Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

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Just A Few More Observations & Thanks

Posted by Mike Porper on June 28, 2012 at 15:22:04:
Thanks for affirming the music, guys. It's really a wonderful piece, and so multi-faceted.

Chris - you're so on the money. I've always felt that the opening theme was exactly that - exotic sounding. Just really exotic and mysterious. An amazing melody. Now that you've revealed the harmony, I understand why it sounds that way.

I'll bet that had the symphony been performed more often during the 19th century, it would've been named. Something such as "Le Mysterie", or "The Philosopher" would've really fit. But, from what I've read, it was performed exactly 1.5 times during the 19th century:

* the inner 2 movements only during Bruckner's lifetime [he attended the rehersal, and according to the program notes to the concert, was so excited about the prospect of having his music actually performed, he wore to 2 mismatched, different shoes];

* the entire work under Mahler in the 1890's, after Bruckner's death. I seem to recall that Mahler may've cut the thing, though.

Listening to the Sixth, I find something that's jumped out that I haven't seen commented anywhere. And, that's the element of lyrical gentleness that appears in it. In the first movement, big dramatic passages are built up, but resolved in a gentler, very lyrical way. That may seem anti-climactic, but it isn't at all. The same sort of thing's taken even further in the Seventh. Then, in the adagio there so much tenderness, and yet it's balanced with everything else: drama, tragedy, an so on. The coda of the adagio's so tender, I can only think of it as parental love for a baby. It caresses the listener. Astonishing.

I'checked into the Blomstedt/LGO/Querstand recording, but the Sixth seems to be no longer available. The 4th, 5th and 9th are available, but not the 6th.