The Bruckner Society announces its selection for the

2020 Recording of the Year

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (transcription for organ)

Matthias Giesen, organ

rec. 14-17 Oct 2018: Bruckner Organ, Stiftsbasilika St. Florian

Gramola CD 99169 (rel. 25 Aug 2019)

www.gramola.at

At its Virtual Annual Meeting in September 2020, the Board of Directors of the Bruckner Society of America selected their Annual Bruckner Recording of the Year:

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It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Bruckner Society of America's Board of Directors has chosen to present the society's Recording of the Year award to the recent recording of Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony transcribed for organ by Matthias Giesenand performed by him on the Bruckner Organ of the St. Florian Abbey, which was released by Gramola Recordings. We have judged this CD to be the most outstanding new Bruckner release of the past year.

We aredeeply impressed by all aspects of the project. The transcription translates the musical substance of the Fifth Symphony in all its grandeur and complexity to the medium of the organ very well. The performance itself is a true tour-de-force. The concentration, intensity, and command over the music Giesen achieves is extraordinary. Within moments one almost losses the sense that this is a transcription and enters into the performance as simply a profound and compelling musical experience. The splendid recording replicates the full sonic spectrum of the music and the acoustic space of St. Florian most effectively. In short, we find this to be a disc of the highest quality It is a valuable addition to the discography and a very worthy award winner.

Prof. Benjamin M. Korstvedt - President, Bruckner Society of America