# Bruckner's symphonies 1 - 6



## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

You hear a lot about Bruckner's Symphonies 7, 8 & the unfinished 9th as they are generally regarded, in their different ways, as his greatest achievements in the form... and rightly so I might add. But what about 1 - 6? I don't hear a whole lot about any of these. #6 a little bit more so than 1-5, but not by the margin of 7, 8 & 9. Is this because they are generally regarded as being less relevant or in some ways inferior? 

To my knowledge, I have only heard Symphonies 6 - 9, with #6 being my least favorite of them (the adagio excepted). How are 1-5 usually regarded? How do they stack up against the lofty 7, 8 & 9? 

I'd be very interested to hear what you all have to say about them. Of 1 - 5, which do you like the best? Why? Perhaps there is one, maybe two conductor/orchestra combos that you think stand out above the rest and should be heard? Very curious.

Thx!


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

The 4th is quite well-known, and for me at about the same level of interest as the 8th (below the 9th, but excellent). I also like the 6th, and to a lesser extent 2,3,5. The numbers 1, 0 and 00 don't do as much for me.


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## Guest (May 17, 2015)

I like them all, and I definitely like No. 5 better than No. 7 - 3/4/6/7 are all kinda close for me, with 5/8/9 being my big boys. 1/2 are great too, just a different sound with less Wagner...


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

I stand corrected._ I've heard the 4th._ Lol in fact, I own it but I completely forgot! Pretty telling about how much of impact it must have made on me. Maybe it's time I dust that puppy off and give it another whirl.

I know I haven't heard 1 thru 5 tho.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

The fourth is more or less as popular as 7,8 & 9. The only truly ignored Bruckner symphonies are IMO 1 & 2 (and also no. 0 and the "Study symphony)..


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

nathanb said:


> I like them all, and I definitely like No. 5 better than No. 7 - 3/4/6/7 are all kinda close for me, with 5/8/9 being my big boys. 1/2 are great too, just a different sound with less Wagner...


You like 5 better than 7? Wow, nathanb. That's a strong statement. 7 and 9 are pretty much neck and neck at the summit for me, with 8 hanging out somewhere just below so... I will definitely have to check out 5 next. in fact, that will be my next Bruckner acquisition. What conductor/ orchestra combo(s) do you recommend?


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## AnotherSpin (Apr 9, 2015)

7 and 8 are the best, 9 is out of this world already. Lesser numbers are good, but in Bruckner case all previous material is merely a general draft of future glory, which stays unfinished.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

5 is a masterpiece. I'd rank it above 7 as well.

Actually, I'd also rank 3 (1873 version only) and 4 (1880 version) above 7. 1, 2, and the unnumbered ones have their moments, but I feel they're not as strong overall.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

They are all really great, in particular if you find suitable recordings.

"Real Bruckner" perhaps mainly starts at no.2 and especially no.3, the original version. 

Nos. 00-2 are the least generally popular symphonies.


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

Mahlerian said:


> 5 is a masterpiece. I'd rank it above 7 as well.
> 
> Actually, I'd also rank 3 (1873 version only) and 4 (1880 version) above 7. 1, 2, and the unnumbered ones have their moments, but I feel they're not as strong overall.


Well I'll be. _Definitely_ gonna have to check out 5 now. And now apparently 3! 

Any conductor/orchestra suggestions, Mahlerian?


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## Guest (May 17, 2015)

N° 5 - seconded !!


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## merlinus (Apr 12, 2014)

2 through 9 for me. All are fantastic, each in its own way. I rank only Beethoven 3, 5, and 9 above Bruckner, in terms of symphonies.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

EDaddy said:


> I will definitely have to check out 5 next. in fact, that will be my next Bruckner acquisition. What
> conductor/ orchestra combo(s) do you recommend?


Pardon me for jumping in, but I've been happy with Sinopoli and the Dresden Statskapelle.


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

Mahlerian said:


> 5 is a masterpiece.





TalkingHead said:


> N° 5 - seconded !!


Thirded -- actually given nathan's post as well, fourthed!

The 5th is the first one where he completely nails the finale, and perhaps only the finale of the 8th has as good a 4th movement.

I like the inner movements of the 6th very much.

I can see why many prefer 3* - 6 over 7, although for me there is nothing remotely as brilliant as the adagio of the 7th across those four works.

* admittedly I only know the 3rd well in its revised (1889) version and have been meaning to spend time with the original for a while now.

I could know the earlier ones better -- the 1st has a killer scherzo, I will say. :tiphat:


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

I have a soft spot for the 3rd with its finale and its contrasting moods of solemnity and jollity.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Try no 5 with Karajan or Dohnanyi conducting. Terrific!


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## Guest (May 17, 2015)

EDaddy said:


> You like 5 better than 7? Wow, nathanb. That's a strong statement. 7 and 9 are pretty much neck and neck at the summit for me, with 8 hanging out somewhere just below so... I will definitely have to check out 5 next. in fact, that will be my next Bruckner acquisition. What conductor/ orchestra combo(s) do you recommend?


I have a few random extras like Giulini's 9th, Bohm's 4th, and whatnot, but I only have the 5 from the full set by Eugen Jochum on DG. People here don't talk about him as much as a few others (Gunter Wand comes to mind), but I have never seen any issue with his Bruckner. He even recorded all three masses, the Te Deum, and some motets on DG as well, some of which I rank about some of the symphonies.


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## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned #6. Some actually consider it to be his best symphony. It's well-paced and well-argued.

Try Klemperer and the New Philharmonia.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Celloman said:


> I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned #6. Some actually consider it to be his best symphony. It's well-paced and well-argued.


I absolutely agree about the 6th (and noticed, with surprise, that it was being overlooked here)! Another one that is huge with me is the completed 9th (Rattle/BPO) :tiphat: The completion changes everything! The symphony now has meaning and conclusion.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

brotagonist said:


> Another one that is huge with me is the completed 9th (Rattle/BPO) :tiphat: The completion changes everything! The symphony now has meaning and conclusion.


I could not disagree more. In its uncompleted version it is perfect, and my favourite symphony of any composer. Adding the fourth movement spoils that feeling completely.


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## AnotherSpin (Apr 9, 2015)

brotagonist said:


> The completion changes everything! The symphony now has meaning and conclusion.


 Do you also believe Venus de Milo hands should be "completed"?


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Having attended a performance of number 2 just last Friday, I give it praise.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I love all of them . Number one , is in particular, sadly neglected . At only about 47 minutes, slightly longer in the Vienna revision , it's the shortest of all the Bruckner symphonies, about the same length
as the Brahms first . 
People who are bothered by the great length of the later symphonies should have no problem with it .
It hasn't been recorded as much as the others , and most of them are part of cycles of all nine symphonies . Unlike the later symphonies , not too many conductors have done it as individual recordings , not part of cycles . The late,great Claudio Abbado recorded it twice with the Vienna Phil, first for Decca and later for DG . I haven't heard the remake, but the first was the recording I got to know it by , and I still have a lot of affection for it .
Unfortunately, Abbado never got around to recording all nine .


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

for me there is nothing remotely as brilliant as the adagio of the 7th across those four works.
[/QUOTE said:


> From the symphonies I have heard: agreed!
> 
> (Sorry Skilmarilion - the quote didn't quite work right... but you get the idea)


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

DavidA said:


> Try no 5 with Karajan or Dohnanyi conducting. Terrific!


Noted, DavidA. Thx!


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Add my voice to the chorus of praise for Bruckner 5. It's on the short-list of highest number of versions for me. The Sinopoli-conducted recording is my favorite- but Solti is not far behind. Furtwängler might not be the best "live-with-it" version- but it should be heard... and it _was_ my gateway to the symphony. Tintner has its fans, but I can't be numbered among them. Karajan has even more fans- but that one's not for me, either.

I find Bruckner 6 an undervalued and underappreciated work. Maybe- except for #2, it's the one that most divides opinion.

I like those "early-version" recordings of 2 & 3 put to disc by Tintner.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Some musicologists have remarked on how the 5th isn't particularly recommended for Bruckner newbies but it worked marvellously for me. The first time I heard the subdued opening I thought 'hello, what's this?' but when that blazing fanfare suddenly kicked in I knew I was going to totally surrender - that opening movement still remains one of my more fondly-remembered introductions to a previously unfamiliar composer and over fifteen years later I still love the 5th most of all of the symphonies between '00' and the 6th and certainly no less than the 7th, 8th and 9th.


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## Überstürzter Neumann (Jan 1, 2014)

Celloman said:


> I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned #6. Some actually consider it to be his best symphony. It's well-paced and well-argued.


"Die Sechste ist die Keckste" - Anton Bruckner. 
Best or not, and I personally hesitate to rank those 10 symphonies , it is a great work. I still live in the hope that Harnoncourt will make a recording with it one day.



> Try Klemperer and the New Philharmonia.


Or Eichhorn/Bruckner Orchester Linz. Or Bongartz/ Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Or Wand/ NDR Sinfonieorchester. Just to mention a few.


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