Posted by Barry Guerrero on March 21, 2002 at 05:23:18:
In Reply to: Vienna Bruckner 8 posted by Jeremy Graham on March 20, 2002 at 00:01:57:
People often times walk away from the VPO saying those sorts of things but remember, it's the Bruckner 8th - it's really their big signature piece. It's like going to see St. Petersburg Phil. play Tchaik 4, 5, or 6. Everything depends on the rep. that they're playing. Have you heard the VPO's recording of "La Mer" with Maazel? I'd honestly place it near the bottom the of barrel, and it really can't hold a candle to most recordings of "La Mer" done with American orchestras. I'd also say the same thing about both of their recordings of the Shostakovich 5th (Jansons and Solti). And, I also wouldn't walk around the block to go hear them attempt the "Turangalia Symphony" (Messiaen) either, because they're percussion section just isn't modernized enough for that sort of thing, believe it or not. Say what you will about American orchestras (big egos, unions, etc.), but they play a bigger range of repertoire better than most orchestras on this planet ever could (I said "most", not all. There's always the Concertgebouw and the LSO).
Barry Guerrero
San Francisco