Bruckner 6 (ed. R. Haas)

Album review

As Yannick Nézet-Séguin works his way through the symphonies of Anton Bruckner, a general impression of his approach to this late Romantic composer is forming. Like his previous recordings of the Ninth, Eighth, Seventh, and Fourth symphonies, Nézet-Séguin's interpretation of the Symphony No. 6 in A major with the Orchestre Métropolitain is a straightforward and fairly traditional reading, tending toward deliberate tempos that allow for plenty of rubato, in keeping with the practices of the first half of the 20th century. Yet for all of his reliance on old-school interpretation, Nézet-Séguin keeps the music remarkably transparent and relatively free of bombast and murkiness. Bruckner's music is heavy going for even the most experienced listener, and the Sixth, being one of the least performed and recorded of the symphonies, is unfamiliar to many listeners, so clarity is an issue. All the same, this is a remarkably easy symphony to absorb because of its strong rhythmic patterns and memorable themes, and Nézet-Séguin's attention to details and lucid balancing of forces makes this a worthy recording. ATMA's reproduction offers credible presence and natural resonance courtesy of the acoustics of the Montreal orchestra's home venue.

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