Bruckner: Symphony No.9

Long considered one of America’s great orchestras, The Cleveland Orchestra stands today among the world’s most-revered symphonic ensembles. Under their artistic director Franz Welser-Möst they have developed a sound that is perfectly suited to Bruckner: impressive without ever becoming bombastic. The trumpets and trombones blend into the orchestral sound with unparalleled brilliance, while the strings bring melodic intensity to the motivic material. On this DVD we are given a sample of that special sound in a recording of Bruckner’s final symphony. Welser-Möst’s powerfully contoured and sharply profiled interpretation of Bruckner’s Ninth was recorded live in late October 2007 at the magnificent Golden Hall at Vienna’s Musikverein, just over a century after the work’s first performance in the very same hall in 1903. The concert was unanimously acclaimed by the press, which hailed the “tremendous impact” of Franz Welser-Möst’s calm and intense conducting and the Cleveland Orchestra’s inimitable intonation and ensemble playing. In an 18-minute bonus film, the conductor introduces the viewer to the work, thus making the enjoyment of the concert performance even more fulfilling.