Symphony No. 1 (Bruckner)
| Symphony No. 1 | |
|---|---|
| by Anton Bruckner | |
A portrait of Anton Bruckner, c. 1860
|
|
| Key | C minor |
| Catalogue | WAB 101 |
| Composed |
|
| Dedication | University of Vienna |
| Performed | 9 May 1868: Linz |
| Published | 1893 |
| Recorded | Volkmar Andreae, Austria State Symphony Orchestra, 1950 |
| Movements | 4 |
Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 1 in C minor (WAB 101) 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 in D minor ("No. 0"). The first version of the Symphony No. 2 in C minor was completed after the Symphony in D minor.
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 symphony has four movements.
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.
Prior to the completion of the 1866 version, Bruckner composed earlier forms of the Adagio and the Scherzo. These earlier Adagio and Scherzo were edited in 1995 by Wolfgang Grandjean. The Adagio was first conceived in classical sonata form with development, but Bruckner finally decided in favour of a three-part structure with an elaborately composed middle section. This early Adagio is partially orchestrated (no trumpets or trombones). The recapitulation of the second subject is only sketched by the woodwinds, and five bars are missing before the—on the contrary—fully orchestrated close of the movement. For performance purposes, Grandjean has filled–in the missing bars using the corresponding musical material from the Linz version. An electronic recreation of these earlier Adagio and Scherzo by Joan Schukking can be heard and downloaded at John Berky’s website.
...
Wikipedia