During his time with the Hallé (he succeeded Barbirolli, though since the early 1980s he has worked mostly abroad, in Germany, Japan, and in Denmark where he was principal conductor of the Aarhus SO from 1996 until 2003), James Loughran made some memorable recordings of the Beethoven symphonies (including a groundbreaking Eroica) and a set of the Brahms symphonies which even now would wipe the floor with most rival budget-price sets. It is no surprise, then, to hear him conducting a fine live Bruckner Seventh which the Aarhus orchestra has seen fit to preserve on record. The first two movements are especially successful, Loughran showing real mastery in commuting between the first movement's lyrical and giocoso elements within the context of a larger overall vision.
The orchestra's manager freely admits that it is rare for recordings to be made in the 'acoustically difficult' Aarhus Cathedral. If that is the case, sound engineer Clemens Johansen is something of a miracle-worker. A slightly backward woodwind sound notwithstanding, the sound doesn't seem at all cathedral-like. One does wonder, however, to what extent the acoustic was a problem for the orchestra in the Scherzo and those parts of Bruckner's tellingly brief finale which are unusually quick-moving and closely argued.

Loughran showing real mastery in commuting between the first movement's lyrical and giocoso elements within the context of a larger overall vision.