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Alexander's Playlist: Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
By Alexander NeefPosted in Alexander Neef Playlist
General Director Alexander Neef shares his favourite music recordings in this series of weekly recommendations.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
Deutsche Grammophon, 1985
Carlo Maria Giulini
Wiener Philharmoniker
This week, I would like to share a very personal recommendation, and one of the first CDs I remember listening to: Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini, leading the Vienna Philharmonic.
I came across this recording just at that age when I was discovering music in general, and classical music in particular. A friend of my parents was an astute and devoted CD collector, and he would let me borrow from his library. I was very lucky to be introduced to classical music then, not to mention to have access to a catalogue of recordings like that to feed my curiosity; today, with virtually any music a mere a click away, it is easy to underappreciate the thrill of finding a specific recording.
First encounters always have a special magic, but this recording of Bruckner’s most famous symphony has endured as one of my favourites – the Vienna Philharmonic is golden and incredibly polished, with Giulini at the podium providing a steady and introspective exploration of this lyrical masterwork.
––Alexander Neef
Music credit: Bruckner: Symphony No.7, conductor Carlo Maria Giulini with the Wiener Philharmoniker, Deutsche Grammophon, 1985