up my ears less often (if the recording has its moments) or not at all.
But who am I to criticize a celebrated conductor, highly regarded by several world-famous orchestras?
--
Roland van Gaalen
The Netherlands