Bruckner and the Symphonic Boa Constrictors
When Brahms compared Anton Bruckner's epic symphonies with being caught in the inescapable, life-sapping coils of a giant snake, had he misunderstood Bruckner's bold originality?
Even today, some music lovers will nod knowingly when they hear Brahms's comparison of Anton Bruckner's epic symphonies with a nightmare-scary giant snake that kills its victims in the inescapable embrace of its crushing coils. Poor Bruckner, ever the easy target of sneering critics. At once childishly obsessive and intensely spiritual, ultra-sophisticated musician and naive country bumpkin: even by composers' standards he stood out as weird. No wonder the music was so hopeless!
But Tom Service wants you to think of Bruckner as one of the greatest and most original symphonists of all time (whose symphonies really don't all sound the same), as much master of daring long-range musical form as of the perfect miniature.
David Papp (producer)
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 8 in C minor - IV. Finale (Feierlich, nicht schnell)
Performer: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Sergiu Celibidache.- Warner Classics.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor - I. Feierlich, misterioso
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 3 in D minor 聭Wagner Symphony' - I. Gemassigt, misterioso
Performer: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Jonathan Nott.- Tudor.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 7 in E Major - II. Adagio: sehr feierlich und sehr langsam
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor - II. Scherzo (Bewegt lebhaft)
Performer: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Anton Bruckner
Lancier-Quadrilles - II. Allegro
Performer: Ana-Marija Markovina.- 贬盲苍蝉蝉濒别谤.
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Anton Bruckner
Aequale I
Performer: Ensemble Musique Oblique. Performer: Philippe Herreweghe.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Anton Bruckner
Locus iste
Performer: Tenebrae. Performer: Nigel Short.- Signum.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 'Choral' - I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 3 in D minor 聭Wagner Symphony' - I. Gem盲ssigt, misterioso
Performer: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Jonathan Nott.- Tudor.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor - I. Feierlich, misterioso
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 in E flat Major 'Romantic' - I. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell
Performer: Philharmonia Orchestra. Performer: Otto Klemperer.- Warner Classics.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 7 in E Major - I. Allegro moderato
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major - I. Adagio
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Bernard Haitink.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 6 in A major - I. Maestoso
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Bernard Haitink.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 3 in D minor 聭Wagner Symphony' - IV. Finale. Allegro
Performer: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Jonathan Nott.- Tudor.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor - II. Scherzo: Trio. Schnell
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 8 in C minor - III. Adagio
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor - III. Adagio. Langsam feierlich
Performer: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major - I. Allegro
Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker. Performer: Wilhelm Furtw盲ngler.- Berliner Philharmoniker.
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Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 8 in C minor - IV. Finale (Feierlich, nicht schnell)
Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Mariss Jansons.- BR Klassik.
Broadcasts
- Sun 24 Mar 2019 17:00麻豆社 Radio 3
- Sun 6 Mar 2022 17:00麻豆社 Radio 3
- Fri 11 Mar 2022 16:30麻豆社 Radio 3
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The Listening Service
An odyssey through the musical universe, presented by Tom Service