Day 46: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (Solti)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (WAB 103), nicknamed “Wagner,” is Hungarian-born Sir Georg Solti (1912-1997), an artist with a long and noteworthy career. Doubt me? Read this from the entry on Wikipedia titled “Georg Solti discography”: The conductor Sir Georg Solti recorded throughout his career for the Decca … [Read more…]

Day 37: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (Haitink)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (WAB 103), nicknamed “Wagner,” is Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink (1929-). The orchestra is Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. I encountered Mr. Haitink twice before: On Day 5 and on Day 21. In both cases, I was pleasantly surprised (to say the least). On Day 5, … [Read more…]

Day 36: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (Gielen)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (WAB 103), nicknamed “Wagner,” is German-born Michael Gielen (1927-). The orchestra is SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Frieburg. I encountered Mr. Gielen twice before: On Day 4 and on Day 20. On Day 4, I wrote this: This is an odd one for me. … [Read more…]

Day 33: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (Barenboim)

This morning begins a new chapter. Today, I start the next 16-day leg of my 144-day journey – this time, listening to Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (WAB 103), nicknamed “Wagner,” from the perspective of 15 different conductors (Eugen Jochum conducts each symphony twice; in two different box sets). This morning’s conductor of … [Read more…]

Day 32: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Wand)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony of Pauses” (Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102) is German-born Gunter Wand (1912-2002). I first encountered Mr. Wand on Day 16. To say I wasn’t kind in my assessment of his interpretation of Bruckner’s First Symphony is a wee bit of an understatement. I’m hoping today’s … [Read more…]

Day 28: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Konwitschny)

This morning’s conductor of Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony of Pauses” (Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102) is German conductor and violist Franz Konwitschny (1901-1962), another person about whom I knew nothing and of whom I had never heard until I started this project. His entry on Wikipedia indicates he was an interesting gentleman, indeed: … [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 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 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…]