Bruckner: Essential Works for Beginners

Bruckner: Essential Works for Beginners

Symphony No. 7
Te Deum

[imok]

My definition of a Pedagogue: someone who sees it as his business to convey the knowledge he possesses and cherishes to someone else he cares for. So Dave, are you one hell of a Pedagogue indeed! That introduction to Bruckner's music for beginners was a masterly act of love and reason perfectly combined. Bruckner is surely smiling approvingly up there :)

[henrygingercat]

Enlightening as ever. Two of my dearest friends are definitely on the autistic spectrum and Bruckner is their favourite composer. He’s also mine but I am merely neurotic.

[baarai]

My first Bruckner was the 8th Symphony, conducted by Celibadache. Experiencing it was love at first listening.

[alecsachs]

I love the Symphony No. 7! The Scherzo is out of this world!!

[leestamm]

I read somewhere many years ago that Bruckner is an acquired taste. I think that's a fair appraisal. I came to his music via Symphony 4, though the 7th is just as good for beginners, primarily for the Adagio, which is every bit as exquisite as you described it. Having already been accustomed to Mahler symphonies by the time I discovered Bruckner, length is of no consequence for me. Also, for what it's worth, Mahler held his old friend Bruckner in high esteem, which for me was a pretty good recommendation.

[ragnarkoric]

I love your videos Dave. When I was a kid my parents bought me Karajan’s 60’s Beethoven cycle on vinyl at a yard sale. That became the conductor I knew and the conductor I bought for anything else, because he was easy to find and the safe bet at the time. Then I discovered your videos. I started exploring your recommendations of different composers and conductors/orchestras. Tracking down some of the pieces I couldn’t download. I was so green that I didn’t know how different a piece could sound with a different conductor and orchestra. Composers I never gave a chance, till you and Conductors I never heard of, till you, are now some of my favorites. Just knowing they were out there all these years and I never would’ve known without your videos, makes me wish I found you earlier. I find I don’t listen to Karajan at all anymore. Not to say anything bad about him, just my appreciation for other interpretations are more in the forefront now. I’ve bought a bunch of your books as well. They are fantastic imo. I recently tracked down a copy of the Bruckner 8th by Wand in Lubeck Cathedral you mentioned. It totally blew my mind. The point is I wanted you to know that your videos and books matter to those like me who knew next to nothing about this glorious music. So thank you for all you do. You’ve helped to fill my world with amazing music that I never would’ve discovered without you.

Sincerely
Michael Carlstrom

[damianthompson]

I've been listening to Bruckner since I was a teenager (we're the same age, Dave) and even ploughed my way through Bob Simpson's book on the symphonies. But it's thanks to you that I've finally grapsed the essence of Bruckner's structure and been able to sort out the question of editions – which differences matter and which don't. I'm very grateful.

[NigelRamses]

I was waiting to see how you approached Bruckner. I think you did splendidly. The “Bruckner problem” is so headache inducing, but his symphonies really are something special. I hope to see Sibelius in this new series. I’ve only heard a few snigglets (the appropriate musical term I believe) and the Wood Nymph, and I think it’s time for me to begin building that part of the collection.

[mr-wxlv]

Funny enough, despite the apparent difficulties people have regarding Bruckner, i warmed to him well, when i was new to classical music. First work i heard was the 4th symphony with Otto Klemperer in an old mono recording that lasted around 55 minutes. Very quick indeed. Then he rerecorded it with the Philharmonia, with much improved sound quality. I ventured into his other works. We had a 7th symphony on DG (Lp vinyl) with Jochum and the....BPO. which has to be one of the top recordings of it.

My personal favourite is the 6th, we get slightly more condensed and manageable timescales with that....

[carlconnor]

David, you described Bruckner’s music perfectly, and I love it! You do have to be in the mood and have the time for it.

[jgesselberty]

My introduction was the 4th Symphony.
It took a lifetime to appreciate him, after getting recordings of the other symphonies over the years.
He was so formulaic that I would get a new symphony and think I had heard it before.

[michaelpdawson]

That was an interesting observation about the balance of the movements of the 7th. I just pulled my Chailly set to load the symphony into my Walkman so I can listen to it while hiking today, and noticed that the first two movements are almost precisely the same length (22:50 and 22:54) and that the last two movements put together are just slightly longer than that (23:23).

[mehmeh]

Bruckner clicked with me in the 7th’s adagio. I had heard some of the other symphonies but didn’t quite get it. I think the secret to Bruckner is that his goal was to make every moment beautiful, not just saving beauty for big moments and doing the necessary business to get there.

[nidhishshivashankar]

I don’t think I’m a cult member (yet) but describing them as musical blocks in a sculpture garden is precisely what I love about his work. It’s so immersive and robust. Excellent way to describe his approach to construction

[noamzipory]

Although I'm part of the Bruckner's cult members, you're describing his symphonies so well, putting to words what I fell for years since I discovered his symphonies. I would just add that I think his imperfect composing is what makes it so interesting and easy to relate and sense the human part and emotions of the composer when writing the piece.

[michaelshort]

I appreciate your take on Bruckner. He's long been my favorite composer, but I have little sympathy for the cultists. Being a tubist, I came to Bruckner by way of the 4th Symphony (the first three and the Study and the 0 have no tuba). But I'm also a part time bass trombonist, and I have long been partial to the Requiem (strings, organ and trombones and one horn only) and also got to perform the Mass No. 2. My only regret is that I've never had the opportunity to play a performance any of the symphonies. Keep up the interesting videos!

[stefanoruggeri]

Thanks Blucher, David thank you so much for your videos, greetings from Italy.

[timyork]

Thanks, Dave, for this "for beginners" series which contains insights very interesting for more seasoned listeners. In my formative years in music, Bruckner was just as absent as Mahler. However, unlike Mahler, this was very much a UK phenomenon (USA too?). His music was already revered in Germany and Austria but we were taught that his music was tediously Teutonic and long winded. Luckily there were a few more open minded critics who were sympathetic to Bruckner's aesthetic and were prepared to show enthusiasm for the then few Bruckner discs which justified it. I can't recall Bruckner's ever having been programmed in the 50s and early 60s by the Liverpool Philharmonic but that probably was just as well because the orchestra lacked the heft and beauty of sound to do justice to the music. My first record of Bruckner was his 8th in Karajan's first Berlin recording and it converted to his music me overnight.

[mancal]

Calling him "Herr Bruckner" would really drive the point home with the horse neighing. Great talk, by the way.

[AlexMadorsky]

Never mix one’s Talmud with one’s Bruckner. The varying version problem has gotten beyond out of control, but nothing can ever alter the power and the glory of the 7th. Definitely the right place to start. I might segue to the 4th next irrespective of the many versions floating around, because it’s just that damn good. Same deal with the 9th. Te Deum arguably should come before even Symphony 7 for all the reasons you mention.