David Harbin wrote:

>Cheers Mimi but I love Bruckner.  The difference is that Bruckner's
>symphonies organically grow whist Schubert's The Great just has these
>dreadfully innane 'jolly' tunes that go nowhere.  Didn't Bernard Shaw
>descible it as "the most brainless composition put on paper"?  So much
>repetition with weak material!  Mixing Schubert and Bruckner I'd strongly
>recommend the fine Bruckner 2 conducted by Tintner on Naxos.  A charming
>recording whith an underlying purposefulness and spirituality.

Isn't that funny, my feelings are exactly the opposite, I love Schubert
Nine but could manage quite happily without a note of Bruckner.  I'm in
the middle of rehearsals for Bruckner 7 at present - concert tomorrow,
Haitink LSO - I couldn't hope for a more sympathetic interpreter, but
it still doesn't do it for me.  To me it's Bruckner who writes the inane
little tunes - Schubert's are wonderful.

There you go, it takes all sorts!

Paul Silverthorne