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Symphony No. 1 (Bruckner)
Encyclopedia
Anton Bruckner
's Symphony No. 1 in C minor was the first symphony the composer thought worthy of performing, and bequeathing to the Vienna national library. Chronologically, it comes after the Study Symphony in F minor
and before Symphony No. 0 in D minor
. The first version of the Symphony No. 2 in C minor
was completed after No. 0.
The Symphony No. 1 was premiered under Bruckner in 1868. It was dedicated to the University of Vienna
, after Bruckner was granted an honorary doctorate in 1891.
Bruckner gave it the nickname "das kecke Beserl", roughly translated as "saucy maid".
.
The choice of keys for the first two movements mirrors Beethoven
's choice for his Fifth Symphony
, but Bruckner has the timpani retune to A flat and E flat.
In the leaflet of his recording of the 1866 Version Tintner mentions: "... an earlier unfinished version of [the Adagio] exists, with largely the same material, except for a quite different middle section" and "... the earlier very short Scherzo, which Bruckner discarded before 1866 (because of its brevity?) with chromatic syncopation, is perhaps more interesting".
Midi-files of these Adagio and Scherzo have been prepared by Joan Schukking. A synth version of the Scherzo can also be heared at Classical Composers.
and first performed under his baton in 1868. Sometimes known as the unrevised Linz version, this is available in an edition by William Carragan. It has been recorded by Georg Tintner
.
. It is available in editions by Robert Haas
(published 1935) and Leopold Nowak
(published 1953). The vast majority of recordings, including the famous one featuring Eugen Jochum
conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle, are of one of these two editions.
, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky and Günter Wand
.
and Fritz Zaun (scherzo only).
s, oboe
s, clarinet
s, bassoon
s, four horn
s, two trumpet
s, three trombone
s, timpani
, and strings
.
The first commercial recording of the entire symphony was by Volkmar Andreae
with the Austria State Symphony Orchestra in 1950, also using the first published version.
Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length...
's Symphony No. 1 in C minor was the first symphony the composer thought worthy of performing, and bequeathing to the Vienna national library. Chronologically, it comes after the Study Symphony in F minor
Study Symphony
Anton Bruckner's Study Symphony in F minor, , or simply Symphony in F minor, WAB 99, was written in 1863 as an exercise under Otto Kitzler's instruction in form and orchestration. Scholars at first believed that the next symphony Bruckner wrote was Symphony No. 0 in D minor, thus this symphony is...
and before Symphony No. 0 in D minor
Symphony No. 0 (Bruckner)
This Symphony in D minor composed by Anton Bruckner was not assigned a number by its composer, and has subsequently become known by the German designation Die Nullte .-Composition:...
. The first version of the Symphony No. 2 in C minor
Symphony No. 2 (Bruckner)
Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 in C minor was completed in 1872, and revised, like most of Bruckner's other symphonies, at various points thereafter....
was completed after No. 0.
The Symphony No. 1 was premiered under Bruckner in 1868. It was dedicated to the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, after Bruckner was granted an honorary doctorate in 1891.
Bruckner gave it the nickname "das kecke Beserl", roughly translated as "saucy maid".
Description
The symphony has four movementsMovement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
.
- Allegro (C minorC minorC minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
) - Adagio (A-flat major)
- Scherzo: Lebhaft (G minorG minorG minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
) – Trio: Langsam (G majorG majorG major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
) - Finale: Bewegt und feurig (C minorC minorC minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
)
The choice of keys for the first two movements mirrors Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's choice for his Fifth Symphony
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
, but Bruckner has the timpani retune to A flat and E flat.
Early Draft (1865)
Prior to the completion of the 1866 version, Bruckner composed earlier forms of the Adagio and the Scherzo. These earlier Adagio and Scherzo have been edited in 1995 by Wolfgang Grandjean.In the leaflet of his recording of the 1866 Version Tintner mentions: "... an earlier unfinished version of [the Adagio] exists, with largely the same material, except for a quite different middle section" and "... the earlier very short Scherzo, which Bruckner discarded before 1866 (because of its brevity?) with chromatic syncopation, is perhaps more interesting".
Midi-files of these Adagio and Scherzo have been prepared by Joan Schukking. A synth version of the Scherzo can also be heared at Classical Composers.
1866 Version
The first version of the symphony, written by Bruckner in LinzLinz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
and first performed under his baton in 1868. Sometimes known as the unrevised Linz version, this is available in an edition by William Carragan. It has been recorded by Georg Tintner
Georg Tintner
Georg Tintner CM was an Austrian-born conductor whose career was principally in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada....
.
1877 Version
Although often called the "Linz" version, this was in fact made in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. It is available in editions by Robert Haas
Robert Haas
Robert Haas may refer to:*Robert Haas , Austrian musicologist*Robert Haas , American calligrapher, typographer, photographer and book designer*Robert Haas , German clergyman and ecumenist...
(published 1935) and Leopold Nowak
Leopold Nowak
Leopold Nowak was a musicologist chiefly known for editing the works by Anton Bruckner for the International Bruckner Society. He reconstructed the original form of some of those works, most of which had been revised and edited many times.Nowak was born in Vienna, Austria. He studied piano and...
(published 1953). The vast majority of recordings, including the famous one featuring Eugen Jochum
Eugen Jochum
Eugen Jochum was an eminent German conductor.Born in Babenhausen, near Augsburg, Germany, Jochum studied the piano and organ in Augsburg until 1922. He then studied conducting in Munich...
conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle, are of one of these two editions.
1891 Version
Known as the "Vienna" version, this is considerably different from the 1877 and 1866 versions. It is available in an edition by Günther Brosche, published in 1980. It has been recorded by Riccardo ChaillyRiccardo Chailly
Riccardo Chailly, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor. He started his career as an opera conductor and gradually extended his repertoire to encompass symphonic music.-Biography:...
, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky and Günter Wand
Günter Wand
Günter Wand was a German orchestra conductor and composer. Wand studied in Wuppertal, Allenstein and Detmold. At the Cologne conservatory, he was a composition student with Philipp Jarnach and a piano student with Paul Baumgartner...
.
1893 first published edition
Edited by Doblinger under the supervision of Cyrill Hynais, this has very few differences from the 1891 version. It has been recorded by F. Charles Adler, Volkmar AndreaeVolkmar Andreae
Volkmar Andreae was a Swiss conductor and composer.Andreae was born in Bern. He received piano instruction as a child and his first lessons in composition with Karl Munzinger. From 1897 to 1900, he studied at the Cologne Conservatory and was a student of Fritz Brun, Franz Wüllner, and Friedrich...
and Fritz Zaun (scherzo only).
Instrumentation
The score calls for a pair each of fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s, oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s, four horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
s, two trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, three trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, and strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
.
Discography
The first commercial recording was by Fritz Zaun with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra in 1934. It included only the scherzo, in the 1893 first published version.The first commercial recording of the entire symphony was by Volkmar Andreae
Volkmar Andreae
Volkmar Andreae was a Swiss conductor and composer.Andreae was born in Bern. He received piano instruction as a child and his first lessons in composition with Karl Munzinger. From 1897 to 1900, he studied at the Cologne Conservatory and was a student of Fritz Brun, Franz Wüllner, and Friedrich...
with the Austria State Symphony Orchestra in 1950, also using the first published version.
Version of 1866 (Linzer)
- Georg TintnerGeorg TintnerGeorg Tintner CM was an Austrian-born conductor whose career was principally in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada....
conducting the Royal Scottish National OrchestraRoyal Scottish National OrchestraThe Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-member professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and abroad. Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company has performed full-time since 1950,...
, studio recording, Naxos, 1998 (Carragan/1866)
Version of 1877 (Linzer revised)
- Georg-Ludwig Jochum conducting the RIAS Symphony Orchestra, live performance, Tahra, 1956 (Haas/1877)
- Eugen JochumEugen JochumEugen Jochum was an eminent German conductor.Born in Babenhausen, near Augsburg, Germany, Jochum studied the piano and organ in Augsburg until 1922. He then studied conducting in Munich...
conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker, Deutsche Grammophon, 1966 (Nowak/1877) - Eugen JochumEugen JochumEugen Jochum was an eminent German conductor.Born in Babenhausen, near Augsburg, Germany, Jochum studied the piano and organ in Augsburg until 1922. He then studied conducting in Munich...
conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle, EMI, 1978 (Nowak/1877) - Herbert von KarajanHerbert von KarajanHerbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker, Deutsche Grammophon, 1981 (Nowak/1877) - Wolfgang SawallischWolfgang SawallischWolfgang Sawallisch is a retired German conductor and pianist.-Biography:Sawallisch was born in Munich, and studied composition and pianoforte there privately: at the conclusion of the war, in 1946 he continued his studies at the Munich High School for Music and passed his final examination for...
conducting the Bayerisches Staatsorchester München, Orfeo, 1984 (Haas/1877) - Eliahu InbalEliahu InbalEliahu Inbal is an Israeli conductor.Inbal studied violin at the Israeli Academy of Music and took composition lessons with Paul Ben-Haim...
conducting the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Teldec, 1987 (Nowak/1877) - Takashi AsahinaTakashi Asahinawas a Japanese conductor. Born in Tokyo, he founded the Kansai Symphonic Orchestra in 1947 and remained its chief conductor until his death in Kobe. Inspired by a meeting with Wilhelm Furtwängler in the 1950s, he began a lifelong attachment to the music of Anton Bruckner, recording the complete...
conducting the Osaka Philharmonic, Canyon, 1994 (Haas/1877) - Stanisław Skrowaczewski conducting the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Arte Nova/Oehms Classics, 1995 (Nowak/1877)
Version of 1891 (Wiener)
- Volkmar AndreaeVolkmar AndreaeVolkmar Andreae was a Swiss conductor and composer.Andreae was born in Bern. He received piano instruction as a child and his first lessons in composition with Karl Munzinger. From 1897 to 1900, he studied at the Cologne Conservatory and was a student of Fritz Brun, Franz Wüllner, and Friedrich...
conducting the Austria State Symphony Orchestra, Forgotten Records, 1950 (Doblinger/1893) - Charles AdlerCharles AdlerCharles Adler may refer to:* Charles Adler , Canadian broadcaster* Charlie Adler , American voice actor* Frederick Charles Adler , usually known as F. Charles Adler, English-German conductor...
conducting the Vienna Orchestra Society, Forgotten Records, 1955 (Doblinger/1893) - Günter WandGünter WandGünter Wand was a German orchestra conductor and composer. Wand studied in Wuppertal, Allenstein and Detmold. At the Cologne conservatory, he was a composition student with Philipp Jarnach and a piano student with Paul Baumgartner...
conducting the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, EMI, 1981 (Brosche/1980) - Leon BotsteinLeon BotsteinLeon Botstein is an American conductor and the President of Bard College . Botstein is the music director and principal conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra and conductor laureate of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, where he served as music director and principal conductor from 2003-2010...
conducting the American Symphony Orchestra, American Symphony Download, 2003 (Brosche/1980)
External links
- Full score (Haas/1877) from the Indiana University school of music
- Bruckner Symphony Versions
- Complete discography