Jochum, Skrowaczewski: Bruckner Symphonies (10 CD box set, FLAC)

Composer: Anton Bruckner
Orchestra: Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken
Conductor: Eugen Jochum, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 10 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Brilliant Classics
Size: 2.62 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 1: Symphonie Nr. 1 c-moll (Linzer Fassung 1877. Edition Nowak 1953)
01 I. Allegro
02 II. Adagio
03 III. Scherzo: Schnell
04 IV. Bewegt, feurig 7

CD 2: Symphonie Nr. 2 c-moll (Fassung 1877. Edition Nowak 1965)
01 I. Moderato
02 II. Andante
03 III. Scherzo: Mäßig schnell
04 IV. Finale: Mehr schnell

CD 3: Symphonie Nr. 3 d-moll (Fassung 1888-89. Edition Nowak 1959)
01 I. Mehr langsam, misterioso
02 II. Adagio (etwas bewegt) quasi Andante
03 III. Scherzo: Ziemlich bewegt
04 IV. Allegro

CD 4: Symphonie Nr. 4 Es-Dur «Romantische» (Fassung 1886. Edition Nowak 1953)
01 I. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
02 II. Andante quasi Allegretto
03 III. Scherzo: Bewegt
04 IV. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

CD 5: Symphonie Nr. 5 B-Dur (Fassung 1878. Edition Nowak 1951)
01 I. Adagio. – Allegro
02 II. Adagio: Sehr langsam
03 III. Scherzo: Molto vivace (schnell)
04 IV. Finale: Adagio. – Allegro moderato

CD 6: Symphonie Nr. 6 A-Dur (Fassung 1881. Edition Nowak 1952)
01 I. Maestoso
02 II. Adagio: Sehr feierlich
03 III. Scherzo: Nicht schnell
04 IV. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

CD 7: Symphonie Nr. 7 E-Dur (Fassung 1885. Edition Nowak 1954)
01 I. Allegro moderato
02 II. Adagio: Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam
03 III. Scherzo: Sehr schnell
04 IV. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

CD 8: Symphonie Nr. 8 c-moll (Fassung 1890. Edition Nowak 1955)
01 I. Allegro moderato
02 II. Scherzo: Allegro moderato
03 III. Adagio: Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend
04 IV. Finale: Feierlich, nicht schnell

CD 9: Symphonie Nr. 9 d-moll (Fassung 1894. Edition Nowak 1951)
01 I. Feierlich, misterioso. – Moderato
02 II. Scherzo: Bewegt, lebhaft. – Trio: Schnell
03 III. Adagio: Langsam, feierlich

CD 10: Symphonie Nr. 0 d-moll (Fassung 1869. Edition Nowak 1968)
01 I. Allegro
02 II. Andante
03 III. Scherzo
04 IV. Finale: Moderato

Jochum/Dresden: a good overview of Bruckner Symphonies.

I had read the Brilliant Classics reissue of Eugen Jochum’s EMI Dresden State Orchestra Bruckner Symphonies resulted in a harsh transfer, with bright and screechy sonics in the higher registers. Listening to the contents of this box, I have not found this true at all! The overall sound is rich and warm, and if there is some brightness in the strings, that could be due to the recording venue: Dresden’s famous Lukaskirche, or the mastering of the original tapes by the engineers. Originally an EMI recording (1974-80), Jochum’s Dresden Bruckners have been famous in a variety of LP and CD reissues, both individually and as a complete set. Warner Classics have also released their issue of these recordings, in 2015.

Brilliant Classics, a budget label originating in Holland, has added Symphony “0” (“Die Nullte”) by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski/Saarbrucken Radio Orchestra (originally Arte Nova; re-released by Oehms) along with Jochum’s Bruckner. Skrowaszewski is excellent in every way. Jochum is very good in Symphonies 2, 3, 4, and 8; good in 1, 6 and 7; less convincing in 5 and 9. But the Dresden orchestra is terrific, and the sound is always very good.