Day 26: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Masur)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Kurt Masur (1927-2015), another person about whom I knew nothing and of whom I had never heard until I started this project. He was born in Germany and died just last year at the age of 88 in Greenwich, Connecticut, … [Read more…]

Day 25: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Maazel)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is American Lorin Maazel (1930-2014), a person about whom I knew nothing and of whom I had never heard until I started this project. I first encountered Mr. Maazel on Day 9, and I wrote this: Maazel’s Allego is sluggish and … [Read more…]

Day 24: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Karajan)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Austrian Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989), one of the most highly respected conductors – and interpreters of Anton Bruckner’s music – who ever lived. Incidentally, the image to the left is the number of the CD sleeve. Bruckner’s Second Symphony is … [Read more…]

Day 23: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Jochum)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony of Pauses” (Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102) is, once again, Eugen Jochum (1902-1987). I first encountered Mr. Jochum on Day 6 of my 144-day journey. I first listened to his conducting of the Staatskapelle Dresden orchestra (which is what I’m hearing right now) on Day … [Read more…]

Day 22: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Jochum)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony of Pauses” (Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102) is Eugen Jochum (1902-1987). I first encountered Mr. Jochum on Day 6 of my 144-day journey. I first listened to his conducting of the Berliner Philharmoniker orchestra (what I’m hearing right now) on Day 6, which was October … [Read more…]

Day 21: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Haitink)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Bernard Haitink (1929-), a Dutch conductor and former violinist. I first encountered Mr. Haitink on Day 5 of my 144-day journey. On that day, I discovered Mr. Haitink conducted his first concert in 1954 – 62 years ago. I also … [Read more…]

Day 20: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Gielen)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Michael Gielen (1927-), an Austrian conductor and composer with a very long and lauded career who just recently (2014) retired from conducting for health reasons. I first encountered Mr. Gielen on Day 4 of my 144-day journey. Of Bruckner’s Second … [Read more…]

Day 19: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Schaller)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Gerd Schaller (1965-), a German conductor highly regarded for recording Bruckner’s works, especially Bruckner’s rarer, less-recorded compositions. The orchestra is Philharmonie Festiva, which is also of high distinction, according to its entry on Wikipedia: The international fame of the Philharmonie … [Read more…]

Day 18: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Chailly)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) is Italian-born Riccardo Chailly (1953-). I first encountered Chailly on October 4, 2016 and I offered some information from his entry on Wikipedia. However, I don’t recall reading this when I skimmed his Wiki page last time: Chailly has an exclusive … [Read more…]

Day 17: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Barenboim)

This morning begins a new chapter. Today, I start the next 16-day leg of my journey – this time, listening to Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (WAB 102) from the perspective of 15 different conductors (Eugen Jochum conducts each symphony twice; in two different box sets). This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Second … [Read more…]