Bruckner: Symphony No. 7; Bates: Resurrexit in Bloomington, MN

The
Reference Recordings
label has done a real service by issuing the
Bruckner
recordings of conductor
Manfred Honeck
and the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
, arguably the most underrated U.S. symphonic ensemble since its days under the baton of
William Steinberg
. Listen to the brass section virtually anywhere it appears in the sprawling
Symphony No. 7 in E major
here. Those brass are captured in full color by
Reference
's Sound/Mirror engineering team in a recording from Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh that may be taken as exemplary work in a live environment. There is a real electricity to this performance that certainly comes in part from the live performance. As for the music, the physical album may be especially recommended here for
Honeck
's own extensive notes (he has also contributed these to his other
albums on
, and they are a wonderful resource). Perhaps one may disagree with one aspect or another of
's reading here, but there is no way to contend that he hasn't achieved exactly what he wants. He explains his interpretations in considerable detail and grounds them in a sense of the composer's own experiences. The intricate shaping of the work's big melodies is wonderful, but
is also able to deliver big and brash when called for. This is a thrilling recording that may even appeal to listeners who "just don't like
," and made classical best-seller charts in the summer of 2024. ~ James Manheim