Carlo Maria Giulini, Wiener Symphoniker, Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Bruckner Symphonies 2 and 9 (2018) [SACD]

In my youth, early Bruckner began with the 3rd Symphony, and the real Bruckner began with the 4th. What was I to make of it then, when one of my favorite artists – and I should say one who had a reputation for being rather traditional in his repertoire choices – suddenly deigned to record the Bruckner 2nd?
Of course, curiosity overcame prejudice and I lived through one of the great musical experiences of my life. I still can’t listen to this performance without remembering how devastated I was by the sheer magnificence of this performance!
The Bruckner 9th is another matter altogether. Most collectors today will think of Giulini’s later Vienna Philharmonic recording as among their reference recordings of this work. But to me, Giulini’s time in Chicago was very special. After the brilliance of Reiner, the lean precision of Martinon, the Chicago Symphony under Georg Solti had become loud, and dare I say, pompous? No wonder when Giulini came in to guest, the music-making suddenly looked inward, the orchestra once again played like gods. Of course there are those who say they played like gods under Solti, but those gods were gods of judgment, gods of terror. Under Giulini they became nurturing gods, gods of joy sharing with us the greatness of his universe. These were the
gods unleashed by Giulini, and this Bruckner represents all the best that Giulini’s music making stood for.