Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 4 in E flat Major Romantic (1878/1880 version) [64.31]
Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – Prelude to Act I (18) [9.12]
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (Bruckner); Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Zubin Mehta (Wagner)
rec. Los Angeles, 1970 (Bruckner); Vienna, 1967 (Wagner)
ELOQUENCE 461 3562 [73.43]
There have been many recordings of this most popular of Bruckner’s
symphonies by a host of renowned conductors over the years including Furtwängler,
Karajan and Bruno Walter. Among these countless recordings, of which the touchstone
by all accounts seems to be the splendid 1973 Karl Böhm Decca 466 3742 album,
we should not forget two celebrated modern recordings: Gunter Wänd’s
from 2000 on RCA and Lorin Maazel’s on BR Klassik which, incidentally includes all Bruckner’s
other symphonies.
This 1966 Zubin Mehta recording (in the Nowak edition of 1878-80) may be outshone
but it was popular when it was released back in 1971. It is well worth considering
for its sheer power and extrovert bravado - one contemporary commentator went
so far as to suggest that Mehta’s reading sounded much like Wagner.
Whatever … at some of the attractive prices offered for this reissue
CD on the internet, I suggest it is a worthy introduction to this symphony
- and to Bruckner - for newcomers to the music. The superbly detailed and
bright recording is a tribute to the Decca engineers. The brass is extraordinarily
vivid and punchy. They sing out lustily in the opening movement in respect
of which Bruckner suggested that it evoked “a castle at dawn with trumpet
calls … signalling the opening of the gates and knights riding out”.
Mehta makes the popular Scherzo immediately thrilling too, with his gradually
approaching ‘hunting’ horn calls. The melancholy beautiful second
movement and the heroic yet troubled Finale with its immense blazing climax
are also well realised.
Wagner’s Die Meistersinger Act I Prelude also gets the full
face-on treatment by Mehta although the quieter middle section seems to sag
a little.
I have to say that the scanty four page booklet notes are of minimal help
but there is plenty of detailed resource on the internet these days.
Ian Lace
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