Bruckner's Abbey

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Any fans of Bruckner's string quintet? It's a real beauty. The String quartet ain't bad either.

[Brahmsian]

Any fans of Bruckner's string quintet? It's a real beauty. The String quartet ain't bad either.

Yes, regarding the string quintet.  A big fan of it. 

I've heard a few movements for string quartet, but not a complete string quartet?

[Jo498]

There is a complete string quartet as a "filler" on the Archibudelli/Sony recording. As I recall it, it is a very early (study) piece that did not leave much of an impression (tbh I hardly remember anything about it). It only was "re-discovered" by the leader of the Bavarian Koeckert Quartett in the 1950s or early 1960s.

The string quintet is a fascinating piece and worth anyone's attention, although I'd probably lie if I said I loved it.

[calyptorhynchus]

Bruckner's String Quintet is fully as marvellous as any of his symphonies. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new recording by the Fitzwilliam Quintet which uses instruments strung with gut (period instruments if you will). The recording also includes the alternative version of the Scherzo (the Intermezzo) that Bruckner wrote when the original movement was felt to be too bold. I haven't heard this before. And it includes the String Quartet.

BTW the Quintet (which dates from between the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies is harmonically very bold. The first movement is in the tonic (F major), but the next two movements hardly touch on this key. The finale starts in another key and it doesn't get back to F major properly until the recapitulation, in other words the tonic is in abeyance from the end of the first movement to two-thirds of way through the finale. This, almost other evidence always makes me impatient with people who claim that the SPCM performing version of the finale of the Ninth is too unorthodox harmonically.

[amw]

I think of the String Quintet mostly as a vehicle for Bruckner's second- or third-greatest symphonic Adagio. There's actually lots of interesting stuff going on in the rest of the piece, I guess, but you sort of forget about it 30 seconds or so into the third movement.
>.>

[Jo498]

FWIW, I think the Archibudelli/Sony also has the alternative movement and the early quartet. Gut strings as well. As I almost always prefer the slow movement in a piece by Bruckner, I would not have expected otherwise from the quintet. It's a pity that he wasted so much time with revisions of symphonies instead of writing  a few more chamber pieces.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Bruckner indeed did compose a work for string quartet, in C minor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKy7jfCQXb0

[bhodges]

In January of 2017, over ten days at Carnegie Hall, Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin will do Bruckner's Symphonies 1 through 9, in order. Eight of the concerts (all but the Eighth Symphony) will begin with Mozart, including some of the piano concertos with Barenboim at the keyboard.

Perhaps incredibly, this is the first time a Bruckner cycle has ever been done in Carnegie's 125-year history.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/bruckner/

--Bruce

[Cato]

In January of 2017, over ten days at Carnegie Hall, Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin will do Bruckner's Symphonies 1 through 9, in order. Eight of the concerts (all but the Eighth Symphony) will begin with Mozart, including some of the piano concertos with Barenboim at the keyboard.

Perhaps incredibly, this is the first time a Bruckner cycle has ever been done in Carnegie's 125-year history.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/bruckner/

--Bruce

No love for the Symphony 0 ?      Last year I heard the Toledo Symphony perform it live at the Roman Catholic Cathedral there.

Any information on whether they use the Nowak vs. Haas vs. other versions?  OR whether they will use the completed Ninth Symphony?

[(poco) Sforzando]

No love for the Symphony 0 ?   

Maybe they'll do it as an encore.

[bhodges]

No love for the Symphony 0 ?      Last year I heard the Toledo Symphony perform it live at the Roman Catholic Cathedral there.

Any information on whether they use the Nowak vs. Haas vs. other versions?  OR whether they will use the completed Ninth Symphony?

I know, right? (Not to mention the Symphony 00.) And your other questions were exactly those posed by some at the press announcement (with no answers at the moment).

Maybe they'll do it as an encore.

Ha! (*mails suggestion to Barenboim*)

--Bruce

[(poco) Sforzando]

I know, right? (Not to mention the Symphony 00.) And your other questions were exactly those posed by some at the press announcement (with no answers at the moment).

Ha! (*mails suggestion to Barenboim*)

--Bruce

I just wonder how many people will go to the whole thing. Much as I love Bruckner, the idea of paying c. $100 a ticket for nine nights in close succession, not to mention transportation and dinner, to hear a set of very long, heavy, not highly varied Romantic symphonies by a single composer, seems to me rather indigestible.

[Mirror Image]

I just wonder how many people will go to the whole thing. Much as I love Bruckner, the idea of paying c. $100 a ticket for nine nights in close succession, not to mention transportation and dinner, to hear a set of very long, heavy, not highly varied Romantic symphonies by a single composer, seems to me rather indigestible.

Yeah, that would almost be aural torture. No offense to Bruckner (who I love a great deal), but I imagine it would be much more beneficial for the concertgoer who does enjoy Bruckner to just pick and choose what symphonies they want to see in concert. Personally, I'd love to see the 6th and 9th.

[Wanderer]

OR whether they will use the completed Ninth Symphony?

I hope they will (although they probably won't).

[Cato]

, seems to me rather indigestible.

  Sounds like the ultimate dessert!   

I know, right? (Not to mention the Symphony 00.) And your other questions were exactly those posed by some at the press announcement (with no answers at the moment).

Ha! (*mails suggestion to Barenboim*)

--Bruce

Thanks for the update!  Tell us if Barenboim takes that suggestion!   0:)

[Brian]

In January of 2017, over ten days at Carnegie Hall, Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin will do Bruckner's Symphonies 1 through 9, in order. Eight of the concerts (all but the Eighth Symphony) will begin with Mozart, including some of the piano concertos with Barenboim at the keyboard.

Perhaps incredibly, this is the first time a Bruckner cycle has ever been done in Carnegie's 125-year history.

http://www.carnegiehall.org/bruckner/

--Bruce

Wow, I think I know when my next NYC trip will be! Gotta see at least 6 and 7.

[Jo498]

The density is maybe a bit high but with a Mozart concerto before the intermission, there is some variety
How else should one do this, if at all? It's not that all of them are played within two days...

[(poco) Sforzando]

Wow, I think I know when my next NYC trip will be! Gotta see at least 6 and 7.

Let's make sure you survive your first one first. 

[(poco) Sforzando]

The density is maybe a bit high but with a Mozart concerto before the intermission, there is some variety
How else should one do this, if at all? It's not that all of them are played within two days...

Please remember I spoke only about attending the "whole thing." I'm no great fan of Barenboim, but I would have no objection to hearing one or two of the symphonies (which is in essence what Brian and MI said). But consider what we're up against with this 10-day cycle: the symphonies are long to start with, but most are preceded by a concerto and intermission. Several of the concerts take place on weeknights where people have to work the next day, and they're likely to end at 10:30 or even 11 PM. Since it's a visiting orchestra, ticket prices will easily top $100 apiece, And while people who live in the city can get their dinners at home and use the subway to the hall, anyone out of town has to pay for either train fare or parking and for dinner. That means by the end a person could be paying easily $200 for the night (times 9). And then they have to get home after each concert. That's why I think this a lousy idea.

Back in 1998, the Royal Philharmonic in London did a complete Mahler cycle that was spread out over three months and played under various conductors. I got to hear Gilbert Kaplan doing the 2nd while I was traveling there. That's how else one could do this, if at all.

[amw]

The other way would be a one-day marathon of all nine. Start at 10AM, finish around midnight. Presumably with a relay of orchestras/conductors. >.>