Bruckner: Symphony No. 7. & Wagner: Tristan and Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod. Eugen Jochum. 1 DVD. EMI Classic Archives

Eugen Jochum. EMI Classic Archive. Anton Bruckner: Symphony no. 7 & Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde prelude to Act 1. (Liebestod) & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to Marriage of Figaro. The orchestra from the Chams Elysees is conducted by Eugen Jochum in some recordings from 1964 and 1980.

 1 DVD. EMI Classics. 310190-9

***Recommendation ***

Symphony no 7 in E major, WAB 107 by Anton Bruckner 
 
Conductor: Eugen Jochum
Period: Romantic
Written: 1881-1883; Vienna, Austria
  
 

BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7. WAGNER Tristan and Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod. MOZART Marriage of Figaro: Overture

Though far from ideal in its technical aspects, this DVD is of great value. Eugen Jochum (1902–1987) was one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, but never had the sort of glamour that led to wide exposure on film and television. Fortunately, there survives a film of a concert he led in Paris on February 6, 1980. That is the source of the present Bruckner Seventh and the “Prelude and Liebestod” from Tristan and Isolde. EMI adds a short 1964 film of the Marriage of Figaro Overture from April 9, 1964. The shortcomings are these: the sound for all selections is monophonic. The 1964 film is black and white, and the colors have faded badly in the 1980 film. But it could be worse. Monophonic sound is rich in timbre and reasonably wide-range in dynamics. However drab the overall appearance of the pictures, they are fairly clear. One can observe Jochum’s distinctive conducting style.

Jochum excelled in the German and Austrian classics. His reading of Bruckner’s Seventh scarcely changed through five decades, regardless of the orchestra he was conducting. One hears it again here, and gets to see Jochum’s energetic direction of his players, his intense emotion, and the orchestra’s whole-hearted response. As usual with him, the ensemble-playing is both highly disciplined and highly expressive. There is a Toscanini-like clarity, combined with a Furtwängler-like subjectivism. The classic Wagner selection is suitably tragic and erotic, and the Mozart sparkles. Strongly recommended.

FANFARE: Robert McColley