Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

First version, 1873 (edited by Leopold Nowak). Gürzenich-Orchester Köln; François-Xavier Roth, conductor. Myrios Classics MYR033

One of the most fascinating yet frustrating bodies of work left by a major musical figure is the set of symphonies of the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). There are the nine numbered symphonies (i.e., Symphonies Nos. 1-9), some of which exist in several different versions, having been revised by Bruckner himself and/or various others. In addition, there are two other symphonies, including a D minor Symphony, which he retracted, but which has been published and is referred to today as Symphony No. 0 (‘Die Nullte’) and an F minor symphony, which he rejected, but was finally published in 1973 and is sometimes referred to as Symphony No. 00 (‘Study Symphony’). Particularly complicated has been the story of his Symphony No. 3, as this explanation from the Hyperion website makes clear: “Of all the Bruckner symphonies, No. 3 is the most fraught with editorial ‘problems’. At least eight versions are known to exist: the original version of 1873 (not published until 1977); the first revision (1874, also unpublished); a ‘rhythmic revision’ (1876); a third revision, published in 1878 as the first edition (used for the premiere); a ‘Fritz Oeser’ edition of 1877; and two other versions from 1889, one edited by Nowak. Bruckner called No. 3 his ‘Wagner Symphony’ and it contains many quotations from the Wagner operas including the famous cascading strings from the Tannhäuser Overture.” You can also find some information about versions of the work in this YouTube video by music critic David Hurwitz, who favors the 1877 version.

What we have here is a recording of the original 1873 version. If you watch the Hurwitz video, you will discover that although he finds the 1877 version to be his favorite, he has good things to say about Georg Tintner’s Naxos CD of this same 1873 version, which Tinter recorded with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 1998 and Naxos released early in 2000. Now we have a fresh new recording by the Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne, Germany, under the direction of French conductor François-Xavier Roth (b. 1971), who is perhaps most familiar to classical music listeners from his many recordings with Les Siècles, the period-instrument orchestra that he founded. However, Roth has conducted many other orchestras, and in 2015, he was appointed Gürzenich Principal Conductor as well as General Music Director of the City of Cologne. In addition, the Gürzenich Orchestra, which was founded in 1827, has been associated with the music of Bruckner for more than a century, the liner notes pointing out that “among all chief conductors after the Second World War, Günter Wand is remembered for having featured Bruckner’s symphonies most prominently; he made them the mainstay of the orchestra’s repertoire during the entire course of his long tenure as General Music Director until 1974… Under Wand’s successors Yuri Ahronovitch and Markus Stenz, the symphonies of Anton Bruckner continued to play a key role in Gürzenich Orchestra concert programmes.”

The notes go on to point out that in his first concert as Principal Conductor, Roth led the orchestra in Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4, and that he and the orchestra will be marking the Bruckner bicentennial by recording the complete set of symphonies, of which the present recording is apparently the first installment. It’s a good start, as this is a fine recording. For those veteran Bruckner fans who may be familiar with the 1873 version from Tintner’s Naxos disc, Roth’s version offers quite a different perspective on the score, with Roth being both livelier in pace and less inclined toward long pauses. Comparing timings by movement between the two conductors we find the following: I. Gemäßigt, misterioso (Roth, 22:59; Tintner, 30:39) II. Adagio: Feierlich (Roth, 16:20; Tintner, 20:40) III. Scherzo: Ziemlich schnell (Roth, 6:07; Tintner, 6:50) IV. Finale: Allegro (Roth, 16:15; Tintner, 19:21). There is much to be said for Tintner’s version, which brings a sense of majesty and wonder to the score; on the other hand, Roth’s approach sounds more natural, more rational, more refined. Devoted Brucknerians might well wish to acquire both. But for those who have never before heard this early version of the score, this Roth recording is the one with which to start. The Gürzenich players obviously are familiar both with Bruckner and with Roth, the end result being a recording that sounds just right, aided by excellent engineering. We are going to be flooded with Bruckner recordings in 2024; let’s hope at least some of them rise to the standard of this one from 2023.