Classics Today picks the Best of 2007

[John Kim]

No Mahler recordings but they selected the following two:

ANTON BRUCKNER
Symphony No. 7
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Bernard Haitink
CSO Resound 901 704(CD)
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11309

This disc answers the musical question: What happens when the inmates start running the asylum? Many orchestras are now producing their own recordings by some means or other, and as you might expect the results have been mixed. This new Bruckner Seventh, though, is an unqualified triumph, a glorious performance by a conductor and orchestra intimately familiar with the idiom, working at the top of their form. If the climax of the Adagio doesn’t send a shiver down your spine, you’re probably deader than Bruckner.

ROBERT SCHUMANN
Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (arr. Mahler); Genoveva Overture
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly
Decca 475 8352(CD)
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=10822

Yes, the “major labels” still exist, and still manage to let their “major artists” make a serious classical recording now and then. This is certainly one of them, and you simply have to buy it because not only is it wonderful (and far more interesting than Chailly’s earlier, “normal” Schumann symphony recordings), but if you don’t care then why should these former industry giants bother at all?

Uhm...I shoud give it a try to the Haitink/CSO B7th....but the SACD version is way too expensive.

John,

[barry guerrero]

I think the Barenboim/CSO Bruckner 7 is just as good or better, and it's certainly a far better deal.

Barry

[John Kim]

I think the Barenboim/CSO Bruckner 7 is just as good or better, and it's certainly a far better deal.

Barry

Barenboim's Bruckner box set with CSO was, IMO, the best overall Bruckner Symphonies cycle. So consistent and idiomatic was Barenboim's reading that the orchestra for once abandoned their trademark punchy style embedded by Solti and gave the conductor everything needed to make Bruckner sound truly Bruckner, not others. There were no weak performances here and all were excellent, but the 6th, along with 0th, 1st, 3th, 8th especially stood out. DG really should reissue these wonderful recordings at a budget price.

John,

[sperlsco]

No Mahler recordings but ...

ROBERT SCHUMANN
Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (arr. Mahler); Genoveva Overture
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly
Decca 475 8352(CD)
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=10822

John,

Well, at least this one is Mahler-related.  BTW, I believe that the first and third symphonies (again, Mahler's arrangments) are being released in early 2008, per HMV.jp.