The 6th Symphony of Anton Bruckner was recorded live for SACD in December 2013 at two concerts in the Hamburg Laeiszhalle. Here, too, critics were unanimous in their enthusiasm, as could be read in the Hamburger Abendblatt of 16 December 2013: “... This rendering of the 6th Symphony became, on the part of the Philharmonic, a festival of precision and punctuality. No wonder: Simone Young showed tempi of an organic effect, bonding with her musicians in a convincingly dosed mixture of fire and soul.”
REVIEW:
The great success of this issue lies in the conducting, since Young’s instinct for the all-important transitions in Bruckner is so sound and idiomatic—in fact she makes a few illustrious names sound a little self-indulgent by comparison. …one of the best among recent SACD versions of Bruckner’s 6th.
-- MusicWeb International
Simone Young’s recordings of the symphonies of Anton Bruckner on Oehms Classics are valued for her use of original versions, as well as for their exceptional super audio sound, so they have attracted considerable attention from collectors. Young employs Leopold Nowak’s 1952 publication, so there’s no textual controversy to confuse listeners. To the extent that Bruckner explores unexpected keys and creates ambiguous tonal regions through his chromatic harmonies, the Sixth is one of his most enigmatic and challenging symphonies, paving the way for the late masterpieces. Young and the Hamburg Philharmonic deliver an impassioned and visionary performance that compels the listener to explore the piece in one sitting, and the experience is highly rewarding.
-- AllMusic.com (Blair Sanderson)
[Young’s] conducting is so alive that it brings every bar into the present moment. The cause of women conductors has been advancing too slowly on disc, so it’s gratifying that Young has emerged as a first-rate Brucknerian by any standard.
-- Fanfare
