After a week I am still under impression of the Benjamin Zander’s broadcast of Bruckner Fifth. The Fifth is the symphony that I never “got” and never liked. Whatever I heard was kind of boring, even if it was live. A month or so ago WGBH broadcasted Benjamin Zander leading his Boston Philharmonic with Bruckner 5. It was OK with the last movement being excellent.

The last week, there was WGBH broadcast with selected Zander’s recording of the year. I was listening and was recording because the “live” play of the Mussorgsky-Ravel’s Pictures. The second part of the broadcast was Zander’s Bruckner Fifth. I figure: “Here it comes again – I do not need to record it – I have it allergy.” However, as soon Mussorgsky stopped I did not stop to record...

What was coming was the best Bruckner Fifth I even heard and … it was the Boston Philharmonic’s broadcast from different venue. I never heard the first 3 movements of the Fifth played so meaningfully and so evocative. This is absolutely the most amassing play of Bruckner that I heard… There are rumors that it might become available commercially… If it will then gets this recording for any cost.

Listing here and there more Bruckner Fifth I have to tell you something. This Bruckner Fifth by Zander and his semi-armature Boston Philharmonic is amusingly good. I just wish they release it committal that the people would know how to play Bruckner Fifth.

I have my off air Fm recoding but it is not Live but rebroadcasted live-to-tape, that is one step down to the drain.  A month or so ago a local guy stop and brought me a master dub of the live event itself, not the FM not off the mixing consol. That very quickly became my the most listed CD in 2009.  I have no idea how Zander come up, totally out of blue with all of it. The Boston Philharmonic played like they never did before and Zander keep finding in the Bruckner 5 all those new nuances and twists, it is so fucking beautiful! The Zander’s Bruckner Fifth sound like a huge spider web where Boston Philharmonic keeps weaving and ornamenting the sections of the web. This is the music how it shall be it it’s prime…

Paul S wrote:

One of the nice things about "semi-amateur" ensembles is the freshness and enthusiasm they can bring to a performance.

Oh, yes. It is true. In some cases the "semi-amateur" orchestras sound like in-shoot behavior of a model-beginner who came from third world country (are they left anywhere?) and has no experience about modeling routine. If the girl had some natural behavioral talent then the shooting session was like feeding a wild cheetah – juts share uncivilized and unadulterated beauty… Very seldom happens, the same with the orchestras.

Paul S wrote:

I have often thought that this is how some of the "power conductors", like Furtwangler and Walter, etc.  get the most from an "established" orchestra, namely by making them forget about themselves.

Here we go! THAT was THE question!!!

Paul S wrote:

Of course, BSO is hardly "semi-amateur

I was not talking about BSO. The BSO is Boston Symphony –the professional orchestra.  The Benjamin Zander’s orchestra is Boston Philharmonic - very different band with very different play.

Last night I attended a concept with Boston Philharmonic and Benjamin Zander. They were selling the pre-released CDs with Zander leading Philharmonia orchestra with the Bruckner Fifth.

http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/80706/

Of cause I got it. I did not listen it yet but it was interesting moment in this whole story. I have a chance briefly to chat with Mr. Zander and I asked him if you fell that his play with Philharmonia was more “interesting” then his play with Boston Philharmonic two year back:

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?postID=9619#9619

Mr. Zander said the Philharmonia is much better orchestra and then his face turned sour and he say “… but you know it was a studio recording…”