CCMusic.com

The two pianists Julius Zeman and Shun Oi have made an exquisite and historic contribution to the Bruckner Year 2024 - the music world is celebrating the 200th birthday of the great symphonist: they have recorded Anton Bruckner's Seventh Symphony in a version for two pianos. For two pianos, not for piano four hands? Some music lovers may ask in surprise. Anyone who (like me) has heard the version for two pianos in a performance, on two Bosendorfer concert grand pianos and performed by the two pianists on this recording, will not find the answer difficult. The volume of sound that a symphony by Anton Bruckner unfolds in it's orchestral form has a magnificent, even overwhelming effect, and something of this sonic power must also be conveyed by the piano version if it is not to do without a constitutive feature of this music. I was convinced by the live impression of the performance on two pianos: it really sounded like "Bruckner", and I could only put the deep and moving impression of this performance alongside the best orchestral performances. Dr Thomas Leibnitz