Bruckner from the Archives, Vol. 4 in Bloomington, MN

The
Somm
label's "
Bruckner
from the Archives" series, spearheaded by the Bruckner Society of America and producer/audio restoration specialist
Lani Spahr
, has unearthed some fascinating performances, largely by unknown performers, from the 1950s through the '70s.
is usually a showcase for the glittering efforts of contemporary sound engineers, but of course, it would all be for naught if the performances themselves weren't interesting, and these have been consistently so. Consider the contrasting pair of performances heard on this 2024 release, the fourth in
's series.
's
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major
is heard in a 1963 performance by the
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
(it is from a broadcast aircheck), conducted by a young
Christoph von Dohnányi
. This conductor, still at it as of late 2024 at age 94, was ahead of his time with his
, precise and detailed but not dry; the melodies in the first movement are given their due.
Dohnányi
fans from Cleveland and the other stops over his long career are especially advised to hear this. The
String Quintet in F major
, however, is something else again, and this is perhaps the real find here. It was recorded in 1956, along with its
Intermezzo
movement, by the
Vienna Konzerthaus Quartet
with violist
Ferdinand Stangler
for the
Vanguard
label; this was apparently never released until now. The
was formed before World War II and remained active until a few years after this recording was made. Its style is a slice of old Vienna, with delicate sentimentality, a lush sound, and even a good bit of portamento. The style bumps attractively up against the forbidding counterpoint of the
Quintet
, which is not so often played (who turns to
for chamber music?) and has rarely, if ever, been played like this on recordings.
Spahr
's restoration work makes these pieces eminently listenable, but again, the music is the thing. ~ James Manheim