Back when I first contemplated this 144-day project, Maestro Wand’s name came up a time or two when I read reviews of Bruckner’s symphonies and who people considered to be his best conductor-interpreters. Wand was looked upon favorably by several Brucknerians. So, when I started this journey – back on October 3rd, 2016 – Wand was one of the conductors I most looked forward to hearing.

Bruckner wrote his symphonies in four parts. He would have this time, too. But he died before completing movement four. The time breakdown of this one (Symphony No. 9 in D Minor), from this particular conductor (Wand) and this particular orchestra (Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester) is as follows:

This recording seems fuzzy to me. No depth to the orchestra. It is loud and piercing (the brass instruments, primarily). But it’s not rich and complex. The entire thing comes at me as a whole.

What I mean by that is there’s not a wide separation of instruments. It’s like the Grateful Dead in their Wall of Sound touring days. This is a wall of instruments.

Plus, I’m not feeling the love, here. The magic isn’t there for me. The enthusiasm seems to be missing. They’re playing well. But not wholeheartedly.

At least, that’s how it sounds to me.

You may listen to it and find it absolutely flawless.

All I can say is there’s something missing when I don’t get thrilled by the Ninth’s Scherzo, or nearly moved to tears by the Adagio. (Even the final 2-3 minutes of the Adagio didn’t fill me with awe.)

It’s still beautiful music. Still some of the best Bruckner ever wrote. But it lacks the oomph I heard in previous conductors and orchestras, which is kind of too bad since this is the close of my 144-day chapter.

It would have been nice to go out with a bang.

The most positive thing I can say about Maestro Wand’s interpretation of Bruckner’s Ninth is that it was a very brisk 58 minutes.