The conductor Hermann Levi, one of Bruckner's greatest supporters, initially criticized the Eighth Symphony and refused to perform it as it stood, leading to extensive revisions by Bruckner.
Notable Performances
The first performance of Bruckner's Eighth Symphony on December 18, 1892, conducted by Hans Richter in Vienna, was tremendously successful, with the audience giving the composer an ovation after every movement.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bruckner, unlike Beethoven and Brahms, preferred to address his audience in long, self-contained musical paragraphs, returning to themes with variations or greater emphasis.
Composition History
Bruckner's Eighth Symphony, his last completed symphony, took a long time to gestate, with the first movement finished on his 60th birthday in 1884 and the final revised version completed in 1890.
Instruments
In every movement except the Scherzo, four horn players double on Wagner tubas, which add a distinctive timbre to the brass sonorities in Bruckner's Eighth Symphony.
Critical Reception
After the premiere of Bruckner's Eighth Symphony, Hugo Wolf, a composer known for his lieder, declared, 'This symphony is the creation of a giant'.
Compositional Technique
Bruckner disclosed that the 'Siegfried' theme from Wagner's Ring cycle inspired the slow movement of this Symphony, and its rhythmic structure influenced other themes.
