Anton Bruckner

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Ansfelden, Austria (1824 – 1896)

Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824 – 11 October 1896) was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The former are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length. Bruckner’s compositions helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and roving harmonies.

Unlike other radicals, such as Richard Wagner or Hugo Wolf who fit the enfant terrible mould, Bruckner showed extreme humility before other musicians, Wagner in particular. This apparent dichotomy between Bruckner the man and Bruckner the composer hampers efforts to describe his life in a way that gives a straightforward context for his music.

His works, the symphonies in particular, had detractors, most notably the influential Austrian critic Eduard Hanslick, and other supporters of Johannes Brahms, who pointed to their large size, use of repetition, and Bruckner’s propensity to revise many of his works, often with the assistance of colleagues, and his apparent indecision about which versions he preferred. On the other hand, Bruckner was greatly admired by subsequent composers, including his friend Gustav Mahler, who described him as “half simpleton, half God”.
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  • Luhwah

    His masses are truly great (- especially the 3rd).

    Tuesday morning

  • mahleria

    The main problem with Bruckner symphonies is that they're just too short.

    24 days ago

  • ChinaBuffet

    that boy buckner on that OG tip, knamean?

    last month

  • dieZahme13

    Though I do not approve of your tone I have to tell you that you may be surprised how much 'flow' Bruckner's Te Deum and his mass no. 2 in e minor have.

    February 2012

  • perl_monkey

    As always when listening to the (first movement of the) 4th symphony I can't help but think of John Williams and Star Wars... ;-)

    January 2012

  • Biscuit1978

    Come along and join the group Orchestral Composer of the Week. Nominate your 5 favourite composers each week and see who gets into the Hall of Fame.

    December 2011

  • mahleria

    "The first direct contact between Mahler and Bruckner took place, doubtless thanks to [Julius] Epstein, in the following way. Bruckner had just revised his Third Symphony, intending to conduct its first performance during a Gesellschaft Konzert given by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on December 16, 1877. The few who witnessed this first performance have described the composer-conductor’s lack of skill, the public’s lack of understanding, and the sabotage of the musicians, who played wrong notes on purpose and added passages of their own. During the finale, the hall gradually emptied, and at the end only seven people remained in the stalls and about twenty-five in the entire hall, mostly young enthusiasts – among them Mahler. The orchestra went out to scattered applause, and poor Bruckner was left to bow from the podium completely alone." Mahler (Volume One), Henry-Louis de La Grange (Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, New York, 1973)

    October 2011

  • HammerDod

    “half simpleton, half God”

    October 2011
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