Bruckner: Symphony, No. 9

It's a shame that conductor Carlo Maria Giulini turned to Bruckner relatively late in life if this stunning performance of the 9th Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic is indicative of his affinity for the composer. This is a remarkably noble, spiritually alluring performance with Giulini favoring often extremely broad tempos and a wide dynamic range. Rarely has the finale of the first movement been so stark and devastating or the Scherzo rendered with such mesmerizing clarity of vision. Although this is a Live recording, Deutsche Grammophon's astonishing audiophile sound fully compliments this outstanding symphonic triumph. Just brilliant!