Bruckner

The Third Symphony is one of Jochum's finest EMI recordings of Bruckner. The playing of the Dresden orchestra is concentrated and deeply expressive, and the typically bright brass is used to excellent effect. There is a romantic thrust and sweep to this symphony that is beautifully conveyed by Jochum. It is one of the more orchestrally polished segments of the EMI cycle (some other symphonies come off a little less refined in ensemble than Karajan, for example). Images come to mind when you listen such as being in a valley looking upon gorgeous mountain ranges or sometimes you feel like everything is going into slow motion: it can be quite a moving experience.One of the loveliest and most magnetic aspects of Jochum's Bruckner is the finely sprung rhythms which build true 'Bruckner' climaxes. His moments of repose are also timely and never overdone (the second movement of the Third in particular is very beautiful but it does not linger). He is sometimes criticised for his use of 'flexible rhythms', but these are rather a skill which leads to Bruckner being presented in an exciting but also beautifully romantic way. Never do you feel rushed along prematurely. I recall seeing 'poetic' used to describe his readings of Bruckner and this is very true, as the readings never lose their sense of structure but are also strong on expression and emotional depth (viz, the end of the second movement).As for the Seventh, this is another beautifully moulded performance and the first movement is not rushed. The Adagio, with its famous wartime connections, is lovely too. But overall it is not quite as good when compared with Karajan's magnificent rendering on DG in his 1970s cycle and it is not nearly as polished orchestrally, although the strings are lovely in the second movement (and even slower than Karajan's sensuous interpretation in this movement which is almost always desirable in Bruckner adagios).Overall a nice coupling and well worth the money. It may also be more worth while for seasoned Bruckner collectors who want snippets from Jochum's second cycle (provided they don't have it already). As for newcomers, I think a full set is in order. My first was Karajan's cycle, but the Jochum EMI set (from which these recordings are taken) is also competitive and a persuasive guide. Moreover, it is strong interpretively and an important document of a dedicated Brucknerian, which is thoroughly recommended.

Some wonderful performances here, well worth listening to.