Bruckner symphonies

[USMC1960s]

Of the 11, which are considered his best?
I did a search but didn't come up with anything.

[LKB]

" Best " is a bit subjective, particularly in the context of a forum where tastes can vary widely among the admirers of any given composer.

The 4th and 7th symphonies are generally labeled as " most popular ". I enjoy them both, but spend more time with the 5th and 8th symphonies.

Hopefully that helps a bit. 

[USMC1960s]

It helps. Thank you.

[Wanderer]

My personal favourites are Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 (with the finale).

[vandermolen]

My personal favourites are Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 (with the finale).

Those are my favourites as well although No.6 as well. 5, 8 and 9 I would consider to be the greatest.

[lordlance]

I would consider his 3rd as my favorite and 2nd and 7th the worst of the 9 (I gave up trying to hear the 0 mid-way during first movement.)

If you want a personal recommendation of the Third: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8e7wlkqUlY

[Biffo]

The 7th and the 9th (without the Finale) are my favourites. I can't get on with the 6th at all.

[Cato]

Of the 11, which are considered his best?
I did a search but didn't come up with anything.

DUDE!  Are you trying to start a fight?!    

You could start with Symphony #1, or even Symphony #0, and work your way through.

I happened across the score of Bruckner's Symphony #7 first, and was instantly hooked, apparently for all time!  After that I absorbed everything and liked everything!

The Ninth (with the Finale - see the Bruckner section under Composer Discussion) is certainly a top favorite, along with #5, #6, #1, #4, original versions of #3 and #2, and of course the mighty Seventh and Eighth!

[USMC1960s]

My attempt at starting a Bruckner Brawl was a failure!
I should have worded my request differently. I.e. which are considered the most popular, not the "best", as someone suggested.

[Jo498]

as others have written, the most popular are the 4th and 7th. For decades when Bruckner's music was no way as popular outside Austria as it is today, these were the main ones one was likely to hear in the concert hall. I personally don't care much for the 4th after the first few minutes but I love the 7th. It's the most melodic and lyrical, so I recommend it. All Bruckner symphonies are fairly long and might require patience and several attempts. So you should certainly also try the others.

I'd also advise you to completely ignore alternative versions, start with the most common ones and especially ignore listeners obsessing over Bruckner version, especially those preferring the uncommon versions. It's a nerdy niche and utterly confusing (not to say repulsive) for a newbie.

[USMC1960s]

Thank you. Any recommendations re recording or ensemble?

[Cato]

My attempt at starting a Bruckner Brawl was a failure!

 

 

Thank you. Any recommendations re recording or ensemble?

Any work conducted by Eugen Jochum is a sure bet!

e.g.

[LKB]

Thank you. Any recommendations re recording or ensemble?

I'm not familiar with any Bruckner recordings before 1960 or so, but I'm sure others can recommend their favorites.


The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra have a fairly well-established Bruckner tradition, and their recordings with Jochum and Haitink have had my respect for decades.

Von Karajan's recordings with the  Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic are well-regarded by many, myself among them.

Then we have Sergiu Celibidache's efforts with the Munich Philharmonic. He certainly has his adherents, and I can understand the attraction... the guy was SERIOUS ( and, unfortunately, a world-class a-hole ). But tbh I only really enjoy parts of his interpretation of Bruckner's 4th.

And since I've brought up the 4th, I feel obligated to mention Karl Boehm's legendary recording with the VPO for  Decca. If you can only have one 4th, I'd opt for that one.

( Edited to add " one " to the final sentence.,)

[Cato]

And since I've brought up the 4th, I feel obligated to mention Karl Boehm's legendary recording with the VPO for  Decca. If you can only have 4th, I'd opt for that one.

Is this the one?

And speaking of "Karl" conductors, not to be forgotten is Carl Schuricht:

[LKB]

Is this the one?

Yes.

[Daverz]

My attempt at starting a Bruckner Brawl was a failure!
I should have worded my request differently. I.e. which are considered the most popular, not the "best", as someone suggested.

My guess is that the order of popularity is something like:

4, 7, 9, 8, 3, 6, 1, 2, 0, Symphony in F

I'd just get the Jochum/Warner box and not worry about No. 0 and Symphony in F on a first pass.  The Jochum complete Warner box includes the Bruckner cycle and also great Beethoven and Brahms symphony cycles.

[bhodges]

My guess is that the order of popularity is something like:

4, 7, 9, 8, 3, 6, 1, 2, 0, Symphony in F

I'd just get the Jochum/Warner box and not worry about No. 0 and Symphony in F on a first pass.  The Jochum complete Warner box includes the Bruckner cycle and also great Beethoven and Brahms symphony cycles.

I can be happy with these recs—both for the most popular symphonies (4 and 7) and with Jochum's versions, at least to start. The Fourth opens with some of the most beautiful French horn calls anywhere, and the Seventh starts with one of the most gorgeous cello lines. My personal faves are 8 and 9, but they can be perhaps a bit sprawling for newcomers.

-Bruce

[Jo498]

My guess is that the order of popularity is something like:

4, 7, 9, 8, 3, 6, 1, 2, 0, Symphony in F

You forgot #5. I think 8 is third in popularity and the drop for 1,2 and then for 0,00 is very sharp. The 5th is probably behind 9 but before 3 and 6. The 3 is a great companion to 4 but the most frequently recorded version a bit problematic.

What should also not be forgotten is that Bruckner used to be considered an acquired taste as recently as the 1980s. I think the "least Brucknerian" and most lyrical and melodic are 7 and 6, so these are worth trying for those who don't immediately take to the general style of the composer.

[Daverz]

You forgot #5.

Oops.  I think it would come in after 6.  Perhaps 5 is -- or was, back in the day when 6 was played and recorded very rarely -- more popular with conductors than 6.

[Jo498]

There are far more recordings of the 5th outside complete cycles, I believe, and by famous conductors, e.g. Furtwängler, Schuricht, Harnoncourt, the additional Jochum.
In my impression, the 4th and 7th were seen as the accessible ones and the 5th after the 8th as the "big one", with the mysterious unfinished 9th maybe a bit more popular than the 5th but none of the "lesser" ones.