Excellent choice, Jerry. It's been a while since I listened to the 0th (!) and I need to revisit it. There's not a lot of Bruckner I don't like.

Bedtime listening for me and it's the first play of this work so would like to note some thoughts.

The first movement is interesting how it juxtaposes a military march like theme and rhythm with openly romantic ones. The strings are lovely here. Then the brass fanfares up the ante and tension with military precision. But then the schizophrenic sweetness returns; you aren't allowed to settle for a moment. It's very restless and propulsive how it flits between moods and finishes on an uncertain and brooding note. Magnificent.

The Andante has a noble restraint and romance to it. Love the sweet and languid theme at 1-47. Some deliciously searching woodwind are a sure highlight for me.

The opening two minutes of the Scherzo woke me up from any previous pastoral slumber! So precisely observed with those highly charged clipped rhythms. We then get a little rest before the breathlessly hypnotic theme returns. Really exciting music.

Another highly memorable and noble theme kicks off the Finale before the restless emotional states of the opening movement return. The remainder of the movement doesn't quite maintain the same originality and idiosyncrasy as the rest of the work but it has its moments and finishes strongly.

An absolutely first rate orchestral performance for sure, very tightly marshalled by Solti. I'll have to say a very fine 9 from me.

Gosh, did Bruckner really bin all this?

I am indebted to Jerry for the introduction and have added this to my library of course but are there any great contemporary recordings out there?

Well, imo the Solti is as 'contemporary' as any other. The sq is up with the best.

More importantly in my view is the style of interpretation - Solti is at one extreme of rhythmic concision, and is quite an ear opener.  But there are other ways to perform the symphony that can give it a quite different affect.

For example, try Chailly. He takes about 1/3rd longer in the Andante slow mvt, to ravishing effect!

Ah well, you wait until you hear the difference in the interpretations. The quality of the orchestra is something else entirely. You do have to credit the Soviet brass sections with an amazing amount of enthusiasm, though!

I must admit that I am considering some other early Bruckner

This is a wonderful symphony and performance. Solti does Bruckner well and the orchestra are magnificent. Blazing brass fanfares are staple Bruckner and used to great effect here. The slabs of ppp followed by fff remind me of the 3rd. Good recording, too.

It simply must get a 10/10.

Rozhdestvenky is good if you can find it. I have it on CD, but doesn't appear to be streamed.

Let's see... Hmm, Inbal gets off to a good start... A little slack, but gives you the idea.



There's a few on Spotify. Shame Solti didn't record it!
I think Inbal is good enough that you can imagine how it would sound with Solti!