I start with declaring my absolute love for the music of Anton Bruckner. I know, there are people that hate Bruckner, his small output of long symphonies. It is this unique feature that appeals to me. Bruckner is a non compromising composer (despite all his doubts and revisions of his symphonies that withheld him from new compositions) with a musical structure that was absolutely new. The way he handles themes, developes them and repeats them into a inspiring climax, at a scale unknown to that time. Although Brahms, his contemporary, is also developing in that direction it is the scale that is astonishing. Bruckner's symphonies are often compared to Cathedrals, a reference also to his religious background.  At the same time it is why people might not like it, the flow is often interrupted, the profound atmosphere broken. And it starts all over again.

 

But don't think Bruckner knows nothing about tunes, I will show you some of his best tunes. And, because I am a Horn Player myself some of the best passages are for the brass, and especially horns!

 

Some more remarks about Bruckner. In Austria I visited some of the historic places, like Ansfelden (where he was born and spent his youth), St. Florian (where he was trained as choirboy and musician, and the famous Bruckner organ still can be heard) and Vienna, where he spend most of his working career. I find Bruckner so remarkable, somewhere between  a Genius and a naive countryman.  And his religious believes are incomprehensible for us, these days. But we should never forget he was a man living in the wrong worlds. I like to compare him to the Great Masters of the Polyphonie, they lived in a world full of music, where they communicated directly to God. To me, he is a true ancestor of these times.

 

So: now to Symphonie nr 4.

This symphony is often called "Romantic". It is a very fine piece of music, full of very fine music. But the true spirit is about the Horn calls, you can find them anywhere through the piece. In the opening scenes (except for the 2nd slow movement where we have to wait less than 40 seconds), and because Bruckner loves to turn back to his original themes also throughout the Symphony. Please listen to the openings of all the movements, and note

- the strong similarity

- the totally different atmosphere