Symphony No. 1 (Bruckner)

Infobox Bruckner Symphony
title = Symphony No. 1 in C minor


dedication = University of Vienna
composed = 1865 - 1866 "(Linz version)"
1890 - 1891 "(Vienna version)"
1893 "(first edition)"
first_performance = Bruckner conducting, 9 May 1868, Linz
first_published = 1893
other_editions = ed. Robert Haas, 1935
ed. Leopold Nowak, 1953
ed. Günther Brosche, 1980
ed. William Carragan
first_recording = Volkmar Andreae, Austria State Symphony Orchestra, 1950
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".

Description

The symphony has four movements.

# Allegro (C minor)
# Adagio (A-flat major)
# Scherzo: Lebhaft (G minor) – Trio: Langsam (G major)
# Finale: Bewegt und feurig (C minor)

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.

Versions

1866 Version

The first version of the symphony, written by Bruckner in Linz 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 as well as by Eugen Jochum in an early recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker.

1877 Version

Although often called the "Linz" version, this was in fact made in Vienna. 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.

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 Chailly, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky and Günter Wand.

1893 first published edition

Edited by Cyrill Hynais, this has very few differences from the 1891 version. It has been recorded by F. Charles Adler, Volkmar Andreae and Fritz Zaun (scherzo only).

Instrumentation

The score calls for a pair each of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings.

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 with the Austria State Symphony Orchestra in 1950, also using the first published version.

Notable Recordings

*Georg-Ludwig Jochum conducting the RIAS Symphony Orchestra, live performance, Tahra, 1956 "(Haas/1877)"
*Eugen Jochum conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker, studio recording, Deutsche Grammophon, 1966 "(Nowak/1866)"
*Eugen Jochum conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle, studio recording, EMI, 1978 "(Nowak/1877)"
*Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting the Bayerisches Staatsorchester München, studio recording, Orfeo, 1984 "(Haas/1877)"
*Takashi Asahina conducting the Osaka Philharmonic, Canyon, 1994 "(Haas/1877)"
*Stanisław Skrowaczewski conducting the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, studio recording, Arte Nova/Oehms Classics, 1995 "(Haas/1877)"
*Georg Tintner conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, studio recording, Naxos, 1998 "(Carragan/1866)"

External links

*IMSLP2|id=Symphony_No.1_in_C_minor_%28Bruckner%2C_Anton%29|cname=Symphony No. 1
* [http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/aer3911/index.html Full score (Haas/1877)] from the Indiana University school of music
* [http://www.americansymphony.org/dialogues_extensions/2002_03season/2003_1_10/korstvedt1_10.cfm Program Notes]
* [http://www.geocities.com/dkgriegel/versions.html Bruckner Symphony Versions]
* [http://abruckner.com/discography/symphonyno1/ Complete discography]