Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Symphony No 4 in E-flat major, ‘Romantic’ (First version 1874, ed. Nowak)
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln/François-Xavier Roth
rec. live composite, 19-21 September 2021, Philharmonie, Kölner, Germany
Myrios Classics MYR032 [70]
With this recording, the Myrios Classics label continues its cycle of the complete Bruckner symphonies. The release of the much-admired Seventh Symphony in 2022 was a success and gained Roth and his players new admirers (review~ review). It was not unusual for publishers to assign nicknames or subtitles to works; however, the title ‘Romantic’ was appended to the Fourth by Bruckner himself. I’m not sure how serious the pointers were that Bruckner gave to a programme or scenario concerning a Romantic tale of mediaeval knights and castles enchanted forests, as he later withdrew them.
A number of conductors are increasingly preferring to perform Bruckner’s original versions of his symphonies and here Roth has selected the original 1874 version of the Fourth, recorded live in concert in the Kölner Philharmonie. Bruckner was a perfectionist and frequently looked to improve his scores, subjecting some of them to heavy revision. He was very mindful of the views of his friends and associates who may have considered the score of the Fourth too bold, complex, and progressive for audience taste and there are many instances of conductors cutting parts of the scores prior to performance. More than any other of his symphonies, the Fourth was subjected by Bruckner to numerous alterations and rewrites, including a replacement Scherzo, and a reworked and trimmed down Finale. Consequently, the Fourth has been recorded in several versions and editions.
Most recordings of the Fourth fall into either of two main versions. There is the version of 1881 (aka 1878/80) – edited by Robert Haas (1936) that has been favoured by leading conductors Barenboim, early Boehm, Celibidache, Haitink, Karajan, early Klemperer, Tennstedt, Thielemann and Wand. The other version the 1886 (aka 1878/80) edited by Leopold Nowak (1953) has been the choice of Abbado, late Boehm, Jochum, late Klemperer, Kubelik, Solti, Sinopoli, Jansons, Rattle and Honeck.
The original 1874 version of the Fourth was edited by Leopold Nowak in 1975. A century after its composition, it was finally given its premiere under the baton of Kurt Wöss (or Woess) at the 1975 Linz Brucknerfest. Increasingly, a number of conductors have been taking up the cause of the original 1874 version with recordings from Inbal (1982), Rozhdestvensky (1987), Gielen (1994), Davies (2005), and in 2007 there was Nagano, Norrington and Young. More recently in 2021 Schaller recorded the original score using his own edition. It is much to my taste to hear Bruckner’s original intentions of his symphonies, a perspective that was long overdue.
In 2015 I reported from the Berlin Musikfest at a Philharmonic concert with François-Xavier Roth conducting the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg in a programme of Wyschnegradsky, Haas and Schoenberg. In my notes, I wrote that Roth seemed both assured and totally involved – the same impression I get from this recording with the Gürzenich-Orchester of Bruckner’s Fourth.
In the first movement Allegro, the opening with its cantilena horn call over tremolo strings is magnificently executed, assuring us that with Roth we are in safe hands. The imposing sound structures he creates arouse an enduring feeling of awe and majesty as I picture the breath-taking views of the Austrian mountain ranges so familiar to Bruckner.
Musicologist Robert Simpson described the second movement Andante quasi allegretto as having ‘something of the veiled funeral march about it’, but the music doesn’t feel especially funereal to me. Roth’s pacing does feel measured, but doesn’t drag, with the cadence of the numerous pizzicato sections suggesting the ticking of a clock. Although brief and intermittent, the solo horn passages feel bleak and brooding, evoking a sense of deep introspection and an undertow of melancholy. Under Roth, the gathering power and tension to the extended climax beginning at 17:05 are outstanding and bring a shiver down the spine.
Marked Sehr schnell, this original Scherzo was subsequently rewritten and replaced by the better known ‘Hunt’. Bruckner cleverly bases the writing around a number of marginally differing horn calls, each followed by a pause to which Roth’s orchestra replies with surges of striking weight. A mysterious central trio section provides a sense of calm, albeit rather brief.
The fourth and final movement marked Allegro moderato underwent considerable revision. Under Roth, the swelling and lessening surges of power are striking and filled with menace. Roth achieves a granite-like muscularity to much of the playing that evokes to me imposing Alpine mountain scenes that contrasts starkly with the verdant pastures in the valley floors.
The sound engineers provide Roth with first rate sound and little extraneous noise, and no applause is left in. Harald Hodeige’s booklet essay The call of Romanticism provides a helpful and satisfying read.
The main competition to Roth and the Gürzenich-Orchester in this original version comes from Gerd Schaller conducting the Philharmonie Festiva recorded live in 2021 at Ebrach Abbey on Profil (review ~ review). Both recordings are top class but on balance my vote goes to Roth’s interpretation. One hears Roth’s resolute grip on proceedings, conveying striking moods, maintaining regularity of tempo and dynamics that aren’t overstated. He revels in the expressive scope and directness of the themes of Bruckner’s Fourth and the well-rehearsed Gürzenich-Orchester plays so tightly.
Michael Cookson
Previous reviews: Ralph Moore (April 2023) ~ John Quinn (June 2023)
Help us financially by purchasing from
