This is a solid, well-performed Bruckner 8 by Maazel and the Berliners. The pros are Maazel's tempo choices, which are consistently well-judged at 16'19 / 14'18 / 26'12 / 23'39 // 79'32, and the excellent control and attention to detail that Maazel brings. The bad news is that this is a rather studio-bound and, even more disappointing, a rather earth-bound Bruckner 8. Maazel fails to bring that extra level of intensity and conviction to the work. At budget price, it is a good place to start, but you'll need to hear Furtwangler/VPO, Knappertsbusch/BPO, and Celibidache/MPO to find conductors who, in my opinion, really do this work justice.