1st symphony (Bruckner)

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The Symphony No. 1 in C minor ( WAB 101) by Anton Bruckner is a symphony in four movements .

History of origin

Bruckner's 1st Symphony was written in 1865/66 when the composer was employed as cathedral organist at Linz Cathedral . The work was premiered under his own direction on May 9, 1868 , a few months before he moved to Vienna . The performance, which incidentally received positive reviews from Bruckner's later enemy Eduard Hanslick , turned out to be a respectable success, but could not do anything for the composer's later career. This was probably one of the decisive factors behind the move from the provinces to the capital of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. When, in the second half of the 1880s, Bruckner's music merged with the seventh Symphony was gradually able to establish itself internationally, the earlier symphonies also attracted more attention. So it was not surprising that the conductor Hans Richter , one of the composer's most determined supporters, asked Bruckner for the performance material of the first. Bruckner said yes, but decided to revise the work that had not been performed since the first performance. The symphony was played in this new version on December 13, 1891. Two years later it was published and has since been part of the orchestra's standard repertoire.

Hermann Levi, on the other hand, wanted to prevent Bruckner from doing a new version, he thought the Linz version was excellent. The Linz version was unknown until it was printed as part of the Bruckner Complete Edition (1935). Franz Schalk - who was at least very critical of the idea of ​​a complete edition - demanded its publication as early as 1927. (Max Auer, "Anton Bruckner His Life and Work" p. 508)

The versions

The history of its genesis shows that there are two different versions of the first symphony, which, unlike other Bruckner symphonies, were created exclusively by the composer without outside intervention. They are referred to as the “Linz version” (1866) or “Vienna version” (1891) according to their place of origin, although it should be noted that the Linz version was subjected to minor retouching in Vienna in 1877. While the Viennese version had been in print since the 1890s, the Linz version was not rediscovered until the 1930s and published by Robert Haas in 1935 as part of the Bruckner Complete Edition . Both versions have a very similar shape. The differences essentially concern the instrumentation as well as details in the processing of the thematic thoughts: In the third movement of the Vienna version, Bruckner constructs a transition passage from the trio to the recapitulation of the scherzo, which is clearly separated in the Linz version - unique in his oeuvre.

In concert practice, the overall livelier version (which Bruckner calls his “cheeky Beserl” [a cheeky woman]) is clearly preferred in Linz, which is often justified by the argument that Bruckner's original intentions are documented here. In addition, the Viennese version - produced 25 years and seven symphonies later - falsifies the character of this early work. The proponents of the Viennese version oppose that it represents the “last will” of the composer regarding this work and that the compositional experience that has been gathered in the meantime increases the quality of the symphony. Nonetheless, both versions each have their special advantages and also give a good insight into Anton Bruckner's development as a symphonic composer. The duration of the symphony is about 50 to 55 minutes.

(The work description below is based on the Linz version.)

occupation

To the music

First movement: Allegro

The first movement ( C minor , 4/4 time) is based on three themes , as has been the case with Bruckner since the F minor symphony . It begins softly over tapping basses with a march-like main theme in the violins, which is soon increased to fortissimo with the addition of further instruments . After starting the theme again, the marching rhythm dissolves into a calm eighth note movement, and woodwinds and horns lead to the second theme. Although a melody voice clearly dominates here, it already shows Bruckner's typical style of singing, in which several superimposed thematic figures come together on a theme. The third theme, which sets in powerfully immediately, is essentially dominated by a motif that anticipates the rhythm of the main theme in the finale. It is concluded by a powerful, fortissimo thought presented by the brass. The development that begins pianissimo first deals with this topic. After a first dynamic climax has been reached, rhythmic figures that are reminiscent of the first theme set in. It soon appears itself, whereupon it is split into its individual elements, whose varied processing dominates the rest of this molded part. The implementation ends with a brief reminiscence of the third topic. The slightly varied recapitulation largely corresponds in its sequence to the exposition. The third theme leads seamlessly into the stormy coda, which after a brief resting point takes up the head motif of the main theme again and closes the movement after a canonical passage in pounding C minor sounds.

Second movement: Adagio

The Adagio ( A flat major , 4/4 time) does not yet have the formal structure ABA′-B′-A ″, which Bruckner will use again and again in later symphonies (with the exception of the third and sixth ), but continues the scheme ABCA′-B ′. The first theme (A) begins in horns and low strings. Actually it is less of a closed topic than a collection of various interrelated motifs that are alternately illuminated by different groups of instruments. After several uses of this topic, the second topic (B) follows, which in comparison seems much more closed. A certain relationship to the second subject of the first movement can be observed. It gradually rises to full orchestra use. This is followed by the middle part of the movement, which stands out from the corner parts with its ¾ time. It is dominated by a very vocal theme (C), which is increasingly accompanied by sixteenth-note figures that finally become independent and artfully disguise the change of time in the recapitulation of the first theme (A ′). By keeping the accompanying figures, the same comes to a stronger cohesion than before. The second topic (B ′) again leads to a climax which, however, is much broader than that in the first part of the sentence. The melody then dissolves into triad breaks and gentle major chords finish the movement in pianissimo .

Third movement: Scherzo. Fast

The fortissimo beginning in the orchestral tutti emphasizes the wild and heated character of the scherzo ( G minor , ¾ time). It is based on two themes that are processed in the manner of a simple sonata movement . The theme of the restrained trio ( G major ) consists of horn calls, which are usually accompanied by the strings with eighths in staccato. The main theme of the final movement sounds briefly. The transition from the trio to the scherzo recapitulation in the Vienna version has already been mentioned. Bruckner adds a short, furious coda to the Da Capo des Scherzo, which ends in G major.

Fourth movement: Finale. Moved, fiery

The finale (C minor, 4/4 time), the longest movement of the first symphony, is the only final movement of a symphony that Bruckner describes as “valid” ( apart from the fourth movement of the F minor symphony, it is the only symphonic final movement at all Bruckners), which does not begin pianissimo , but immediately loudly. The main theme has the characteristics of a fanfare and is therefore, like the corresponding theme in the first movement, strongly rhythmic. Its forward-pressing character is supported by the wild string figures that accompany it. In the finale, too, the main theme starts twice before a relative calm occurs and trills lead over to the second theme. Its characteristic features are the prelude at the beginning and the trill at the end. The third theme is strongly reminiscent of its equivalent in the first sentence.

The development begins quietly and first deals with the main theme, which now seems much more melodic. Shortly afterwards, however, its rhythmic character is played out all the more effectively, and the subject is increasingly reduced to its head motif. This is followed by the processing of the second topic, in the course of which the trill motif emerges more and more. This episode has been extended in the Vienna version. The trills lead on to a wild, fugato-like part, which uses the motifs from the third theme and finally rams into ostinate figures . A short transition leads to the recapitulation of the main theme in C major . The transitions between the topics are greatly shortened here. The coda increases the main theme over a string ostinato to the broad conclusion in the brilliant C major fortissimo of the full orchestra. In the Viennese version, in adaptation to the endings of the later symphonies, the coda, which was previously held at the fast pace of the finale, was significantly slowed down by several ritardandi.

Discography (selection)

Linz version

Viennese version

literature

Web links