August 13, 2017

Gramophone reviews Bruckner Symphony No. 1 & 4 Orchestral Pieces

“Gimeno communicates a genuine affection for the piece, culminating in a particularly exciting performance of the finale.

The Gramophone reviews our release of “Bruckner – Symphony No. 1 & 4 Orchestral Pieces” performed by Gustavo Gimeno and Orchestre Philharmonique Luxembourg. Rising young star Gustavo Gimeno conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg in a riveting performance Bruckner’s towering First Symphony, heard in the lesser-known “Vienna” version of 1890/1891. Read a paragraph of the review below.

Given the relatively small number of recordings of the Vienna version in comparison with the Linz, this spirited new version by the Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno, a former principal percussionist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is therefore a welcome addition to the catalogue. The playing of the Luxembourg Philharmonic, of which Gimeno has been music director since 2015, lacks something in finesse, and the recording has a touch of rawness in climaxes. However, Gimeno’s interpretation is pleasingly unaffected and he communicates a genuine affection for the piece, culminating in a particularly exciting performance of the finale.

Christian Holskins

Read the full review on Gramophone – August 2017 issue