Bruckner, Mahler and Beethoven

This page contains my personal recommendations with respect to the finest recorded performances of the symphonies of Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler. I have included, at the end, a short list of “essential” recordings of Ludwig van Beethoven’s more important symphonies. Recordings which I consider “white-hot”, or deserving of special notice, I have indicated with a Rossette (). You can scarcely go wrong with any recording listed here. But those identified by the Rossette offer, in my opinion, special insight into the piece, and never cease to amaze the patient listener. Multiple recordings of a single work represent a wide range of interpretive approaches, and are ordered chronologically. For those symphonies which have multiple recordings listed, it is thought that the effect of hearing all of them dramatically increases one’s appreciation of the work in question — without too great a feeling of redundancy.

Have fun, and happy listening!

Anton Bruckner Symphony No.1 Sawallisch, Bavarian SO (1985). Orfeo C 145 851 A (1865/66 Linzer) [DDD] Symphony No.2 Giulini, VSO (1975). EMI (modified Nowak) [stereo] Eichhorn, Bruckner Orch. Linz (1991). Camerata 30CM-195~6 (1872 first concept, and 1873 première) [DDD] Symphony No.3 Haitink, VPO (1988). Philips 422 411-2PH (1877 Oeser) [DDD] Symphony No.4, “Romantic” Furtwängler, VPO (1951 Stuttgart). DG 415 664-2GH [mono] Jochum, BPO (1967). DG 427 200-2GMF [stereo] Böhm, VPO (1974). Decca 425 036-2DM [stereo] Barenboim, BPO (1993). Teldec 9031 73272 2 [DDD] Symphony No.5 Furtwängler, BPO (1942 Berlin). M&A CD-538 (original version) [mono] Horenstein, BBC SO (1971). intaglio INCD 7541 [stereo] Barenboim, BPO (1992). Teldec 9031 73271-2 [DDD] Symphony No.6 López-Cobos, Cincinnati SO (1991). Telarc CD-80264 [DDD] Otto Klemperer, New Philharmonia Orchestra (1964). EMI CDM7 63351 2 [ADD] Symphony No.7 Celibidache, RSO Stuttgart (1971). Arkadia CDGI 763.1 [ADD] Giulini, VPO (1987). DG 419 627-2GH [DDD] Symphony No.8 Furtwängler (1944). M&A CD-764 (Haas ed.) [mono] Horenstein (1954). Vox CDX2 5504 (Nowak ed.) [mono] Giulini, VPO (1985). DG 415 124-2GH2 (Nowak ed.) [DDD] Tennstedt, LPO (198*). EMI CDM7 64849 2 [DDD] Symphony No.9 Horenstein, VSO (1954). Vox CDX2 5508 [mono]

Gustav Mahler Symphony No.1, “Titan” Walter, Columbia SO (1961). CBS (Sony) [ADD] Kubelik, Bavarian RSO (1968). DG 429 157-2GR [ADD] Horenstein, LSO (1969). Unicorn-Kanchana UKCD2012 [analog] Bernstein, Concertgebouw Orch. (1986). DG 427 303-2GH [DDD] Symphony No.2, “Resurrection” Bernstein, NY Phil. (1963). (w/Sym. No.1) CBS/Sony (Japan) 73DC221~3 [analog] Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orch. (1960). (w/Sym. No.1) MCA Classics MCAD2-9833 [AAD] Rattle, CBSO (1986). EMI CDS7 47962 8 [DDD] 2CDs Symphony No.3 Horenstein, LSO (1970). Unicorn-Kanchana UKCD2006/7 [ADD] Symphony No.4 Mengelberg, Concertgebouw (1939). Philips 416 211-2PH [mono] Szell, Cleveland Orch (1966). Sony 46535 [analog] Symphony No.5 Sir John Barbirolli, NPO (1969). EMI CDM7 64749 2 [ADD] Bernstein, VPO (1987). DG 423 608-2GH [DDD] Symphony No.6, “Tragic” Horenstein, Stockholm PO (1966). Unicorn UKCD2024/25 [ADD] Barbirolli, NPO (1968). EMI CZS7 67816-2 [analog] Symphony No.7 Horenstein, NPO (1969). M&A CD-727 [analog] Bernstein, NYPO (1986). DG 419 211-2GH2 [DDD] Symphony No.8, “Symphony of a Thousand” Solti, Chicago SO (1972). London 414 493-2LH2 [ADD] Tennstedt, LPO (1987). EMI CDS7 47625 8 [DDD] Olson, Colorado MahlerFest Orch. (1995 Boulder) Colorado MahlerFest MF8 [DDD] Das Lied von der Erde Walter/Thorborg/Kullman, VPO (1936). M&A CD-749 [AAD] Haitink/Baker/King, Concertgebouw Orch. (1975). Philips 432 279-2PSL [AAD] Symphony No.9 Horenstein, Vienna Symphony Orch. (1954). VoxBox CDX2 5509 [ADD] Bernstein, BPO (1979). DG 435 378-2GH2 [ADD]

Beethoven Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op. 55, “Eroica” Toscanini, NBC SO (1939). (w/No.5) M&A [mono] Furtwängler, VPO (1944). Bayer 200 002 [mono] Kleiber, VPO (1955). London 433 406-2LH [mono] Symphony No.4 in B flat, Op. 60 Carlos Kleiber, Bavarian State SO (1982). Orfeo, C 100.841 A [analog] Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op. 67 Toscanini, Phil SO NY (1933). (w/No.3) M&A [mono] Furtwängler, BPO (1943). (w/No.7) DG 427 775-2GDO [ADD] Furtwängler, VPO (1954). (w/No.7) EMI CDH7 69803 2 [mono] Symphony No.6 in F, Op. 68, “Pastoral” Furtwängler, VPO (1952). EMI CDH7 47121 2 [mono] Symphony No.7 in A, Op. 92 Furtwängler, BPO (1942). (w/No.5) DG 427 775-2GDO [mono] Furtwängler, VPO (1954). (w/No.5) EMI CDH7 69803 2 [mono] Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op. 125, “Choral” Furtwängler, BPO (1942). M&A CD-653 [mono] Kubelik/BRSO (1982). Orfeo C 207.891 [DDD]