Biography (read more)

Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer and organist of the late Romantic period, born in Ansfelden and formed musically at the Sankt Florian Monastery before establishing himself in Vienna, where he taught at the Conservatory and the University. His principal legacy is a cycle of eleven symphonies notable for their expansive scale, rich harmonic language, and strongly polyphonic character, complemented by sacred choral works including Masses, motets, and settings of the Te Deum and psalms. He died in Vienna in 1896 at age 72 and is buried in the crypt of the Sankt Florian monastery church.

Initially dismissed by influential Viennese critics who favored the more classically proportioned symphonies of Brahms, Bruckner is now recognized as a major architect of the late Austro-German Romantic symphony, whose bold dissonances and unprepared modulations expanded the possibilities of symphonic form. His eleven symphonies occupy an important and increasingly central place in the orchestral repertoire, and he is regarded as one of the defining figures of the symphonic tradition in the decades following Beethoven and Schubert.

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Repertoire

Symphony No. 6 in A major, II. Adagio. Sehr feierlich (Excerpt)
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Symphony No. 3
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Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: I. (a) Bewegt, nicht zu schnell (1878/1881…— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: I. (b) Hervortretend (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: I. (c) [Bars 193 – 332] (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: I. (d) [Bars 333 – 436] (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: I. (e) Hervortretend (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: II. (a) Andante quasi allegretto (1878/1881…— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: II. (b) Lang gezogen (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: II. (c) Con sordini (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: III. (a) Scherzo. Bewegt (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: III. (b) Trio. Nicht zu schnell (1878/1881…— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: III. (c) Scherzo da capo (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (a) Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht zu…— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (b) Noch langsamer (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (c) Tempo wie anfangs (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (d) Langsamer (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (e) Tempo primo (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (f) Im früheren Zeitmass (1878/1881…— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic”: IV. (g) Tempo primo (1878/1881 Version)— Nathalie Stutzmann
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Performed by Nathalie Stutzmann

Bruckner: Mass No. 1 in D Minor, WAB 26: I. Kyrie— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Mass No. 1 in D Minor, WAB 26: II. Gloria— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Mass No. 1 in D Minor, WAB 26: III. Credo— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Mass No. 1 in D Minor, WAB 26: IV. Sanctus— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Mass No. 1 in D Minor, WAB 26: V. Benedictus— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Mass No. 1 in D Minor, WAB 26: VI. Agnus Dei— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 10 : I. Allegro moderato (Live)— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 10: II. Adagio (Live)— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 10: III. Scherzo (Live)— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 10: IV. Finale (Live)— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic” (1878/80 Version) : I. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic” (1878/80 Version) : II. Andante, quasi…— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic” (1878/80 Version) : III. Scherzo (Bewegt)— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 “Romantic” (1878/80 Version) : IV. Finale (Bewegt, doch…— Martha Argerich
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Performed by Martha Argerich

Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, WAB 100 “Annuliert”: I. Allegro— Jordi Savall
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Performed by Jordi Savall

Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, WAB 100 “Annuliert”: II. Andante— Jordi Savall
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Performed by Jordi Savall

Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, WAB 100 “Annuliert”: III. Scherzo. Presto – Trio. Langsamer und ruhiger— Jordi Savall
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Performed by Jordi Savall

Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, WAB 100 “Annuliert”: IV. Finale. Moderato – Allegro vivace— Jordi Savall
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Performed by Jordi Savall

Bruckner: Ave Maria, WAB 6— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Tota pulchra es, WAB 46— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Locus iste, WAB 23— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Os justi, WAB 30— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Bruckner: Christus factus est, WAB 11— Bernarda Fink
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Performed by John Eliot Gardiner

Erinnerung, WAB 117— Jörg Demus
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Performed by Jörg Demus

Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 107 (Arr. E. Stein, H. Eisler and K. Rankl for Ensemble): III….— Guillaume Bellom
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Performed by Guillaume Bellom

Bruckner: Ave Maria (Motet), WAB. 5— José Carreras
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Performed by José Carreras

I. Allegro moderato— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

II. Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

III. Scherzo: Sehr schnell— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

IV. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht schnell— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

II. Scherzo: Allegro moderato – Langsam— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

III. Adagio: Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

IV. Finale: Feierlich, nicht schnell— Christa Ludwig
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Performed by Christa Ludwig

Patri sit paraclito IV (chorus)— Jordi Savall
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Performed by Jordi Savall

Christus factus est— René Jacobs
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Performed by René Jacobs