Bruckner: From the Archives, Volume 3 - More, Please

The third volume of this remarkable series features two Bruckener symphonies. As with the other volumes, context is key. "Bruckner: From the Archives" will cover all the composer's major works. But it does so with rare recordings, some, like the ones in this album, never released before. 

The source material is the archives of John F. Berky, president of the Bruckner Society of America. Lani Spahr has remastered these recordings, teasing the highest fidelity out of them. At the same time, Spahr refrains from artificially tweaking the source material. So, for example, the 1966 aircheck of Bruckner's Third sounds of the era.

There's a softness to the sound one would expect from a 1960s LP. And yet there's no surface noise at all. Just the music as the microphones heard it a half-century ago. I appreciate that fidelity.

Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt leads the NDR Symphony Orchestra in Bruckner's Third Symphony in D minor. Bruckner's first version, published in 1877 was rejected for performance. He revised it, and this 1890 version became a hit for the Vienna Philharmonic.

Here Schmidt-Isserstedt uses a modern edition published by Fritz Oeser in the 1950s. Oeser used the earlier 1877 version as his source. His publication made Bruckner's original version available for performance after 80 years.

Schmidt-Isserstedt created the NDR Symphony Orchestra in 1945. And he remained its director until his death. This is his ensemble and his instrument. The performance is an aircheck done in 1966. It is insightful and thrilling.

Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, the "Romantic." And it's his most popular work -- and the one with the most revisions. Bruckner completed the score in 1877. He revised it in 1878. In 1879 he replaced the Scherzo. The finale was overhauled in 1880.

Volkmar Andrease and the Munich Philharmonic use the 1880 score. This is a live 1958 performance before a remarkably well-behaved audience. Andrease was an early Bruckner champion. He conducted the composer's works over 250 times. Plus he organized the first Swiss Bruckner Festival in 1936.

Andrease knows what he's about with this work. And he's about bringing the fire. The orchestra fairly crackles with energy, especially during the scherzo. 

Another fine addition to this series. Looking forward to volume 4. 

Anton Bruckner: From the Archives, Volume 3
NDR Symphony Orchestra; Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, conductor
Munich Philharmonic; Volkmar Andreae, conductor
SOMM Recordings Ariadne 5029-2
2 CD Set