Bruckner: Symphony No. 2 in C minor

Featuring

Marek Janowski
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Anton Bruckner

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Recording & Production

This recording uses William Carragan's 'Neue Gesamtausgabe' (new complete edition) of Bruckner's Symphony No. 2, specifically the 1877 version.

Composition History

The conductor Otto Dessoff initially rejected Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 as unplayable, but Bruckner later successfully conducted its premiere with the Vienna Philharmonic himself.

Composition History

Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 was his first symphony composed in Vienna, a city that initially 'cowed' him and where he faced disciplinary proceedings upon his return from successful organ tours.

Composition History

Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 in C minor is the least frequently performed of all his symphonies, despite the composer describing it as 'easiest for the audience to understand'.

Compositional Technique

Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 is known for its 'ubiquitous problem of his multiple versions', with three main versions existing from 1871-72, 1873-77, and 1892.

Compositional Technique

The Symphony No. 2 earned the nickname 'Symphony of Pauses' due to its numerous general pauses, which function as 'energy buffers' rather than mere structural demarcations.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Bruckner's core theme in Symphony No. 2 was the continuous testing, exploration, and expansion of symphonic possibilities, viewing it as an 'archaeological test-drilling' into the future of the symphony.