Sergiu Celibidache - Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3-5, 7-9 (2004) (8 CD Box Set)

Since he hated recording, Sergiu Celibidache's Bruckner recordings enjoyed a certain limited critical reputation in the later years of the twentieth century because most of his performances were available only as pirated air checks with awful sound and atrocious surfaces. But his death allowed recordings to be released and the birth of compact discs allowed listeners to hear his Bruckner recordings in pristine sound on practically perfect surfaces. Celibidache's performances have been released in as close to ideal circumstances as they are ever likely to get. In this collection of Bruckner's Symphonies Nos. 3-5 and Nos. 7-9, the recordings reveal deeply eccentric performances with the occasional flash of soaring spirituality. Celibidache shifts tempos unmercifully and often incoherently: listen to the opening movement of his Seventh. Celibidache twists structures brutally and sometimes violently: listen to the opening movement of his Third. But there are performances that explain Celibidache's reputation: listen to the force, the strength, the depth, and the heights of his Eighth, surely one of the great recordings of the work. Leading the well-rehearsed but not often powerful enough Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Celibidache's performances are on the whole no better than Kurt Masur and no worse than Günter Wand. Deutsche Grammophon's live radio sound is clear enough, but a bit rough and raw.

• Composers: Anton Bruckner, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert
• Conductor: Sergiu Celibidache
• Orchestras: SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Tracklist:

DISC 1 (61:14)

ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896)

Symphony No. 3 in D minor
d-moll • en ré mineur
Version/Fassung: 1888/89 (Edition: Leopold Nowak)

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

I. Mehr langsam. Misterioso 23:40
II. Adagio, bewegt, quasi Andante 17:12
III. Ziemlich schnell 6:56
IV. Allegro 13:26


DISC 2 (69:02)

Symphony No. 4 in E flat major "Romantic"
Es-dur «Romantische»
Symphonie en mi bémol majeur «romantique»
Version/Fassung: 1878-80 (Edition: Leopold Nowak)

Swedish Radio Symphony Orch.

I. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell 19:05
II. Andante quasi Allegretto 16:05
III.Scherzo.Bewegt- 9:48
Trio. Nicht zu schnell. Keinesfalls schleppend
IV. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell 23:43


DISC 3 (58:44)

Symphony No. 5 in B flat major
B-dur • en si bémol majeur
(Edition: Robert Haas)

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

I. Introduction. Adagio-Allegro 21:45
II. Adagio. Sehr langsam 23:09
II. Scherzo. Molto vivace (Schnell) - Trio. Im gleichen Tempo 13:35


DISC 4 (41:06)

IV. Finale. Adagio - Allegro moderato
24:45


WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)
Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385 "Haffner"
D-dur »Haffner-Symphonie« • Symphonie en ré majeur «Haffner»

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
I. Allegro con spirito 5:12
II. Andante 4:44
III. Menuetto - Trio 2:46
IV. Finale. Presto 3:39


DISC 5 (66:32)

ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 7 in E major
E-dur • en mi majeur
(Edition: Robert Haas)

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

I. Allegro moderato 21:05
II. Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam 23:48
III. Scherzo. Sehr schnell - Trio 9:45
IV. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht schnell 11:32


DISC 6 (57:16)

Symphony No.8 in C minor
c-moll • en ut mineur
Version/Fassung: 1890 (Edition: Leopold Nowak)

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

I.Allegro moderato 16:16
II.Scherzo. Allegro moderato -Trio. Langsam 13:52
III.Adagio, Feierlich langsam; doch nicht schleppend 27:08


DISC 7 (54:22)

IV. Finale, Feierlich, nicht schnell 26:04


FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D 485
B-dur • en si bémol majeur
SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

I.Allegro 4:46
II.Andante con moto 12:24
III.Menuetto. Allegro molto –Trio 5:04
IV.Allegro vivace 5:47


DISC 8 (59:18)

ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 9 in D minor
d-moll • en ré mineur
(Edition: Leopold Nowak)

SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

I.Feierlich. Misterioso 24:24
II.Scherzo. Bewegt, lebhaft - Trio. Schnell 11:11
III.Adagio. Langsam, feierlich 23:43