Since the Finale's massive multi-subject fugue dominates Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, a major concern of conductors is to make the first three movements rise to the level of this impressive climax and come across as substantial parts of the piece's architecture. In
Heinz Rögner's 1984 recording with the
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Adagio and Scherzo movements build sufficient energy and suspense to seem well matched to the last movement's contrapuntal grandeur, yet retain their own significance and function as something more than introductory material. But the first movement is much looser in form and somewhat desultory in argument, making it the main weakness of this symphony; this is compounded by Bruckner's awkward starts and stops and the choppy nature of his exposition and development.
Rögner is unable to shape this movement into something resembling a coherent whole or to propel it forward so the numerous pauses and declamatory passages are minimized. However, other than this unsatisfying movement, the rest of the performance has its merits, not least the energetic playing of the orchestra in the furious Scherzo and the terrific ensemble sound in the final glorious stretch. Edel's original recording is remarkably clean for analog, and any tape noise has been completely eliminated in the digital remastering by Berlin Classics. While this shouldn't be anyone's first choice for a recording of this work, it's decent enough to bear repeated hearings and good for study purposes.