Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 (1887 Version)

Chronique

The approach of the Bruckner bicentennial in 2024 has brought a variety of performances and even cycles of his symphonies. There have been monumental readings from the big Austrian and German orchestras, but also a surprising number from smaller and lesser-known groups that offer fresh ideas. From conductor Markus Poschner comes one interesting cycle; working variously with the Bruckner Orchester Linz (as on the present release) and the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien. Poschner's cycle is distinguished by the fact that he is recording the variants of each symphony for a total of 19 albums in all. This is useful to have in itself, but his reading of the Symphony No. 8 in C minor in its relatively splashy 1887 version is worthwhile on its own merits. Poschner takes off from the fact that the Bruckner Orchester Linz, at 110 members, is leaner than, say, the Vienna Philharmonic at 145 to 150, and he crafts an interpretation that, while no Bruckner performance can really be called lithe, has great transparency and an attractive flowing quality. The orchestra's strings play beautifully. Poschner's Scherzo has a good deal of intensity, and the entire symphony seems to have a logic and a compactness, although the reading is not notably quicker than average. It will be quite interesting to hear how Poschner treats Bruckner's revisions in the 1890 version, but for the present, this 2023 release can compete with any Bruckner Eighth on the market.

© James Manheim /TiVo