# Recommendations for a Brucknerite?



## csacwp (12 mo ago)

I absolutely adore all of Bruckner's symphonies and have amassed a large collection of them on CD. I'm also a devout Wagnerian. That said, what other composers should I check out? Mahler? Schumann? Delius? Strauss?


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Try Mahler symphonies and especially Richard Strauss tone poems.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Franz Schmidt was labeled "A master after Bruckner and Brahms". I don't really hear the Bruckner connection too much, but he's still a fine composer worth the time.

August Klughardt wrote massive symphonies for very large orchestras very much in the Bruckner mould.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

For something much less well known and quite a bit more recent (1992) but still of a somewhat similar style, try Alexander Brincken's Symphony #4


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Strauss tone poems are a good way to start . Mahler can be tricky with the sinning, if you like that I mean , Sibelius perhaps ?


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Richard Wetz is often called Bruckner's most true "successor", in terms of style and spirituality. Something that doesn't do justice to Wetz entirely, since he had a distinctive own voice, particularly in his vocal works and chamber music.
But his three symphonies can certainly be called "Brucknerian".
There are single recordings of the 1st and 2nd on CPO, and two recordings of the 3rd on CPO and Sterling. You can listen to them on youtube too.



mbhaub said:


> Franz Schmidt was labeled "A master after Bruckner and Brahms". I don't really hear the Bruckner connection too much, but he's still a fine composer worth the time.
> 
> August Klughardt wrote massive symphonies for very large orchestras very much in the Bruckner mould.


Fully endorsing Schmidt as well, he was a great master on the threshold of romanticism and modernity.

I should check out Klughardt's symphonies, they seems interesting enough.
They're written for standard, even small orchestra though (double winds, brass with 4 and sometimes only 2 horns), and they're not "massive" either (all between 33 and 38 minutes), maybe you were thinking of another composer?


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## 89Koechel (Nov 25, 2017)

csacwp - It's GREAT that you're interested, in Mr. Anton B. As for his Symphonies, and the recordings, maybe I could ask ... who are the conductors, in the same? Not to seem like I'm a 1,000 years old, but there WAS a master of Bruckner Symphonies/recordings ... named Wilhelm Furtwangler. In the considered opinions of many, incl. those on this site, it's probably that WF is still the "exemplar" in his recordings/interpretations, but certain there are matters of opinion, eh? .... Also, you mentioned other composers, and I'd VOTE for Robert Schumann, after all ... even as the others are wonderful.


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## Aries (Nov 29, 2012)

Bruckner is unique. There is something really different about his music so there are not much similar composers.

Most similar is Martin Scherber imo, who is very unknown. He wrote three metamorphosis symphonies:

- No. 1: 




- No. 2 (excerpts): 





- No. 3 (excerpts): 





Another composer similar to Bruckner is Wilhelm Furtwängler. His concept of symphonies is similar to Bruckners. He also wrote three symphonies. They are even a bit longer than Bruckners with long polyphonic voluptuous themes.

No. 1: 




No. 2: 




Paul Büttner's style reminds of Bruckner. 4th symphony: 




Hans Rott's style was between Bruckner and Mahler: 1st symphony:


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

Try Vaughan Williams Symphony 6






He was probably the greatest symphonist of the 20th century


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## Subutai (Feb 28, 2021)

I'm not really sure there is anyone after Bruckner, symphony wise. I got into him after having a fixation on Wagner's Overtures & Preludes to his operas not being a fan of opera. I heard say that if Wagner ever wrote symphonies, they'd sound like Bruckner. So I jumped right in.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Wagner wrote 1.5 symphonies when he was young but they sound more like a mix between Beethoven and Weber than like Bruckner.


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## Philidor (11 mo ago)

csacwp said:


> I absolutely adore all of Bruckner's symphonies and have amassed a large collection of them on CD. I'm also a devout Wagnerian. That said, what other composers should I check out? Mahler? Schumann? Delius? Strauss?


Difficult ... imho, the best suggestions all have been given so far.

You could try Langgaard (symphonies and the "music of the spheres"), Holmboe (trying on YouTube could give a first impresson, maybe symphs 2, 3 and 8) and Per Nørgård (symphs 1, 2 and 3). Strauss' Alpensinfonie could be a candidate as well as Sibelius 7 or Prokofiev 5.

Good luck!


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Robert Simpson was called 'the English Bruckner', and he also wrote a very good book on Bruckner's symphonies. And he wrote nine of his own.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

GraemeG said:


> Robert Simpson was called 'the English Bruckner'


No he wasn't

........


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

The Symphony No. 3 by Einojuhani Rautavaara is highly Brucknerian. It even includes the use of Wagner tubas.


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

HenryPenfold said:


> No he wasn't
> ........


Penguin guide 2004; his Symphony No 1 "Nielsen & Bruckner, about whom Simpson wrote extensively, are influences..."
Third Ear Guide 2003; Douglas Moore writes "His music recalls the general characteristics of several of the composers he wrote about in books, namely Nielsen, Bruckner and Beethoven..."
The Independent newspaper reviews Handley's Hyperion CD of Simpson's 9th "Few symphonies have better deserved the description of a cathedral in sound since the first movement of Bruckner's Ninth itself"

Sorry if I was too literal for you. I only meant to suggest that if someone wanted to look elsewhere after Bruckner that Simpson might be worth checking out.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

GraemeG said:


> Sorry if I was too literal for you. I only meant to suggest that if someone wanted to look elsewhere after Bruckner that Simpson might be worth checking out.


I think it's fair to say Simpson was influenced by Bruckner (and definitely also Nielsen), but I agree with HenryPenfold in that I certainly never recall hearing anyone calling Simpson "The English Bruckner" as you claimed.


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## csacwp (12 mo ago)

89Koechel said:


> csacwp - It's GREAT that you're interested, in Mr. Anton B. As for his Symphonies, and the recordings, maybe I could ask ... who are the conductors, in the same? Not to seem like I'm a 1,000 years old, but there WAS a master of Bruckner Symphonies/recordings ... named Wilhelm Furtwangler. In the considered opinions of many, incl. those on this site, it's probably that WF is still the "exemplar" in his recordings/interpretations, but certain there are matters of opinion, eh? .... Also, you mentioned other composers, and I'd VOTE for Robert Schumann, after all ... even as the others are wonderful.


I find that my favorite composers vary from symphony to symphony, but generally one cannot go wrong with Furtwangler or Celibidache. Giulini is magnificent conducting No. 9.


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## csacwp (12 mo ago)

I want to thank everyone for the recommendations thus far - I have a lot of listening to do! I'll add that I just discovered early Schoenberg, and that music really hits the spot. I didn't know that he composed such beautiful music before going off the rails.


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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

csacwp said:


> I didn't know that he composed such beautiful music before going off the rails.


Uh oh ... be careful with remarks like that on here...


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I would very strongly recommend the "French Bruckner" (again, an epithet that is very unfair...), Alberic Magnard. His Third and Fourth Symphonies are stupendous masterpieces, and yes, there's a "Brucknerian" slow movement in No.3. He's more like Franck than Bruckner, to be honest, but very much his own man.
If you can get the EMI Plasson set, you'll be very happy!


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## BoggyB (May 6, 2016)

Hmm, this thread has given me several things to listen to over the coming days - and it wasn't even me who asked 

I'm a Bruckner man too, and I recommend the orchestral works of *Elgar*, mainly the *symphonies*.


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## BoggyB (May 6, 2016)

And the completion/reconstruction of *Schubert's 10th Symphony* especially the slow movement.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

If you have not tried Mahler and R.Strauss, just go ahead and get some (strictly speaking not in Bruckner mould). For lesser known works, I strongly recommend Franz Schmidt Symphony 4. It is an underrated great piece that shows clear influence of Bruckner and is worth repeat listening.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I would recommend the symphony in C major by Paul Dukas, his only one , or at least surviving one since he unfortunately destroyed most of his music . It's a gorgeous work in three movements without a scherzo and I've never been able to understand why it's so rarely performed . It has the kind of nobility , grandeur and. profundity one finds in Bruckner without sounding anything like Bruckner . The last live performance I can think of was about 20 years or so when Leonard Slatkin and the New York Philharmonic did it , and. Slatkin also made a recording for RCA with I believe the Orchestre National De France . 
I first got to know this wonderful but sadly neglected symphony from a Decca LP back in the 70s , with the late Walter Weller and the London Philharmonic , coupled with the much more familiar Sorcerer's Apprentice . I believe this has been reissued on Australian Eloquence . By all means get this recording ! There are a number of other recordings, such as with Jean Martinon and the. O.R.T. F . orchestra of Paris , which is what the Orchestre National de France used to be called .


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

Aries said:


> Bruckner is unique. There is something really different about his music so there are not much similar composers.
> 
> Most similar is Martin Scherber imo, who is very unknown. He wrote three metamorphosis symphonies:


I'd never come across Scherber --indeed this is so close it virtually amounts to plagiarism! Very interesting.discovery. I heard at least one of Furtwänglers a long time ago and found it at the very least worthy. But perhaps Wetz is the most original voice in the spirit at least of Bruckner -- apart from Bricken's stunning first symphony which regrettably can be only found in a four minute extract on YouTube as he's not happy enough with the performance to make it public (he sent me a copy on CD). At least the 4th can be heard by all as mentioned by Becca earlier in this thread.


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