Thread: I've begun a journey through Bruckner's Symphonies!

Originally Posted by principe

His obsession with God deprived him of expressing all the possible human feelings about the various aspects of Life.

Even if that were true (and I think one could make a case for as well as against it): no harm done. If one's looking for musical expressions of human emotions, there are plenty of composers who specialize in that field.

Bruckner always put great emphasis on form and structure. His themes are often somewhat schematically based on triads, semitones and octaves. These themes almost seem like they write themselves, without much human in(ter)vention. I feel that's a strong classicist element in him.

His approach became even more severe after 1875-77, while he was working on his Fifth. But take a look at the original versions of his earlier symphonies. To me, they feel less restraint and more romantic, if you like, than the revised versions.

Post 1875-77, Bruckner found his definitive style, but it's surely not for everybody. I always wonder why Bruckner and Mahler are often mentioned in one breath. At the heart of it - and this is perhaps what principe was referring to - they couldn't be more different.

Listened to Symphony 8 with a fresh mind. After the first 2 movements, my mind was firied. I don't have an attention span to last more than 40 minutes for a Symphony. I feel burned out after 80 minutes. Need a break from music. So I guess the main thing is I prefer shorter Symphonies.

If people see insanity and madness as the purest emotion, you should avoid looking at 18th and 19th centuries and stick to 20th century.

I prefer composers who focus on other emotions (happiness, sadness, glory etc.) rather than madness.

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

I long suspected that I would love Bruckner's symphonies when I finally get around to familiarizing myself with them, and that time has finally come. I've listened to the 1st and 2nd symphonies about six times each in the last five days, as well as one listening of the 3rd symphony.

I know that his later symphonies are way better than the earlier ones, but I'm going in order and getting to know the music and the man as I go along. I'm very excited, and am enjoying this a lot! When I read things about certain movements of his later symphonies and how unbelievable they are, it feels like I'm reading a spoiler about a future episode of something that I'm currently only at the beginning of. There's that same sense of excitement and epic scope of the journey still ahead.

Just wanted to share!

Thanks for sharing.

Though Sawallisch and Giulini do some nice things with 1 & 2 respectively, the game really begins with 3. Enjoy your journey.

Suggestions...

3. Barenboim (Teldec)
4. Jochum (DG)
5. Horenstein (BBC Legends)
6. Nagano (naive)
7. Karajan (DG, 1989)
8. Jochum (DG)
9. Jochum (EMI)

And do try to stay away from Celi.

"Though Sawallisch and Giulini do some nice things with 1 & 2 respectively, the game really begins with 3. Enjoy your journey."

Agree with Vaneyes, (although Guilini's 2nd is one of my favorite symphonies). When people think of Bruckner's style and his body of work, I believe it starts at #3 although with #4 he begins to show his maturity.

Originally Posted by Vaneyes

And do try to stay away from Celi.

I generally do not like Celibidache (especially for Mozart) but for Bruckner he can make his orchestras sound absolutely magical while still being ridiculously slow.

Try also Van Zveden on Exton and Simone Young on Oehms. Some fresh, bright, well detailed and solid performances in superlative recordings. Somehow, Janowski is moving along this way, in some stunning recordings for Pentatone.

Principe

I'm in the seventh listening of #3 now, and I'm still not loving it.... there are parts that stand out to me as magnificent, but overall it just doesn't have the dramatic intensity that #2 had.

Does this mean I won't enjoy 4 through 9 either?

Originally Posted by neoshredder

Listened to Symphony 8 with a fresh mind. After the first 2 movements, my mind was firied. I don't have an attention span to last more than 40 minutes for a Symphony. I feel burned out after 80 minutes. Need a break from music. So I guess the main thing is I prefer shorter Symphonies.

Neo, Don't you find the second movement of Bruckner's Eighth to be utterly refreshing and delightful? In my own case, it alone kind of got me hooked on wanting to hear the rest of his symphonies, so I sprang for a cheap box set {not the Karajan. obviously }.

@ Macgeek2005, I think the short answer to your question is a resounding NO. I have gotten to really like his 8th and 9th Symphonies. Some of the others I'm still working on, though, especially some of the earlier ones.

The first 2 movements were pretty good. Not great imo. The last 2 movements were boring to me. Sorry to say. Bruckner just isn't my style I guess. But I'll give it another listen.

Honestly, he's not really my "cup of tea" either; the length of most of his symphonies is enough to deter one from further exploration. However, coupled with the fact that I have heard some things in his music which interest me and that I was able to purchase that cheap German import box set of the complete cycle, I thought it might be worth my time and effort to explore him a little further. I'll see if the journey proves fruitful or not. As with Mahler, I've been trying to take him in small doses rather than in one big gulp, which I seem to be able to do with many other composers. On the whole, though, I have found Mahler to be more accessible--albeit often very lengthy as well--than Bruckner.

The third symphony is starting to grow on me finally. In the 8th hearing of it, it's starting to come together in my mind.. the dramatic flow of it starting to crystalize.

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

The third symphony is starting to grow on me finally. In the 8th hearing of it, it's starting to come together in my mind.. the dramatic flow of it starting to crystalize.

IMO, the 3rd is not typical Bruckner, kind of unrefined, somewhat experimental. Since u liked #1 and 2, I believe u will love the 4th....at this point he has now found himself. The 4th is widely performed by all the major symphonies.

Originally Posted by davinci

IMO, the 3rd is not typical Bruckner, kind of unrefined, somewhat experimental. Since u liked #1 and 2, I believe u will love the 4th....at this point he has now found himself. The 4th is widely performed by all the major symphonies.

Good to hear that!