Bruckner: Symphonie No. 4 en Mi Bémol Majeur, Op. 95
12/2/2013, 4 Tracks, 1:04:39
Featuring
Philippe Herreweghe
Orchestre des Champs-Élysées
Anton Bruckner
Did you know?
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Compositional Technique
Bruckner's Fourth Symphony features programmatic elements, with the first violin imitating a 'great tit' and the viola expressing 'feelings of happiness' in response to nature.
Composition History
The Fourth Symphony exists in three autograph versions by Bruckner (1874, 1878, 1880), with significant differences, and a first printed edition from 1889 that also varied greatly from his autograph.
Composition History
Bruckner dedicated his Third Symphony to Richard Wagner, whom he considered a 'Master of Masters', and remained intellectually close to Wagner in his Fourth Symphony.
Compositional Technique
Bruckner's Fourth Symphony incorporates a 'chorale' in two forms: a radiant hymn from the first subject and a heartfelt 'pious melody' from the second theme.
Compositional Technique
Bruckner described the Scherzo of his Fourth Symphony as depicting 'the hunt', while the Trio is a 'dance tune played to the hunters as they eat their meal'.
Compositional Technique
The Fourth Symphony begins with a fourfold horn signal, which Bruckner described as 'Reveille calls', reminiscent of stage directions from Wagner's 'Lohengrin'.
Composer Biography
Anton Bruckner himself titled his Fourth Symphony 'the Romantic', beginning its composition just two days after completing the first version of his Third Symphony.
