Bruckner: Symphony No. 7

Fischer profileert zich opnieuw met zijn handelsmerk dat ‘oorspronkelijkheid’ heet. (...) Zelden maakt een dirigent Bruckner's gemoedsschommelingen zo aannemelijk, zelden slaagt een orkest erin het weefsel van de partituur zo aanschouwelijk te maken voor het publiek. (...) Uitgesponnen lyriek met fenomenaal samenspel in het eerste, gebalde energie en vreugde in het derde, een gepassioneerde catharsis aan het slot: deze interpretatie heeft het allemaal.

... If you’re familiar with Fischer and his orchestra’s Mahler recordings, you’ll be delighted by the spacious nobility of the sound at the start of the symphony, the plasticity of the phrasing, the dynamic control as Fischer keeps the tempo flowing…it feels fresh, and alive. (...) this is a breath of Alpine freshness (...) The recording, by the way, is superb…rich, airy, detailed, dynamically impressive with no sense of strain…and you could say exactly the same of the playing…

The works "lithe" and "Bruckner" don't tend to go together. Iván Fischer and his Budapest Festival Orchestra force you to break with habit. This account of the expansive Seventh Symphony is at once vigorous and lean (...) It won't be to all tastes. It suits mine.

(...) superb choice of tempos (...) The playing of this excellent orchestra is very fine in every department (...) it is all so natural. (...) At time, I confess I almost cried out in admiration for this conductor's and orchestra's total grasp of this by no means straightforward work: the musicianship dispayed here is total. (...) The recording quality is equally of a very high standard (...) Those who want to investigate Bruckner's E major Symphony could not do better than invest in this recording. It is one of the finest I have heard for many years.
IRR - Robert Matthew-Walker

In the Adagio Fischer contrives to make those detached string phrases in the first subject “speak” as never before, and if the result isn’t exactly “very solemn and very slow”, as Bruckner requests, it’s amazingly expressive. (...) there’s no denying the fact that he has a valid and cogent vision of the work, one that the Budapest Festival Orchestra executes beautifully, captured by the Channel Classics engineers in typically warm, naturally balanced SACD sound.

Intense international touring and a series of acclaimed recordings for Philips Classics, later for Channel Classics have contributed to Iván Fischer’s reputation as one of the world’s most visionary and successful orchestra leaders.

(...) In the end, the magnificence of the BFO’s playing cannot be overstated. The uniformity of color across the sections is breathtaking. The brass, strings, and woodwinds share every nuance of attack, release, and weight of sound. (...) there’s no denying the fact that he has a valid and cogent vision of the work, one that the Budapest Festival Orchestra executes beautifully, captured by the Channel Classics engineers in typically warm, naturally balanced SACD sound.

What makes Fischer so intriguing isn’t just his programming or his outspokenness, it is the total commitment to his interpretation that he demands and his players provide. There likely isn’t a better example of this phenomenon in Fischer’s discography than this recording. (...) Fischer’s band weaves, dances, and sings throughout this recording. (...) The sound quality is first-rate, as always. (...)n the end, the magnificence of the BFO’s playing cannot be overstated. The uniformity of color across the sections is breathtaking. The brass, strings, and woodwinds share every nuance of attack, release, and weight of sound.

(...) the Bruckner offered here is warm, humane, with almost a kick in his step (...) The warmth in part comes from the way the orchestra plays.

(...)There's a pleasing clarity of texture, helped by the focused playing and excellently balanced recording. (...)

(...) Fischer is inmiddels uitgegroeid tot een maestro (...)

(...) the energy is coupled with warmth and understanding, and that’s partly due to the recording quality. The word that springs to mind for both performance and recording is ‘resplendent’. It has all the virtues inherent in SACD, of placing the instruments with pin-point accuracy.

(...) a superb performance of this symphony (...) The performance recorded here, with the Budapest Festival Orchestra which Fischer founded, is robust and precise. It’s a fine match for the recording prowess of Channel Classics, who seems to always bring its best game to the recording sessions.(...) Channel Classics always seems to get the strings right, and this recording is no exception. (...)

(…) canny collectors know that any new recording from Ivan Fischer and his peerless Budapest Festival Orchestra will be worth investigating and once again this proves to be the case. (…) magnificent sound quality of Channel's 5.0 DSD recording made in the Palace of Arts Budapest (...)The playing of the Budapest Festival Orchestra throughout is breathtaking (…) Reservations about the 'Adagio' apart, this is a performance so thoroughly prepared, expertly executed and superbly recorded as to make it unmissable.

(...) Hier klinkt een intelligent, gevoelig en vervoerend essay in tonen. (...) Gedoseerd werkt de dirigent toe naar de machtige orkestrale roes. (...)

(...) Deze zevende is een hecht gebouw, waar je naar hartenlust kunt ronddwalen en ontroerd kunt raken. (...) ‘Alles wordt gezien met de helderste blik, tot majestueuze hoogte gebracht en met diepste emoties gevoeld.’

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