The Staatskapelle Dresden is an orchestra with a long Brucknerian tradition, as some wonderful recordings made with Eugen Jochum for EMI testify. But Sinopoli is not Jochum. Under the Italian’s baton, the German orchestra gives a reading of Bruckner’s final symphony that sounds both uncomfortable and uncertain. The usually glorious strings are imprecise (clearly the fault of the conductor), the brass sound is coarse, and the woodwinds are not always in tune. But what really kills the music is Sinopoli’s narcissistic approach. In every phrase, he adds unnecessary accents that cut the natural flow of the music. With so many “espressivo” phrasings, the first movement becomes anti-climactic, which is really paradoxical in this grandiose music. The rest doesn’t get any better: the Scherzo lacks mystery and pungency, while the ecstatic Adagio’s first melodic line sobs like a verismo opera aria. Even though recorded live (in decent if artificial sound), this performance ends up sounding as if heavily edited. Deutsche Grammophon has just deleted Carlo Maria Giulini’s noble and moving live recording with the Vienna Philharmonic. Isn’t anyone there listening? [Editor’s Note: Import only]
