Bruckner: Symphony #4 (1888 Version)

The label's series of symphonies offers not only a full set of the composer's nine but also recordings of the individual versions the revision-happy made over the years. It seems a lot, but for the perfect Brucknerian, it is probably just the ticket, and the recordings, with several different orchestras involved under conductor , have been competently done. Here, and the offer the in its 1888 version, the one most commonly played now. The orchestra sounds terrific, and this must be credited to the work of , its music director for several years when this album appeared in 2023. 's reading is brisk and straightforward, with an unusually deep lyricism in the Andante (which one might sample -- it is a standout); nobody would pick this from among the better-known versions out there, but it won't disappoint listeners following the series in the least. The notes by and , with the former delving into the editorial role of 's students in the development of the 1888 version, are a draw, as is 's sound from the Wien Radio Kulturhaus. ~ James Manheim