Anton Bruckner by Gabriel Engel

7/30/2019 Anton Bruckner by Gabriel Engel

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The Life of Anton BrucknerBY GABRIEL ENGELfrom CHORD AND DISCORD

A JOURNAL OF MODERN MUSICAL PROGRESS

Published by the Bruckner Society of America, Inc.

in January, 1940 -- (Vol. 2, No.1)

Li ke Franz Schuber t , Ant on Br uckner spr i ngs f r om a l i ne of Aust r i anschool mast er s. I n t he pl easant l y si t uat ed vi l l age of Ansf el den, not f ar f r om t het own of Li nz, Br uckner ' s grandf at her J oseph and hi s f ather Ant on had bothdevot ed t hei r l i ves t o t he dr ab dut i es of r ust i c pedagogy, at t hat t i me st i l lconsi der ed a heredi t ar y occupat i on among pr ovi nci al s. Hence the ar r i val on ear t hof Anton hi msel f on September 4, 1824, meant i n t he nor mal cour se of t hi ngsmerel y a f r esh candi date f or t he abundant mi ser i es of school mast ershi p.As ear l y as hi s f our t h year t he ti ny "Toner l , " l i ke Haydn a cent ur y bef or e hi m,showed hi s undeni abl e musi cal bent , f or even t hen he coul d br i ng f ort hi nt el l i gi bl e musi c f r om a l i t t l e f i ddl e and ( t o quot e an ol d Ansf el der ' s nai vechar act er i zat i on of t hese f i r st si gns of composer ' s f ancy) "coul d of t en be hear dhummi ng or whi st l i ng unknown t unes. "

Wi t h t he dawn of school i ng t he chi l d showed a hear t y di sl i ke f or al l cl assr oomact i vi t i es, except t he "Si ngst unde, " an hour whi ch seemed f or hi m f i l l ed wi t hi r r esi st i bl e enchant ment . Of cour se, he recei ved many a whi ppi ng f or hi sbackwar dness i n al l extr a- musi cal st udi es.As t r adi t i on demanded of t he vi l l age school - t eacher , Fat her Br uckner had al so topl ay the organ i n chur ch, and i t i s doubt l ess owi ng t o hi s ef f ort s t hat Ant on att en knew enough about t he or gan t o at t r act t he at t ent i on of a good musi ci an i n anear by vi l l age. Under t hi s man Wei ss, a cousi n of t he f ami l y, t he boy t henear nest l y st udi ed musi cal t heory and or gan- pl ayi ng f or t wo year s. Remar kabl yenough, t he organ pr el udes he composed dur i ng t hat per i od exhi bi t a f r eedom ofexpr essi on whi ch desert ed hi m al l t hr ough hi s subsequent decades of t heoret i calst udy not t o ret ur n agai n uni mpai r ed unt i l hi s year s of mat ur i t y as asymphoni st .

The deat h of hi s f at her i n 1837, l eavi ng el even chi l dren ( Ant on bei ng t he

el dest ) r ender ed i t i mper at i ve f or hi s mot her t o accept t he r ef uge of f er ed t hegi f t ed boy as Saengerknabe i n the sacr ed musi c school of St . Fl ori an. The f ouri mpr essi onabl e years he spent t here l ear ni ng how t o pl ay t he organ, pi ano, andvi ol i n, and mast er i ng the el ement s of musi cal t heor y doubt l ess st amped hi sent i r e char act er , musi cal and ot her wi se, wi t h a f er vent pi et y whi ch no l at eri nf l uence ever di mmed. Even when t he conf l i ct of suf f er i ng and passi on r ageshi ghest i n hi s monument al symphoni c f i r st and l ast movement s, a sudden nai veappeal di r ect t o heaven t hr ough aust ere t r ombone choral es poi nt s back t o thei nf l uence of t hose ear l y year s of unquest i oni ng devot i on and zeal at St .Fl or i an.

Page 2 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner

Yet at t hi s t i me t he i dea of musi c as a l i f e- wor k seems hardl y t o have enteredt he boy' s mi nd. Hi s l ather had been a school mast er ; he t oo must become one. Tof ur t her t hi s ai m he added t o hi s arduous musi c cour ses pr i vat e studi es i nacademi c subj ect s, f i nal l y gai ni ng admi ssi on t o t he t eachers* pr epar at ory schoolat Li nz.

Though even a br i ef t en months spent i n l earni ng what a pi ous chi l d must not bet aught proved t r yi ng t o so human a soul as young Br uckner , he passed hi sexami nat i on f or a posi t i on at sevent een and set out f or t he f i r st scene of hi st eachi ng car eer , t he worl d- f orsaken mount ai n- vi l l age of Wi ndhaag. Here, asassi st ant vi l l age t eacher and organi st , he was t o r ecei ve t he muni f i cent mont hl y


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wage of t wo gul den ( l ess t han ei ght y cent s) . Addi t i onal at t r act i ve f eat ur es ofhi s work wer e t hat he must hel p i n the f i el d dur i ng "spar e" t i me and br eakf astwi t h t he mai d ser vant .I n spi t e of t hese cr ushi ng handi caps t he youth seems not t o have been al t ogetherunhappy, f or he f ound t he vi l l age- f ol k f r i endl y. An especi al j oy was t hef ol k- l i f e and danci ng, wi t h i t s oppor t uni t y f or a new, f asci nat i ng ki nd of musi cmaki ng. I n t hi s pl easant l i f e t he yout h gl adl y j oi ned, pl ayi ng t he f i ddl e atdances and absorbi ng t hose r ust i c, r hyt hmi c st r ai ns whi ch t he Mi das- t ouch of hi sgeni us l ater t urned i nt o i ncomparabl y vi t al and humorous symphoni c scher zos.

The anci ent cal m of t he vi l l age church ser vi ces was f r equent l y i nt er r upt ed byt he new or gani st whose marked l eani ng t owards dramat i c harmoni es wasi r r epr essi bl e. Hi s exper i ence wi t h t he st ar t l ed vi l l ager s i n t hi s respect wasmuch l i ke t hat of t he gr eat Bach hi msel f , who was once of f i ci al l y repr oved f orhi s f ant ast i c modul at or y i nt er pol at i ons dur i ng t he r i t ual musi c.

Yet Br uckner ' s i nnat e musi ci anshi p must have dawned even upon t he i gnor antvi l l ager s, f or t hi s wor d has come down about i t di r ect f r om t he l i ps of an ol dAnsf el der , "Yes, t hat f el l ow Br uckner was a devi l i sh f i ne musi ci an! " Then, as anaf t er t hought , i n t he l i ght of a t eacher ' s unhappy l ot , "I woul dn' t l et any sonof mi ne become a t eacher. No, si r ! Much bet t er be a cobbl er! "One day Br uckner , who was absent - mi nded, f orgot t o at t end t o some meni al chor e

i n t he f i el d and f or puni shment he was t r ansf er r ed t o the st i l l smal l er vi l l ageof Kr onsdorf .

The t eacher ' s demot i on proved t he musi ci an' s promot i on, however , f or t he l i t t l e"nest " l ay onl y an hour di st ant f r om t wo hi st or i c t owns, Enns and St eyr. Thel at t er was not ed f or i t s f i ne or gan and soon became the obj ect of t he yout h' sf r equent pi l gr i mages. I n Enns, mor eover , l i ved the cel ebr at ed or gani st vonZanett i , a f i ne musi ci an, who now became Br uckner ' s new mast er of t heory. Al lhi s composi t i ons dur i ng t hi s per i od bear t he modest char act er of occasi onalchurch musi c.


Compl et el y humbl ed i n t he f ace of super i or knowl edge t he zeal ous st udent wascont ent t o obey i mpl i ci t l y t he so- cal l ed l aws of musi c. I nf i ni t e thor oughness,t he sol e pat h t o per f ect i on, became an obsessi on wi t h hi m. Trust i ngl y he al l owedt he i ncredi bl y l ong vei l of year s of academi c sel f - suppr essi on t o f al l over hi sgeni us.Meanwhi l e he had been pr epari ng hi msel f f or t he f i nal exami nat i on f or a r egul arschool mast er ' s l i cense. At l engt h, i n May 1845, he passed t he t est , andexper i enced the good f ort une of an i mmedi at e appoi nt ment t o St . Fl ori an, t hehappy haven of hi s ear l i er yout h.

The t ext s and dedi cat i ons " t o t he beaut i f ul days of young l ove" of several ofhi s songs and pi ano pi eces i n t hose days tel l us t hat Br uckner met hi s f i r st" f l ame, " young Ant oni e Werner, soon af t er hi s appoi nt ment as teacher at St .Fl or i an. Yet sent i ment was but short - l i ved i n t he hear t of t hi s yout h whosei nsat i abl e year ni ng f or musi cal knowl edge swept asi de al l ot her consi der at i ons.At t hi s t i me, t oo, t her e began t o unf ol d t hat magni f i cent gi f t of hi s f or f r ee

i mpr ovi sat i on on t he organ, t he gi f t wi t h whi ch he i n l at er years hel d audi encesspel l bound, even as Beet hoven and Bach had done bef ore hi m.I n 1851 t he post of organi st at St . Fl ori an was decl ar ed vacant and Br uckner ,who had f or some t i me been occupyi ng i t as subst i t ut e, was of f i ci al l y appoi nt edt her et o. By then he had r eached t he compar at i vel y af f l uent st at e of ei ght ygul den per year , pl us f r ee r ent , and one of hi s dear est wi shes had at l ast beenr eal i zed: he was mast er of t he f i nest organ i n t he wor l d. Determi ned t o become avi r t uoso of t he keyboard he made i t a habi t t o pr act i ce ten hour s a day on t hepi ano and t hree hours on the organ.At St . Fl ori an i n 1849, he composed hi s Requi em i n D- mi nor, t he onl y ear l y work


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deservi ng cl assi f i cat i on wi t h hi s mat ur e accompl i shment s.Desi r i ng t o obt ai n a l i cense to teach i n "mai n school s" he cont i nued hi sacademi c st udi es, st r essi ng Lat i n, and i n i 8r , i ) successf ul l y passed t hatexami nat i on as wel l .I n 1853 he had made hi s f i r st t r i p to Vi enna i n t he hope of l ayi ng t he ghost ofdoubt t hat woul d ever l oom up i n hi s soul as t o the l i f ework he had chosen. Thi sdoubt had even l ed hi m t o consi der gi vi ng up musi c al t oget her , f or he onceappl i ed f or a cl er i cal posi t i on i n Li nz, cl ai mi ng i n hi s l et t er t hat he had beenpr epar i ng hi msel f f or sever al year s f or such a vocat i on. For t unat el y, wi secounsel i nduced hi m t o f orget such thought s and t o appl y hi msel f anew t ot heor et i cal st udi es. Fromt hi s deci si on dat e hi s amazi ng year s of sel f - i mposedconf i nement i n t he cont r apunt al chai ns f orged by t he f amous Vi ennese musi calgrammari an, Si mon Secht er . There i s t hi s t o say f or t he al most i ncompr ehensi bl edevot i on of t he superannuat ed school boy Ant on t o hi s t ext - book l essons, t hatonl y such har d pr escr i bed work coul d di spel t he t ort ur i ng doubt s whi ch l ur kedgr i ml y at t he thr eshol d of hi s consci ousness.


I n J anuary, 1856, havi ng been persuaded t o t ake part i n an open compet i t i on f or

t he vacant post of or gani st at t he Cat hedr al i n Li nz, he easi l y car r i ed of f t hehonor s, ast oni shi ng al l by hi s i ncr edi bl e power s of i mpr ovi sat i on on gi vent hemes.Dur i ng the f i r st f ew of t he twel ve year s he ser ved as organi st i n Li nz, Br ucknermade pr act i cal l y no ef f or t s at or i gi nal composi t i on, bur yi ng hi msel f hear t andsoul i n t he cont r apunt al pr obl ems heaped upon hi m by t he pedant i c Secht er .Dur i ng t he per i ods of Advent and Lent , t he Cat hedr al organ bei ng si l ent , Bi shopRudi gi er , who gr eat l y admi r ed Br uckner ' s geni us, per mi t t ed hi m t o go to Vi ennat o pur sue ( i n per son) t he st udi es whi ch t hr oughout t he year had t o be l ef t t ot he uncer t ai n benef i t s of a cor r espondence cour se.One may get some i nkl i ng of t he st upendous physi cal and ment al l abor i nvol ved i n"st udyi ng, " as Br uckner i nt er pr et ed t he ter m, i f one bel i eves t he evi denceadvanced by eye- wi t nesses, who asser t t hat t he pi l es of wr i t t en musi calexer ci ses i n t he "st udent ' s" r oom r eached f r om t he f l oor t o the keyboar d of hi spi ano. "For t hose who t hi nk thi s i ncredi bl e t her e i s t he wr i t t en wor d of t heuni mpeachabl e Secht er hi msel f t o t he f ol l owi ng ef f ect . Upon r ecei vi ng f r omBr uckner i n a si ngl e i nst al l ment sevent een bookf ul s of wr i t t en exer ci ses, hewar ned hi m agai nst "t oo gr eat an i nt el l ect ual st r ai n, " and l est hi s admoni t i onbe t aken i n i l l par t by the st udent , t he t eacher added t he comf ort i ng,i ndubi t abl e assurance: " I bel i eve I never had a more ser i ous pupi l t han you. "El oquent of Br uckner ' s Hercul ean l abors i n t he real m of musi cal gr ammar andr het or i c dur i ng those year s i s t he l i st of exami nat i ons t o whi ch he i nsi st edupon subj ect i ng hi msel f ( af t er t ypi cal Br uckner esque pr epar at i on) . Af t er t woyears of work, on J ul y 10, 1858, he passed Secht er ' s t est i n Harmony and

Thorough- bass. Of t he t ext - book he st udi ed ( now a t r easur ed museum possess i on)not a si ngl e l eaf r emai ned at t ached t o the bi ndi ng. Then on August 12, 1859, hepassed El ement ary Count erpoi nt ; Apri l 3, 1860, Advanced Count erpoi nt ; March 26,

1861, Canon and Fugue. Thereupon he r emarked, " I f eel l i ke a dog whi ch has j ustbr oken out of hi s chai ns. "Now came the crowni ng t r i al of al l , one wi t hout whi ch he coul d not be sure ofhi msel f . He begged f or permi ssi on t o submi t hi s f und of accompl i shment s t o the

j udgment of t he hi ghest musi cal t r i bunal i n Eur ope, a commi ss i on consi st i ng ofVi enna' s f i ve r ecogni zed Sol ons of musi cal l aw ( t oday al l t ur ned t o names orl ess t han names) . The request was grant ed and Br uckner accorded t he grace ofchoosi ng t he scene of "combat . "Such f i nal t est s of "mat ur i t y, " not uncommon i n Vi enna, were usual l y of asomewhat st er eotyped nat ur e, but i n the case of t hi s ext r aor di nar y candi dat e t he


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occasi on assumed an epi c cast .Br uckner had chosen f or t he scene of hi s gr and t r i al t he i nt er i or of t hePi ar i st en- Ki r che. Had Wagner been present , he mi ght have been r emi nded of t heexami nat i on of Wal t er by t he Mei st ers i nger, whi ch he was even then pl anni ng. Thecust omary short t heme was wr i t t en down by one j udge and submi t t ed t o t he ot her sf or appr oval ; but one of t hese mal i ci ousl y doubl ed i t i n l engt h, at oncechangi ng a mere t est of schol arshi p t o a chal l enge of mast ery.


The sl i p- of paper was t hen passed down t o t he expect ant candi date seated at t heorgan. For some moment s he regarded i t ear nest l y, whi l e t he j udges,mi si nt er pr et i ng t he cause of del ay, smi l ed knowi ngl y.Suddenl y, however, Br uckner began, f i r st pl ayi ng a mere i nt r oduct i on composed off r agment s of t he gi ven theme, gr adual l y l eadi ng to t he requi r ed f ugue i t sel f .

Then was hear d a f uguenot such a f ugue as mi ght be expect ed f r om an academi cgr aduat e, but a l i vi ng cont r apunt al Phi l i ppi c, whi ch peal ed f or t h ever moremaj est i c t o st r i ke t he ast oni shed ear s of t he f oxy j udi ci al qui nt et wi t h t heaut hor i t at i ve spl endor of a l i on' s voi ce bur st i ng f or t h f r om t he j ungl e."He shoul d exami ne us! " excl ai med one j udge ent husi ast i cal l y. " I f I knew a t ent h

of what he knows. I ' d be happy I "Then, bei ng asked t o i mprovi se f r eel y on t he or gan, Br uckner exhi bi t ed so f i ne af ant asy t hat t he same j udge cr i ed: "And we' r e asked t o t est hi m? Why, he knowsmore t han al l of us t oget her ! "

Thi s man' s name was Herbeck, and he was f r om t hat moment Br uckner ' s great estmusi cal f r i end. Unf ort unatel y he di ed t oo soon t o be of much hel p t o t hest r uggl i ng composer .Of gr eat advant age t o Br uckner dur i ng hi s Li nzi an year s was t he opport uni t yaf f or ded hi m f or t he f i r st t i me t o tr y hi s hand at "wor l dl y" musi c, f orchur ch- musi c had monopol i zed hi s at t ent i on ever si nce hi s ear l i est boyhood.

The chor al soci et y "Fr ohsi nn" chose hi m as di r ect or i n 1860. Through t hi sassoci at i on, on May 12, 1861, Br uckner made hi s f i r st concert appear ance ascomposer wi t h an "Ave Mar i a" f or seven voi ces.He st r uck up a f r i endshi p wi t h the young conduct or at t he t heat r e and wasappal l ed at t he real i zat i on t hat al l hi s ear nest year s of academi c st udy wer emer e chi l d' s pl ay besi de t he pr act i cal musi cal craf t smanshi p of t hi s br i l l i antyoung exponent of t he "modern" school . Eager l y he have hi msel f i nt o t he car e oft hi s new t eacher . Ot t o Ki t zi er . Fromt he regal i ng anal ysi s of Beet hoven' ssonat as, Ki t zi er l ed hi s ent husi ast i c di sci pl e t o t he st udy of i nst r ument at i on,i nt r oduci ng hi m t o t he beaut i es of t he Tannhaeuser score. Here Br uckner wasgi ven hi s f i r st gl i mpse of a new worl d of musi c, t he ver y exi st ence of whi ch hehad scarcel y suspect ed. I n 1863, f i nal l y convi nced t hat he was r eady t o f ace t hemusi cal worl d al one, he t ook l eave of Ki t zi er and t he l ast of hi s l ong year s ofpr epar at i on.

Those years are perhaps uni que i n t he annal s of mor t al geni us, at l east i n t hoseof West er n ci vi l i zat i on. The nai ve modest y of a gr eat ar t i st al r eady wi t hi nsi ght of mi ddl e age bur yi ng hi msel f more desperat el y t han any school boy i n t he

mass of ant i quat ed musi cal dogma pr escr i bed by a "Dr . Syntax" woul d be at oncel abel ed i n t hese psychoanal yt i c days as a sampl e of t he worki ngs of ani nf er i or i t y compl ex. But Br uckner ' s had been a chur ch- l i f e, hi s l anguage achurch i di om, and i n t he l i ght of t hi s , i s i t i l l ogi cal t o cl ai m t hat hi spar t i cul ar pr epar at i on had t o di f f er f r om t hat of ot her symphoni st s as t hear chi t ecture of a cat hedr al di f f er s f r om t hat of a pal ace or vi l l a?


I n short , wi t hout t hose dr ab year s of st udy mi st akenl y ter med "bel at ed, " t he


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t r emendous symphoni c f ormal concept s of Br uckner mi ght never have been real i zed.

Of si gni f i cance i n t he cont empl at i on of hi s spi r i t ual af f i ni t y t o Wagner i s t hef act t hat an Over t ur e i n G- mi nor ( composed by Br uckner i n 1863) cl oses wi t h t hest i l l unknown "Feuer zauber , " not t hat ei t her mast er pl agi ar i zed t he ot her , butt hat t he capr i ce of nat ur e whi ch set t wo such gi gant i c f i gur es si de by si de i nt he same gener at i on must not be i gnored. I t i s t r ul y a cause f or human gr at i t udet hat subl i me acci dent gr ant ed the one t he f acul t y i t deni ed the ot her . Epi c asi s t he expr essi on of bot h t hese Ti t ans, Wagner ' s hel pl essness i n t he f i el d oft he symphony i s as not or i ous as Br uckner ' s i n t hat of t he musi c drama. Thef ut ur e wi l l si mpl y have t o regar d the t wo composer s as ki ndr ed i n spi r i t , butsuppl ement ary i n achi evement .

The musi c of Tannhaeuser sang i nt o Br uckner ' s ears a ver i t abl e procl amat i on ofi ndependence. Thus, Wagner , whom he had as yet never seen, set hi m f r ee at amer e spi r i t ual t ouch, spur r i ng hi m t o unr est r ai ned sel f - expr essi on. Wi t h t hever y f i r st ef f or t of t hi s new- bor n Br uckner , t he gl or i ous Mass i n D, t he wor l dwas endowed wi t h an i ni t i al maj or work sur passed i n- dept h and bri l l i ancy perhapsby no ot her i n the ent i r e range of musi c. I nspi r ed by Tannhaeuser , i f you wi l l ,yet soundi ng not t he sl i ght est echo of i t s st r ai ns, t he Mass abounds i n f i nepassages, unj ust l y dubbed Wagner i an, f or t hey coul d not as yet have had any

prot ot ype. The openi ng Adagi o, bui l t up on t he t heme of t he Li ebest od ( a yearbef or e the f i r st per f or mance of Tr i st an) , t he musi c accompanyi ng t he set t l i ngdown of t he dove at t he end of Par si f al ( ni net een year s bef or e the f i r stper f ormance) , t he "Fal l of t he Gods" and t he "Spear - mot i ve" f r omt he Ri ng( t wel ve year s bef or e Bayreut h) , t hese ant i ci pat or y t ouches shoul d, i nj ust i ce, bevi ewed, not as Wagneri sms, but r at her as f orer unner s of t he new epi c spi r i t t hatwas j ust r i si ng i n musi c.

The composi t i on of t hi s mast er pi ece t ook onl y t hree mont hs. Af t er t he f i r stper f ormance, i n the Cathedr al at Li nz, November 20, 1864, t he Bi shop Rudi gi erwas hear d t o remark: "Dur i ng t hat mass I coul d not pr ay. " I ndeed, so pr of oundwas t he i mpressi on t he work made, t hat i t was gi ven a "concert " per f ormance bygener al r equest Shor t l y af t er , achi evi ng a ver i t abl e t r i umph. Br uckner ' s successwas proudl y repor t ed i n the Vi ennese paper s, f or i t was good publ i ci t y f or t he"home" conser vat ory of whi ch he had been "one of t he best pupi l s. "


El ated by hi s success Br uckner at once began worki ng on hi s f i r st symphony. Thatyear ( 1865) May 15 had been set asi de i n Muni ch f or t he gr eat est musi cal - eventof t he cent ur y, t he i ni t i al per f or mance of Tri st an. Nat ur al l y, Br uckner made t het r i p t o t he Bavar i an capi t al and when, owi ng t o t he i l l ness of I sol de ( FrauSchnorr ) , t he event was postponed t i l l t he t ent h of J une, he deci ded t o awai tt he gr eat day i n the ci t y. There he had t he f ort une to be pr esent ed t o Wagnerhi msel f , who at once t ook a l i ki ng t o t he ser i ous, honest Aust r i an, i nvi t i ng hi mt o spend many an eveni ng i n t he f amous Wagner i an "ci r cl e. " Von Buel ow becameBr uckner ' s f i r st conf i dant when t he l at t er shyl y showed t he gr eat pi ani st t hef i r st t hree movement s of hi s gr owi ng symphony. Von Buel ow was so ast oni shed at

t he spl endor ' and f r eshness of t he i deas i n t hi s new score t hat he coul d notr ef r ai n f r omcommuni cat i ng hi s ent husi asmt o t he gr eat Ri char d, much t oBr uckner ' s embar r assment , f or when Wagner asked i n per son t o see t he symphony,so great was t he awe i n whi ch t he younger composer st ood of t he "Mast er of al lmast er s" t hat he coul d not summon up t he courage to show i t t o hi m. He shrankf r omsuch a st ep as t hough i t had been a sacri l ege. So nai ve was hi sher o- worshi p of t he mast er t hat he coul d not even be i nduced t o si t down i nWagner ' s presence. No wonder , t hen, t hat af t er t he Tr i st an per f ormance Wagnerbecame f or Br uckner a ver i t abl e r el i gi on. Yet f or t hi s f ai t h t he younger man wascondemned to suf f er such abuse as has f al l en to t he l ot of no ot her i n t he


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annal s of art . He was t o wr i t e ni ne mi ght y symphoni es, ad maj oremDei gl or i am,f or f r omman he was dest i ned t o recei ve not r ewar d, but negl ect , scorn, andspi r i t ual abuse beyond measure.On Apr i l 14, 1866, Br uckner' s f i r st symphony was compl ete, r eady t o announce t oa skept i cal worl d t hat t he supr eme i nst r ument al f orm had not cul mi nated i nBeet hoven. True enough, i t was f r omt he i mmort al Fi f t h of Beet hoven, t hatPar nassus of musi cal cl assi ci sm, t hat t hi s new master dr ew t he spi r i t ual mott of or al l hi s symphoni c ef f ort s. Each of hi s symphoni es mi ght be descr i bed as anascent per aspera ad ast r a. Thr ough t he l ogi cal order of t he f our movement s heunf ol ded t he panorama of t he t r i al s of t he human soul as hero. Begi nni ng wi t h( f i r st movement ) t he dr ama of i nner conf l i ct , t hen ( adagi o) r et ur ni ng f r omt hepr ayer f ul communi on wi t h God t o the ( scher zo) j oys of l i f e i n nat ur e, at l engt h( f i nal e) wi t h unconquer abl e ener gy and det er mi nat i on ent er i ng upon t he bat t l ewi t h t he wor l d, cul mi nat i ng i n t he f i nal t r i umph over al l opposi t i on, he l ai ddown t he per manent spi r i t ual f oundat i on f or al l hi s symphoni c l abors .

That t he f i r st perf or mance of t hi s symphony, 1868, t echni cal l y t he mostdi f f i cul t t hat had as yet come i nt o exi st ence, was not a t ot al f ai l ur e, i sscar cel y shor t of a mi r acl e, f or t he best st r i ng and br ass sect i ons t he t own ofLi nz coul d pr ovi de f aced the al l egedl y "i mpossi bl e" scor e al most hopel essl y. YetBr uckner conduct ed t he numerous r ehear sal s wi t h such desperate zeal t hat t he

r esul t was at l east musi cal enough to cal l f or t h respect f ul comment f r om t hecr i t i cs, t hough t hey coul d have gl eaned but t he scant i est not i on of t he t r uesi gni f i cance of t he work f r omsuch a perf ormance.


Even t he not ed cr i t i c Hansl i ck, on the st r engt h of t hi s f avor abl e repor t ,congr atul ated t he Vi ennese conservatory, hi nt i ng appr ovi ngl y at a r umor t hat i t sf acul t y was soon t o be augment ed by so val uabl e an acqui si t i on as Br uckner .

The r umor came t r ue, t hough onl y af t er l ong, l ong hesi t at i on on Br uckner ' s part .He f eared t o gi ve up hi s modest but secur e post i n Li nz f or a mi serabl yunder pai d and i nsecur e chai r i n t heory at t he noted musi c school of t he capi t al ,but hi s f r i ends, under st andi ng hi s t i mi di t y and r eal i zi ng t he t r emendousar t i st i c advant ages of t he pr of f er ed posi t i on, ur ged hi m t o accept i t . Atl engt h, af t er Bi shop Rudi gi er assured Br uckner t hat t he or gan at t he Cat hedr ali n Li nz woul d al ways be wai t i ng f or hi m, he deci ded to r i sk t he chance. The dateupon whi ch he of f i ci al l y assumed hi s t i t l e of pr of essor was J ul y 6, 1868.

J ust about t hi s t i me, i n hi s f or t y- t hi r d year , he was made t he unhappy vi ct i m ofa gr eat spi r i t ual shock. The par ent s of t he sevent een- year - ol d J osephi ne Langwi t h whomt he composer had f al l en i n l ove ref used hi m t he gi r l ' s hand because ofhi s age. I n Br uckner ' s many cases of pl at oni c af f ect i on f or young gi r l s ( t hi scont i nued t i l l hi s sevent i et h year ) t her e i s ent i ci ng f ood f or t he moder npsychol ogi st ' s or psychoanal yst ' s f or mul i zat i ons.Now began f or Br uckner a sl ow and cruel mart yrdom. Hi s very f i r st Vi enneseat t empt , t he newl y composed Mass i n F- mi nor , was r ef used a hear i ng on t he groundt hat i t was "unsi ngabl e. " Af t er t hi s t wo new symphoni c at t empt s were suppressedby t he ner ve- r acked composer hi msel f wi t h the bi t t er comment : "They ar e no good;

I dare not wr i t e down a r eal l y decent t heme. "Di scour aged, he deci ded t o st op composi ng f or a whi l e and set out on a concertt our t hr ough France. The newspaper r eport s of t hi s seri es of r eci t al s wer e so

j ubi l ant t hat Europe soon r ang wi t h t he name of Br uckner , " t he great est or gani stof hi s t i me. "Ret ur ni ng t o Aust r i a, i n bet t er spi r i t s, he exper i enced "t he most gl or i ous dayof hi s l i f e" when hi s Mass i n E- mi nor ( composed i n 1866) was gi ven i t s i ni t i alhear i ng ( Li nz, 1869) mi dst unqual i f i ed ent husi asm.

The ast oni shi ng r eport s f r om Fr ance about Br uckner ' s or gan- i mprovi sat i ons had soaroused t he cur i osi t y of many Engl i shmen t hat t he vi r t uoso was of f er ed f i f t y


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pounds f or t wel ve r eci t al s i n London t o be gi ven wi t hi n a week! Out of t hi s"muni f i cent " f ee he was expected t o pay hi s own t r avel l i ng expenses!Nevert hel ess August 2, 1871, f ound Br uckner seat ed at a London organ dut i f ul l yi mpr ovi si ng on t he appr opr i ate theme "God save t he Ki ng. " Phl egmat i c J ohn Bul l ,qui t e i mpr essed by the gr andeur of t hese i mprovi sat i ons, never t hel ess remarked

j udi ci ousl y t hat t he perf or mer showed hi s weakness i n a Mendel ssohn sonat a, ashad been expected. Af t er one of t hese r eci t al s a London l ady advi sed Br ucknert hr ough an i nt er pr et er t o l ear n Engl i sh bef or e hi s next vi si t t o Br i t ai n. Henever vi si t ed Engl and agai n.Page 9 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner

Back i n Vi enna he dof f ed t he hat ed mask of vi r t uoso and det ermi ned at hi s owncost t o gi ve t he shel ved F- mi nor Mass t he hear i ng he f el t sur e i t deser ved. Theper f ormance t ook pl ace i n J une, 1872. He had hi r ed t he wor l d- f amous Phi l har moni corchest r a f or t he occasi on at a cost of t hr ee hundr ed gul den (ei ght mont hs'wages t o t he Pr of essor of Count er poi nt ) but t he f avor abl e report of t he f amousHansl i ck about t he work ( t hough he decl ared i t r emi nded hi m i n spots of Wagnerand Beet hoven) was al one wor t h the pr i ce. Coul d Hansl i ck, Wagner ' s most powerf uland bi t t er opponent , onl y have dr eamed t hat t he si mpl e Br uckner was dest i ned t or ecei ve at t he hands of t he gr eat musi c- dr amat i st t he heavy l egacy of cr i t i cal

abuse he had gathered t hr ough t wo score years of st ormy t r avel f r om Dr esden t oBayr eut h! Br uckner, onl y t wo year s bef ore thi s ( 1869) , humbl y as any musi cst udent , had sat wi t h r apt at t ent i on at t he f eet of Hansl i ck, t hen l ect ur er on"Musi cal Hi st ory" at t he Vi ennese conservatory.Meanwhi l e, dur i ng hi s London exper i ence, he had l aunched upon a new symphony,det er mi ned t o make i t f r om t he vi ewpoi nt of t echni cal pl ayabi l i t y t ot al l yaccept abl e to the easy- goi ng wor l d of musi ci ans and cr i t i cs among whom f ate hadcast hi s l ot . Convi ct i on woul d not l et hi m abandon t he t i t ani c skel et alst r uct ur e of hi s Fi r st , t he symphoni c "wagon" t o whi ch he had "hi t ched hi sst ar . " Af t er l ong ponder i ng he hi t upon t he unusual i dea of punct uat i ng t hel onger movement s of t he work wi t h general pauses i n the whol e or chest r a. Thi sst r i ki ng devi ce at once caught t he knowi ng ear s of t he musi ci ans dur i ng ther ehear sal s f or t he f i r st per f or mance and r esul t ed i n t he f abr i cat i on of t hesar cast i c ni ckname, "Rest Symphony, " by whi ch the work was t her eaf t er known i nVi enna. The descr i pt i on "Upper - Aust r i an, " l ater appl i ed by the noted Br ucknerbi ogr apher Goel l er i ch, i s f ar mor e appr opr i at e, f or t he openi ng and cl osi ngmovement s, and par t i cul ar l y t he scher zo, ar e thoroughl y sat ur at ed wi t h t heatmosphere and song of Br uckner ' s r ust i c " home count r y" sur r oundi ngs. Upon bei ngonce more ref used an of f i ci al hear i ng f or hi s new work on t he gr ound of"unpl ayabi l i t y, " Br uckner agai n di pped deep i nt o hi s yawni ng pocket s and i nvi t edVi enna t o hear hi s Second Symphony t o t he t une of f our hundr ed and f i ve gul denl i t er al l y bor r owed on a "pound of f l esh. " Spei del , a pr omi nent cri t i c, had t hehonest y to say i n hi s r eport of t he occasi on: " I t i s no common mort al who speakst o us i n t hi s musi c. Here i s a composer whose very shoe- l aces hi s numerousenemi es ar e not f i t t o t i e. " Hansl i ck, st i l l no out spoken Br uckner opponent ,expr essed di scomf ort at t he t i t ani c di mensi ons' of t he work, and l auded t he"mast er l y manner" i n whi ch t he orchest r a pl ayed t he "unpl ayabl e" scor e. ( Oct ober

26, 1873. )Al t hough Br ahms, whose Fi r st Symphony was st i l l uncompl eted, had nevert hel essbeen f i r ml y seat ed on t he wor l d' s symphoni c t hrone ( f or had he not been cr ownedby al l cri t i cs as Beet hoven' s hei r ?) cour t - conduct or Her beck coul d not r ef r ai nf r om maki ng t he f ol l owi ng remar k t o Br uckner af t er hear i ng thi s wor k: "I assur eyou i f Br ahms were capabl e of wr i t i ng such a symphony t he concert - hal l woul dr ock wi t h appl ause. "Page 10 - - The Li f e of Anton Br uckner

Br uckner di d not ent er upon these huge personal expenses because of a thi r st f or


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publ i c appl ause. That t he j oys of symphoni c creat i on wer e suf f i ci ent spi r i t ualexal t at i on f or hi m, i s cl ear f r omt he zeal wi t h whi ch he began work upon hi s

Thi r d at t he ver y moment hi s Second was uncondi t i onal l y r ej ect ed by t he Vi ennaPhi l harmoni c. I n t he pr oduct i on of t hi s new score he gave up al l t hought ofmol l i f yi ng f r i end and f oe, who al i ke had compl ai ned about t he l engt h anddi f f i cul t y of hi s pr evi ous or chest r al ef f or t s. The her oi c def i ance t hat st al ksproudl y t hrough every movement of t hi s work, maki ng i t sound much l i ke a hugedecl ar at i on of i ndependence, has caused many t o l abel i t "another Er oi ca, "i mpl yi ng a def i ni t e communi t y bet ween Beet hoven and Br uckner .

That i t was Br uckner ' s or i gi nal i nt ent i on t o make t hi s Thi r d a "Wagner " symphonyi s cl ear f r om t he act ual not e- f or - not e quot at i ons f r om t he al r eady wi del ydi scussed Ri ng. He had appar ent l y, by now, summoned up the courage t o go t oWagner and ask hi m f or hi s ar t i st i c appr oval . For t unat el y hi s ar r i val atBayr eut h, armed wi t h hi s l ast t wo symphoni es, caught t he Mast er of Wahnf r i ed i nmost f r i endl y humor. Br uckner' s own descr i pt i on of hi s emot i ons as Wagnerexami ned t he scores i s el oquent : " I was j ust l i ke a school boy wat chi ng hi st eacher cor r ect hi s not e- book. Every word of comment seemed l i ke a r ed mark ont he page. At l ast I managed t o st ammer f or t h the hope t hat he woul d accept t hededi cat i on of one of t he symphoni es, f or t hat was t he onl y and al so t he hi ghestr ecogni t i on I want ed f r om t he wor l d. " Wagner ' s answer, one of t he f ew happy

moment s i n Br uckner ' s t r agi c l i f e, i s surel y recor ded by t he angel s. "Dearf r i end, t he dedi cat i on woul d be t r ul y appr opr i at e; t hi s work of your s gi ves met he gr eat est pl easur e. "Af t er t hat , Br uckner went on, "We di scussed musi cal condi t i ons i n Vi enna, dr ankbeer , and t hen he l ed me i nto t he gar den and showed me hi s gr ave! " Theyappar ent l y spent a most del i ght f ul af t er noon toget her . On the aut hor i t y of t hef amous scul pt or Ki et z, who was pr esent part of t he t i me, we have i t t hat a mostamusi ng sequel devel oped on t he t wo f ol l owi ng days. Br uckner had had not onl ysome, but i n f act so much beer , t he hospi t abl e Wagner cont i nual l y f i l l i ng hi smug and ur gi ng hi m t o empty i t ( f or a whol e barr el had been order ed f or t heoccasi on) , t hat t he next morni ng f ound t he Aust r i an qui t e muddl ed and at a l osswhi ch of t he t wo symphoni es t he mast er had pr ef er r ed. Ashamed t o ret urn toWagner , he sought out t he scul pt or and appeal ed t o hi m f of hel p i n t hi s di l emma,but t he l at t er , hi ghl y amused, pr etended not t o have pai d at t ent i on t o t hedi scussi on, sayi ng he had hear d some tal k about D- mi nor and a t r umpet . Now i nt he scul ptor ' s own words, "Br uckner suddenl y t hrew hi s ar ms about me, ki ssed me,and cr i ed, ' Thank you, dear Mr . Counci l or ( I don' t know t o t hi s day how I cameby the t i t l e) t hank you! I know i t ' s t he one i n D- mi nor t he Mast er has accept ed!Oh, how happy I amt hat I know whi ch i t i s! ' " Next day, however , he was oncemore doubt f ul , f or he sent t he f ol l owi ng message to Wagner on a sl i p of bl uepaper ( now a t r easur ed museum possessi on) : "Symphony i n D- mi nor i n whi ch t het r umpet i nt r oduces t he t heme. A. Br uckner . " The same l eaf came back to hi mpr ompt l y wi t h t he f ol l owi ng addi t i on: "Yes, yes! Hear t y gr eet i ngs! Wagner . " Thuscame Br uckner ' s Thi r d to bear t he name Wagner Symphony. Whenever Wagner heardBr uckner' s name ment i oned t hereaf t er, he woul d excl ai m, "Ah! Yes, t he t r umpet . "

Page 11 - - The Li f e of Anton Br uckner

The r eport of t hi s i nci dent wi t h i t s cl ear i mpl i cat i on of Wagner ' s r egar d f orBr uckner' s geni us pr oved t he deat h- knel l f or whatever chance t he symphoni st mayst i l l have had f or Vi ennese recogni t i on dur i ng the Hansl i ck regi me. Up to t hatmoment hi s work had been negl ect ed mai nl y because t he musi ci ans of t he ci t y hadl i t t l e ear f or such "modern" har mony and dr amat i c orchest r at i on, but t he l eapsand bounds Wagner ' s musi c- dramas and Li szt ' s Symphoni c Poems were maki ng i n t heworl d of art had br ought about a compl ete revol ut i on i n musi cal t ast e. The newera was one of bi t t er per sonal hat r eds bet ween musi ci ans and cr i t i cs of t woopposi ng f act i ons. No pol i t i cal enemi es have ever used more poi sonous epi t het s


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t han t he Wagner i t es agai nst t he Ant i - Wagner - i t es and vi ce- ver sa. A l i on f orpuni shment , bot h t aki ng and gi vi ng, Wagner coul d easi l y weat her t he st orm ofunspeakabl e abuse, but away f r om hi s scor es and cl asses Br uckner was a merechi l d so si mpl e and shy t hat t he mer ci l ess cr i t i cal boycot t of hi s wor ks, whi chnow f ol l owed, al l but crushed hi s spi r i t . I t was i nconcei vabl e t o hi m t hat humanbei ngs coul d be as cr uel as Hansl i ck and hi s snar l i ng myrmi dons were t o hi m,merel y because he had gai ned Wagner ' s f r i endshi p and r ecogni t i on. Hi s onl ysol ace was t hat he had become r econci l ed t o composi ng work af t er work wi t houtt he encour agi ng i ncent i ve of publ i c hear i ngs,

The Four t h, al r eady i n t he maki ng at t hi s t i me and bear i ng t he t i t l e Romant i c,was f i ni shed November 22, 1874. Al t hough t he descr i pt i on Romant i c i s no l essf i t t i ng t han t hat of Past or at e i n t he case of Beet hoven' s Si xth, t her e seemsl i t t l e doubt t hat t he det ai l ed "pr ogr am" or symphoni c pl ot communi cat ed t o hi sci r cl e of f r i ends by Br uckner was a post - anal ysi s i nf l uenced by no ot her t hanWagner , who had even publ i shed a r at her f ant ast i c pi ct ori al descr i pt i on ofBeet hoven' s Ni nt h. I t i s at any r at e si l l y t o di l l y- dal l y over t he f i t ness ofi t s det ai l s, f or t he Romant i c has so cl ear and ef f ecti ve a t al e t o t el l t hat i thas become t he f avor i t e vehi cl e f or t he i nt r oduct i on of Br uckner t o a newaudi ence. That t he composer di d not r egard t he "program" seri ousl y i s evi dentf r omhi s r emar k concer ni ng t he Fi nal e: "And i n t he l ast movement , " sai d he,

" I ' ve f orgot t en compl et el y what pi ct ur e I had i n mi nd. " Yet t he work possessesan unmi st akabl e uni t y hi t her t o wi t hout pr ecedent i n absol ut e musi c, f or al l f ourpar t s spr i ng f r omt he mai n t heme i n t he f i r st movement . So l ogi cal and master l yi s t he devel opment of t hi s t heme i n t he cour se of t he work t hat t he cl i max i snot r eached unt i l t he cl osi ng port i on of t he Fi nal e, maki ng t he Romant i csymphony f r omt he poi nt of vi ew of per f ect i on of f orm per haps t he l ast word thathas yet been spoken by man.


At t hi s t i me, t hanks t o the zeal of hi s enemi es hi s mat er i al condi t i on hadbecome al most hopel ess. To quote f r om one of hi s l et t er s, J anuar y i g, 1875: "Ihave onl y my pl ace at t he Conservat ory, on t he i ncome of whi ch i t i s i mpossi bl et o exi st . I have been compel l ed t o bor r ow money over and over agai n or acceptt he al t er nat i ve of st ar vat i on. No one of f er s t o hel p me. The Mi ni st er ofEducat i on makes pr omi ses, but does nothi ng. I f i t wer en' t f or t he f ew f orei gnerswho are st udyi ng wi t h me, I shoul d have t o t urn beggar . Had I even dr eamed t hatsuch t err i bl e t hi ngs woul d happen t o me no ear t hl y power coul d have i nduced met o come to Vi enna. Oh, how happy I ' d be t o ret ur n to my ol d posi t i on i n Li nz! "

The Vi ennese musi cal "powers t hat be" had conspi r ed t o make l i f e unbear abl e f ort he avowed Wagner i t e. One of t he hi ghest of f i ci al s at t he conser vat ory, i nanswer t o an appeal by Br uckner, gave hi m t he f ol l owi ng gener ous advi ce: " I t ' shi gh t i me you t hr ew your symphoni es i nt o t he t r ash- basket . I t woul d be muchwi ser f or you t o ear n money by maki ng pi ano arr angement s of t he composi t i ons ofother s. " The same man, wi t h equal l y ki nd i nt ent , went so f ar as t o say,"Br uckner can' t pl ay t he or gan at al l . "

The war l i ke Wagner ' s ar r i val i n Vi enna i n t he spr i ng of 1875 drew mor e host i l e

at t ent i on to t he t i mi d symphoni st . Of cour se, i t di d hi m mor e har m t han good.The musi c- dramat i st ' s r ei t erat ed prai se of Br uckner ' s wor k was l i ke a si gnal f ort he Vi ennese aut hor i t i es t o r edoubl e t he cruel t y of t hei r met hod of t or t ur e.Dessof f , conduct or of t he Phi l harmoni c, pr omi sed t o per f orm t he Wagner Symphony,i nvi t ed Br uckner t o sever al r ehear sal s, and suddenl y ( af t er t wo mont hs ofpr epar at i on) decl ar ed he coul d not f i nd r oom f or i t on a pr ogr am. Lat er t heor chest r a t ook hol d of i t agai n, but r ej ected i t f i nal l y (onl y a si ngl e musi ci anopposi ng t he move) as "absol ut el y unpl ayabl e. "

J ust as t he persecut ed Wagner set t o wor k on hi s Mei st er si nger , pour i ng hi ssuf f er i ngs out t hr ough t he l i ps of Hans Sachs, Br uckner pl unged i nt o t he t r agi c


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dept hs of hi s Fi f t h. Onl y i n t he const r uct i on of hi s col ossal symphoni es was heabl e t o pl ay the her o agai nst f at e. Over t wo year s i n t he pr ocess of composi t i ont he Tr agi c symphony was compel l ed to wai t ei ght een years f or i t s f i r st hear i ng.

That was not t o be i n Vi enna, nor was Br uckner ever t o hear t he wor k at al l .I n 1876 Wagner i nvi t ed hi m t o t he i naugur al Ri ng perf ormances at Bayr eut h andt he t wo gi ant musi ci ans once more di scussed t he Wagner Symphony. Perhaps as adi r ect r esul t of t hi s conf er ence Br uckner now set about si mpl i f yi ng t hecondemned scor e and agai n appeal ed t o t he Phi l har moni c f or a hear i ng. The pr omptr ef usal t hen gi ven hi s r equest must have convi nced even hi m t hat a r el ent l esshost i l i t y due to Wagner ' s prai se made hi s cause i mpossi bl e so f ar as t hator gani zat i on was concer ned. I nt o t hi s spi r i t ual st at e of al most t ot al ecl i pset her e suddenl y br oke a r ay of l i ght . Her beck, ol d f r i end of sunni er days,conduct or of t he f i ne, t hough l ess- f amed, or chest r a of t he Soci et y of t heFr i ends of Musi c, became so di sgust ed wi t h the unj ust per secut i on t hat hedet er mi ned t o br ave t he wr at h of cr i t i cs and musi ci ans by espousi ng t i l eBr uckner cause. Hardl y had he announced t he f i r st st ep of hi s campai gn, aproduct i on of t he t abu Wagner Symphony, when he di ed. had not , at t hi s j unct ure,an i nf l uent i al gover nment r epr esent at i ve named Goel l er i ch ( f at her of t he notedBr uckner bi ogr apher ) st epped i nto t he breach, t he Thi r d Symphony woul d have beent aken of f t he Herbeck progr am and t he unhappy composer , poi soned wi t h a cup of

mi ser y wor t hy of a J ob, woul d pr obabl y have gone mad.


The perf or mance i t sel f whi ch t ook pl ace December 16, 1877 was one of t he saddesti n the hi st ory of musi c. Si nce no conduct or dar ed to wi el d the bat on upon t heoccasi on, Br uckner hi msel f was compel l ed to di r ect t he or chest r a. Ear l y i n thecour se of t he symphony. Di r ector Hel l msber ger , spokesman of t he conservat ory,bur st out l aughi ng. Pr ompt l y anot her "di r ect or " f ol l owed sui t . Upon t hi s t heapi sh st udent s j oi ned i n. Then, of cour se, t he publ i c began t o gi ggl e. Soon somepeopl e rose and l ef t t he hal l , i ndi gnant t hat t he cause of musi c had beenof f er ed so gr eat an i nsul t as t he per f ormance of a Br uckner work i n Vi enna, t hesacr ed musi cal met r opol i s. When the symphony came t o an end ther e were hardl yt en peopl e l ef t i n t he par quet . The f ew f ai t hf ul occupant s of t he "s t andi ngr oom, " a handf ul of Br uckner- pupi l s, among t hemGust av Mahl er, r ushed down tot he hear t br oken mast er , f r omwhomeven t he musi ci ans of t he or chest r a had f l ed,and at t empted i n vai n to cheer hi m wi t h consol i ng words. At t hi s moment an angelappr oached, i n t he gui se of t he musi c publ i sher Rat t i g, descr i bed t he symphonyas wonder f ul , and decl ar ed hi msel f r eady t o r i sk t he expense of publ i shi ng i t .Under such a bl ack sky was t he Wagner Symphony gi ven t o t he wor l d.

To r et urn t o t he Vi ennese cr i t i cs f or whose Wagner - gobbl i ng appet i t e i t had beena gal a eveni ng, t he di r ect or Hansl i ck ( i nt endi ng i t , of cour se, onl y as a j oke)f or once t ol d t he absol ut e t r ut h, namel y, t hat he "coul d not under st and t hegi gant i c symphony. " He sai d t her e had come t o hi m, whi l e l i st eni ng, "a vi si on i nwhi ch Beet hoven' s Ni nt h had Vent ur ed t o accost t he Val kyr mai dens, onl y t o becr ushed under t hei r horses' f eet . " As a sarcast i c cl i max he added t hat he "di dnot wi sh by hi s words t o hur t t he f eel i ngs of t he composer , whomhe real l y hel d

i n gr eat esteem. "A l i t t l e bef or e thi s t i me, t hr ough the good gr aces of t he pr evi ousl y ment i onedGoel l er i ch, t he Uni ver si t y of Vi enna had announced! t he cr eat i on of a "chai r " ofmusi c and the i ncl usi on of har mony l and count er poi nt i n t he regul ar cur r i cul um.Despi t e the f i r m opposi t i on of Hansl i ck, Br uckner , who had ten year s bef oreappeal ed t o the f acul t y t hat some such st ep be t aken i n hi s behal f , was nowappoi nt ed l ect ur er . Fromt he openi ng addr ess, Apr i l 30, 1876, whi ch was at t endedby so great a number of st udent s t hat t he occasi on mi ght wel l be compar ed t o t hef i r st of Schi l l er ' s l ect ur es at J ena, t he younger gener at i on embr aced t heBr uckner cause ent husi ast i cal l y. To t he academi c subj ect s t aught by


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Br uckner, wi t h Goet he' s words as mot t o: "Gr ay i s every t heor y. Gr een al onel i f e' s gol den t r ee, " wer e added those gl or i ous i mpr ovi sat i ons f or whi ch he wasso not ed and t he i nspi r i ng message of whi ch endear ed hi m t o t he hear t s of hi s"Gaudeamuses, " as he l ovi ngl y cal l ed hi s st udent s. The open enmi t y of Hansl i ckt owar ds t hei r bel oved pr of essor gr adual l y assumed f or t hem t he pr oport i ons of apol i t i cal i ssue and a l i f e pr obl em. I n the year s t o come the Br uckner cause i nVi enna was t o at t ai n such st r engt h thr ough the l oyal t y of t hese Uni ver si t yst udent s t hat t he combi ned enmi t y of cr i t i cs and musi ci ans woul d have to bowbef or e i t i n t he dust . Thi s was act ual l y real i zed t en year s l at er , when t hePhi l har moni c was f i nal l y compel l ed, owi ng t o t he f or ce of publ i c opi ni on, t oprogr am t he al r eady wor l d- f amous Seventh Symphony ( 1886) .As t he resul t of t he f r i gi d recept i on accor ded the Wagner Symphony Br ucknerspent t he next t wo year s ( 1878- 80) i n a radi cal r evi si on of t he i nst r ument at i onof t he Second, Four t h, and Fi f t h symphoni es, i ncl udi ng t he composi t i on of at ot al l y new movement , t he now f amous Hunt i ng Scherzo, f or t he Four t h orRomant i c. However , t he changes he made i n the scor es are not of t he nat ure ofcompromi ses bet ween the ar t i st and the wor l d, f or t he t hemes of t he symphoni es

r emai ned unal t ered, onl y unnecessar y r hyt hmi c and t echni cal compl i cat i ons bei ngabandoned.

To t hi s i nt erval al so bel ongs t he composi t i on of t he ( Qui nt et f or st r i ngs,Br uckner' s sol e cont r i but i on t o chamber- musi c, but a work so deep and mi ght yt hat t hose who have hear d i t procl ai m t hat i n t he whol e range of chamber musi conl y the l ast Beet hoven st r i ng- quar t et s at t ai n such spi r i t ual hei ght s. TheQui nt et was composed by t he symphoni st Br uckner and has t he sweep and grandeurof hi s best symphoni c creat i ons.

The i nt erval of r est f r om maj or composi t i on saw hi m f r equent l y at t endi ng t hemany col orf ul f ormal dances of Vi enna. I t seems psychol ogi cal l y consi st ent t hatone whose mi nd was al ways engaged i n t r agi c i nner conf l i ct s shoul d seekr ecreat i on i n t he hal l s of f est i vi t y and l aught er . Br uckner had al ways been f ondof danci ng.A sever e at t ack of "ner ves, " doubt l ess due t o over wor k, dr ove hi m t o seek r el i efi n Swi t zer l and dur i ng t he summer of 1880. I n August of t hat vacat i on peri od hevi si t ed t he Passi on Pl ay at Ober ammergau and f el l head over heel s i n l ove wi t hone of t he "daught er s of J er usal em, " t he sevent een- year- ol d Mar i e Bart i . Hewai t ed f or her at t he st age- door , obt ai ned an i nt r oduct i on, and escort ed herhome. Af t er spendi ng t hat eveni ng and most of t he next day i n t he Bart i f ami l yci r cl e t he ar r i ved at a t empor ar y under st andi ng whi ch l ef t t he l ove af f ai r on acor r espondent i al basi s. Ther e f ol l owed a l i vel y exchange of l et t er s bet ween hi mand Mar i e, l ast i ng a year , but t he t i me came when t he gi r l no l onger answeredhi m. Thus t he now f i f t y- si x- year - ol d l over f ound hi msel f agai n r ef used ent r ancei nt o t he hal l s of mat r i mony. One i s her e i nvol unt ar i l y r emi nded of t he l ove oft he t hi r t y- seven- year - ol d Beet hoven f or t he f our t een- year - ol d Ther ese Mal f at t i ,t hough nowadays we have ceased t o gasp at such t hi ngs. The sol i t ary s i l entr emnant of t hi s r omance of Br uckner' s i s a photogr aph of hi s bear i ng the

i nscr i pt i on: "To my cl ear est f r i end, Mar i e Bar t i . "


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I n t hese gl oomy days when, f ol l owi ng t he depl orabl e f i asco of t he WagnerSymphony, no one i n Vi enna dared or cared t o l i f t a hand i n f avor of t heRomant i c and Tragi c symphoni es, now l ong f i ni shed and st i l l unper f ormed, amal ady af f ect i ng hi s f eet compel l ed Br uckner t o t ake t o hi s bed. Ther e, i n spi t eof depr essi ng ci r cumst ances, he summoned up the spi r i t ual st r engt h to work onhi s Si xth Symphony. As i f hi s mi sf ort unes had mer el y been t r i al s sent f r omAbovet o pr ove hi s f ai t h, whi l e Br uckner was st i l l busy wi t h the l ast movement of t henew work, Hans Ri cht er , t he Wagner di sci pl e, vi si t ed hi m and was so st r uck wi t ht he beaut i es of t he dormant Romant i c Symphony that he at once pr ogr ammed i t andi nvi t ed t he composer t o a r ehear sal . Ri cht er ' s own words descr i bi ng t he occasi onr eveal Br uckner ' s nai ve char acter: "When t he symphony was over, " he rel ated,"Br uckner came t o me, hi s l ace beami ng wi t h ent husi asm and j oy. I f el t hi m pr essa coi n i nt o my hand. ' Take t hi s, ' he sai d, *and dr i nk a gl ass of beer t o myheal t h. ' " Ri cht er , of cour se, accept ed t he coi n, a Mar i a Ther esa t hal er , andwore i t on hi s wat ch- chai n ever af t er . The pr emi ere of t he Four t h t ook pl ace onFebr uar y 20, 1881 and pr oved a r eal t r i umph f or Br uckner , who was compel l ed t o

t ake many bows af t er each movement . On t he same pr ogram, however , t he symphoni cpoem, t he "Si nger ' s curse" by Buel ow, met wi t h ut t er f ai l ur e. Buel ow, now adeser t er f r om t he Wagner camp, and t urned to a st aunch Br ahmsi an coul d notcont ai n hi s j eal ousy l and asked sar cast i cal l y, r ef er r i ng t o t he successf ulsymphony: " I s t hat German musi c?" Fr om Buel ow, at any rate, t he most devoted ofWagner i ans coul d expect no pr ai se. I n t i me t he i nsul t s Br uckner had t o endur ef r om t hat sour ce gr ew vi l e beyond descr i pt i on. Even seven year s I dl er , wi t hmusi cal Germany at t he composer ' s f eet , Buel ow st i l l st ood by t he si nki ng shi p,sayi ng: "Br uckner ' s symphoni es ar e t he ant i - musi cal r avi ngs of a hal f - wi t . " Atl ast i n 1891, t he pat i ent composer exper i enced t he gr at i f i cat i on of hear i ng t hatBuel ow had f i nal l y r el ent ed and was pr omot i ng Br uckner ' s Te Deum as a spl endi dwork wel l wor t hy of pubi c per f ormance,I n J ul y, 1882, he made a f l yi ng t r i p to Bayreut h to hear t he openi ng per f ormanceof Par si f al . To hi m t hese f ew days wer e a beaut i f ul i dyl l . He woul d st r ol l al ongt he r oad wi t h a bl ack f r ock- coat on hi s arm, r eady to don i t hast i l y shoul dWagner come al ong by chance. I t made no di f f erence to hi m t hat peopl e sai d t hi swas an unnecessary act of homage. Somet i mes he woul d st op at "Wahnf r i ed" andgaze at i t s wi ndows l ong and r everent l y. Morni ngs he woul d vi si t Wagner. TheMast er woul d come out t o gr eet hi m, of f er i ng hi m t he hand of t he l i t t l e Eva,whi l e he sai d l aughi ngl y: "Mr . Br uckner , your br i de! " Then Wagner woul d depl oret he di sappoi nt i ng st at e of cont emporary musi c, excl ai mi ng: " I know of onl y onewho may be compar ed to Beethoven and he i s Br uckner ! " One eveni ng, graspi ngt he Aust r i an' s hand, t he aged Mast er cr i ed: "Rest assur ed, I mysel f shal lproduce t he symphony [ meani ng t he Wagner ) and al l your wor ks. " "Oh, Mast er ! " wasal l Br uckner coul d answer . Then t he quest i on: "Have you al r eady hear d Par si f al !How di d you l i ke i t ?" Br uckner sank upon hi s knees, pr essi ng Wagner' s hand t ohi s l i ps, and murmur i ng: "Oh, Mast er , I worshi p you! " Wagner was deepl y moved.

When t hey bade each Ot her good ni ght t hat eveni ng, i t was t he l ast greet i ng theyever exchanged on ear t h, f or t he cal l of Val hal l a f or t he "Mast er of al lMast er s, " as Br uckner cal l ed hi m, was soon t o sound. Thi s i s t he pr emoni t i ont hat t ook hol d of t he younger composer , t hen al r eady deep i n the creat i on of hi sSeventh Symphony. No more maj est i c t r i but e t o t he great ness of one mor t al hasever been pai d by another t han i n t hat gl ori ous, soar i ng Adagi o of Premoni t i on.I t i s an appeal di r ect t o t he soul of t he mi ght y musi c- dr amat i st , spoken i n i t sown di al ect , consummatel y mast ered by a ki ndr ed soul .



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The deat h of Wagner was a st upendous bl ow t o t he whol e musi cal wor l d andespeci al l y so t o Br uckner . The l at t er , now appr oachi ng hi s si xt i et h bi r t hday,was st i l l humbl e Prof . Ant on Br uckner t o the worl d about hi m. The f i el d ofmusi cal f ame, suddenl y depr i ved of i t s sol i t ar y gi gant i c t enant , seemed t o yawnf or a new Ti t an. The psychol ogi cal moment was at hand.On t he twent y- ni nth of December , 1884, Hugo Wol f wr ot e: "Br uckner? Br uckner? Whoi s he? Wher e does he l i ve? What does he do? Such quest i ons ar e asked by peopl ewho r egul ar l y at t end t he concert s i n Vi enna. " The Vi ennese were dest i ned t o t heshame of soon basi ng t aught by Germany t he great ness t hey had been i gnor i ng i nt hei r mi dst f or a scor e of year s.When on December go, 1884, young Ar t hur Ni ki sch, Br uckner pupi l , gave theSevent h Symphony i t s f i r st heari ng i n no l ess modest a hal l t han t he cel ebr at edGewandhaus at Lei pzi g, i t was as i f a di vi ne Voi ce had bur st f ort h f r om t ot aldar kness cryi ng, "Let t here be l i ght ! " As t he l ast note ceased t her e was enact eda scene of unpar al l el ed ent husi asm, t he appl ause l ast i ng f ul l y f i f t een mi nut es.Br uckner appeared on t he st age dr essed i n hi s si mpl e manner and bowed r epeat edl yi n answer t o t he unexpect ed ovat i on. One of t he cr i t i cs pr esent spoke of ! hi m asf ol l ows: "One coul d see f r om t he t r embl i ng of hi s l i ps and t he spar kl i ngmoi st ur e i n hi s eyes how di f f i cul t i t was f or t he ol d gent l eman t o suppr ess hi s

deep emot i on. Hi s homel y but honest count enance beamed wi t h a warm i nnerhappi ness such as can appear onl y on t he f ace of one who i s t oo goodhear t ed t osuccumb to bi t t erness even under t he pr essur e of most di sheart eni ngci r cumst ances. Havi ng heard hi s work and now seei ng hi m i n person we askedour sel ves i n amazement ' How i s i t possi bl e t hat you coul d remai n so l ong unknownt o us?' " On New Year ' s Day, 1885, t he whol e wor l d knew t hat a gr eat symphoni ccomposer whom snobbi sh Vi enna had f or year s hel d bound and gagged was at l astf r ee t o del i ver hi s message t o al l manki nd.


The perf or mance of t he Sevent h Symphony i n Muni ch under Her mann Levi proved aneven gr eat er t r i umph. The conduct or cal l ed I i t t he "wonder work, " avowi ng i t si nt er pr et at i on was t he crowni ng poi nt of hi s ar t i st i c car eer . Per haps Levi ,f amous Wagner i an chi ef t an as he was, i ntended t o anni hi l at e Br ahms wi t h a wordwhen he al so added, " I t i s t he most si gni f i cant symphoni c work s i nce 1827' "I nto t he per f ormance at Kar l sr uhe ( t he work was now maki ng i t s meteor i c wayt hr ough al l Ger many) , Fel i x Mott i , gi f t ed Br uckner pupi l , t hr ew so muchspi r i t ual f i r e t hat even t he whi t e- hai r ed Li szt , si t t i ng among t he di st i ngui shedaudi ence, became f r om t hat moment a st aunch Br uckneri t e. Thi s conversi on was al lt he more r emarkabl e si nce the gr eat pi ani st had l ong r emai ned col d t o Br uckner ' smusi c, al t hough l i e had been f or t wo scor e years one of t he chi ef marshal s oft he Wagr i er camp. Li szt as a Wagner i an had secret l y nursed t he not i on t hat t heLi szt Symphoni c Poems coul d never be proper l y underst ood by t he peopl e unt i lt hey had l ear ned t o appr eci at e hi s son- i n- l aw' s musi c dramas.Despi t e the r ecogni t i on of t he whol e of Germany, Vi enna and the Phi l harmoni ccont i nued to mai nt ai n a dogged al oof ness. St i l l f ear f ul , Br uckner ant i ci pat ed

any possi bl e desi r e on t he par t of t he f amous orchest r a to pl ay hi s work byent er i ng a f ormal pr otest agai nst such a move, on t he gr ound t hat " t he host i l i t yof t he Vi ennese cr i t i cs coul d onl y pr ove danger ous t o my st i l l young t r i umphs i nGer many. "For di pl omat i c r easons, no doubt , t he Qui nt et was now gi ven, f or t he f i r st t i mei n i t s ent i r et y, by t he Hel l mesber ger aggr egat i on. One of t he most pr omi nentr evi ewers wr ote about i t as f ol l ows: "We cannot compare i t wi t h any ot herQui nt et i n t hi s gener at i on. I t st ands absol ut el y al one i n i t s f i el d. " EvenKal beck, Br ahms' bi ogr apher and one of Br uckner ' s bi t t er est enemi es, sai d: "I t sAdagi o radi at es l i ght i n a t housand del i cat e shades t he ref l ect i on of a vi si on


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of t he sevent h heaven. "Apparent l y t he dawn of r ecogni t i on was at hand, even i n Vi enna. Vet t heconspi r at ors were deter mi ned t o di e har d. Another cr i t i c, on t he same occasi on,af t er pavi ng t he way by admi t t i ng t hat t he Qui nt et was per haps t he deepest andr i chest t hi ng of i t s ki nd, war ned t he publ i c on et hi cal gr ounds agai nst Br uckneras "t he gr eat est l i vi ng musi cal per i l , a sor t of t onal Ant i - Chr i st . " Hi sargument f ol l ows: "The vi ol ent nat ur e of t he man i s not wr i t t en on hi s f acef orhi s expr essi on i ndi cat es at most t he smal l soul of t he ever y- day Kapel l mei st er .

Yet he composes nothi ng but hi gh t r eason, r evol ut i on, and murder . Hi s wor k i sabsol ut el y devoi d of ar t or r eason. Per haps, some day, a devi l and an angel wi l lf i ght f or hi s soul . Hi s musi c has t he f r agr ance of heavenl y roses, but i t i spoi sonous wi t h t he sul phur s of hel l . "Meanwhi l e, f or t he benef i t of hi s Vi ennese f r i ends, whom he di d not wi sh todi sappoi nt , t he composer per sonal l y pr epar ed the i ni t i al per f or mance of hi sr ecent l y f i ni shed Te Deum. Thi s, a semi - pr i vat e af f ai r , t ook pl ace i n a smal lconcer t - hal l . Two pi anos wer e used i n t he absence of an i mpar t i al orchest r a.


Suddenl y Germany and Hol l and began cl amor i ng f or ot her Br uckner composi t i ons,

but onl y t he Wagner Symphony had appeared i n pr i nt . That work had evenpenetr ated t o Ameri ca where t he not ed Wagner di sci pl e, Ant on Sei dl , had gi ven i ta hear i ng at t he Met r opol i t an Oper a House, December 6, 1885. When Br uckner heardabout t he f avorabl e repor t i n the New Yor k Tr i bune, he was as happy as a chi l d,and excl ai med: "Now even Amer i ca says I ' m not bad. I sn' t t hat j ust r i ch?"

These successes, however , di d not t urn hi s head. He was f ar f r om r eady t o r eston hi s l aur el s. Dur i ng t he summer of 1884 he began wor k upon a new symphony. Hi ssi st er , i n whose house i n t he l i t t l e t own of Voeckl abr uck he was vacat i oni ng,says he woul d show her a st ack of musi c- paper covered wi t h penci l marks, sayi ngt hat t hese scr i bbl i ngs woul d become anot her symphony. I n or der t o be abl e t o setdown undi st ur bed t he i deas t hat came to hi m dur i ng f r equent wal ks) i n thesurr oundi ng woods, he rent ed a r oom wi t h a pi ano i n a house nearby, " j ust f orcomposi ng. "When he heard t hat t he owner of t hi s house had a young and pret t y daught er , hesai d, "I ' m gl ad. Now I ' m sur e I ' l l be abl e t o compose her e. " Ever y day he woul dbr i ng t hi s gi r l , a Mi ss Har t mann, a bouquet of f l ower s. The pr esence of t heyounger f ai r sex seems t o have been al ways a source of happi ness t o t hecomposer . He was t hemover si xt y years ol d.At t hi s t i me, l i ke Bal boa when he f i r st st ood upon t he hi l l over l ooki ng t hemysti c expanse of t he Paci f i c, Br uckner st ood at l ast i n t he hal o of hi s bel at edand hard- ear ned f ame l ooki ng back wi t h cal m mel anchol y upon t he bi t t er t r i al s ofhi s ar t i st i c car eer . Beneat h t hi s r et r ospect i ve spel l hi s Ei ght h Symphonyunf ol ded i t sel f . As a col ossal st r uctur e of spi r i t ual aut obi ogr aphy i n t one i ti s a sequel t o hi s Fi f t h or Tr agi c Symphony, whi ch i t excel s i n dept h ofexpr essi on. I t has been cal l ed t he "cr own of ni net eent h cent ur y musi c. " I t i susel ess t o at t empt t o gi ve any i dea of i t i n wor ds, but i t s message i n br i ef i s:( Fi r st movement ) how t he ar t i st , a mere human, l i ke Prometheus, st eal s t he

sacred f i r e f r omheaven and, dar i ng t o br i ng t he di vi ne essence t o ear t h, i scondemned to suf f er f or hi s t emer i t y. ( Scher zo) how hi s deed i s greet ed wi t hscorn and r i di cul e by hi s f el l ow- men, and he f i nds sol ace onl y i n t he beaut y ofnat ur e. ( Adagi o) r eveal s t he secr et of hi s cr eat i ve power , communi on wi t h theSupr eme Sour ce. ( Fi nal e) t he bat t l e al l t r ut h must f i ght on ear t h bef or e i tat t ai ns r ecogni t i on and t he f i nal vi ct or y and crowni ng of t he ar t i st . 'I n Br uckner ' s physi cal appear ance at t hi s t i me t her e was! no hi nt of seni l i t y.He was a l i t t l e above t he aver age i n hei ght , but an i ncl i nat i on to cor pul encymade hi m appear shor t er . Hi s physi ognomy, huge- nosed and smooth- shaven as hewas, was t hat of a Roman emper or , but f r om hi s bl ue eyes beamed onl y ki ndness


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and chi l di sh f ai t h. He wore unusual l y wi de whi t e col l ar s, i n or der t o l eave hi sneck per f ect l y f r ee. Hi s bl ack, l oose- hangi ng cl othes wer e obvi ousl y i nt ended t obe, above al l , comf ort abl e. He had even l ef t i nst r uct i ons f or a r oomy cof f i n.

The onl y t hi ng about hi s at t i r e suggest i ve of t he ar t i st was t he l oosel yar r anged bow- t i e he al ways wore. About t he f i t and shape of hi s shoes he was,accor di ng t o hi s shoe- maker , more par t i cul ar t han t he most exact i ngl y el egantmember of t he f ai r sex. As he woul d hur r y al ong the st r eet swi ngi ng a sof t bl ackhat , whi ch he hardl y ever put on, a col ored handker chi ef coul d al ways be seenpr ot r udi ng f r om hi s coat - pocket .


I n t he summer of 1886 he ar r i ved i n Bayr eut h j ust i n t i me to at t end t he f uneralof Li szt . As Br uckner sat at t he organ i mpr ovi si ng a "Funer al Or at i on" i n hi sown l anguage out of t hemes of Par si f al , i t was as i f he were sal ut i ng t hepassi ng of t hat gol den age of ni neteent h- cent ur y musi c, whi ch had endowed t hewor l d wi t h the t i t ani c cont r i but i on known as t he ar t of Wagner. Now he wasl eader of t he gl or i ous cause, i t s hi ghest l i vi ng cr eat i ve exponent , but he st oodal one, he and hi s symphoni es, whi l e t he enemy st i l l hel d t he f i el d i n gr eatnumber s,

The Sevent h Symphony cont i nued maki ng new conquest s. Col ogne, Gr az, Chi cago, NewYor k, and Amst er dampai d t r i bute t o i t s great ness. When i t r eached Hambur g t heaged t eacher of Br ahms sai d i t was t he gr eat est symphony of modern t i mes.Br ahms, however , cont i nued t o shr ug hi s shoul ders , and remarked: " I n the case ofBr uckner one needn' t use t he word ' Symphony' ; i t ' s enough t o tal k of a ki nd of' f ake' whi ch wi l l be f or got t en i n a f ew year s. "

Then young Kar l Muck, Br uckner pupi l , came t o Gr az wi t h t he same symphony, andf ol l owi ng upon t hi s r eal l y Aust r i an t r i umph, Vi enna was compel l ed at l ast t ocapi t ul at e, much t o the annoyance of t he Hansl i ck coal i t i on. Hans Ri cht erconduct ed t he host i l e "Ki ng of Or chest r as" on March 21, 1886. The Sevent hSymphony, af t er hunt i ng f or t he "bl ue bi r d" al l over t he wor l d, had come home atl ast t o br i ng happi ness t o t he "prophet i n hi s own count r y. " Hansl i ck' s r evi ewt he f ol l owi ng day was a sor t of br i ef apol ogi a pr o vi t a sua. "I t i s cer t ai nl ywi t hout pr ecedent , " compl ai ned he, " t hat a composer be cal l ed t o the st age f ouror f i ve t i mes af t er each movement of a symphony. To t el l t he t r ut h the musi c ofBr uckner so rubs me the wr ong way t hat I ' m har dl y i n a posi t i on t o gi ve ani mpar t i al vi ew of i t . I consi der i t unnat ur al , bl own Up, unwhol esome, andr ui nous. " Kal beck, hi s ai de- de- camp, pi cked i on Ri cht er f or havi ng shownper sonal homage t o Br uckner and al l eged t hat i t was done pur el y f or popul aref f ect . Concer ni ng t he musi c i t sel f he sai d: "I t comes f r omt he Ni bel ungen andgoes t o t he devi l ! " Dompke, another member of Hansl i ck' s s t af f snar l ed:"Br uckner wr i t es l i ke a dr unkar d. " Ri cht er , at t he banquet of t he Wagner - Ver ei nhel d to cel ebr ate the occasi on, decl ared that many members of t he Phi l harmoni corchest r a had changed t hei r mi nds about Br uckner and that t her e woul d be nodi f f i cul t y about pr oduci ng hi s wor ks i n Vi enna f r om t hat t i me on. As a mat t er off act , t he next symphony, t he Ei ght h, was i nt r oduced t o the wor l d by thePhi l har moni c. Her oi c Ri cht er now car r i ed t he banner i nt o t he Br i t i sh I sl es, i n

spi t e of Br ahms' r epr ovi ng ear ni ng, "You sur el y ar e not goi ng t o per f or mBr uckner i n Engl and! "


The t r i umphant j ourney of t he Sevent h cont i nued, Budapest , Dr esden, and Londonnext bei ng conquered. To be sur e, Berl i n, i n the hands of t he Br ahms marshal s,Buel ow and J oachi m, onl y gave i t a t i mi d wel come. A pr omi nent wr i t er sai d of t heoccasi on: "I t was l i ke of f er i ng a r oast t o a t abl e of mul es. " Anot her sai d: "Iconsi der ed Br ahms a gr eat symphoni st unt i l t o- day, but how t he l i t t l e ' Doctor'


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seemed t o shr i nk when he was progr ammed besi de t hi s gi ant , as was t he case i nt hi s concer t ! "I t was st i l l i mpossi bl e f or Br uckner t o f i nd publ i sher s f or hi s col ossal wor k.

Ti me af t er t i me hi s manuscr i pt s wer e cal l ed f or by di f f erent f i r ms, but al waysr et ur ned t o hi m wi t h regr et f ul apol ogi es. Then Suddenl y, New Yor k t hr ough Ant onSei di t hr eat ened t o publ i sh t he Romant i c, wher eupon Hermann Levi f or t he secondt i me made a col l ect i on of t he requi r ed sumi n Muni ch and t hus saved Eur ope f r omt he i mmi nent di sgrace.I n t he aut umn of 1880 per sonal f r i ends of Br uckner and Br ahms, hopi ng t o end t hequarr el between t he two mast ers, agr eed t o br i ng t hemt ogether i n a Vi enneser est aur ant . Br uckner , qui t e ami cabl e, had ar r i ved ear l y and had al r eady had twoor t hr ee port i ons of Nudel - soup bef ore Br ahms put i n an appear ance. "St i f f andcol d t hey f aced each ot her acr oss t he tabl e, " r el at ed one of t hose pr esent . I twas an uncomf or t abl e si t uat i on and t he wel l - meani ng conspi r ators were hi ghl ydi sappoi nt ed. Fi nal l y Br ahms br oke t he si l ence and cal l ed f or t he bi l l - of - f ar e.Wi t h a f orced di spl ay of good- nat ur e he cr i ed out : "Now l et ' s see what t her e i st o eat ! " He gl anced al ong t he l i st of cour ses, suddenl y l ooked up, and order ed:"Wai t er , bri ng me smoked hamand dumpl i ngs! " I nst ant l y Br uckner j oi ned i n,cr yi ng, "That ' s i t , Doct or! Smoker ham and dumpl i ngs. At l east t hat ' s somet hi ngon whi ch we can agr ee! " The ef f ect of t hi s r emark was i nst ant aneous. Ever ybody

shook wi t h l aught er . The i ce was br oken and t he r emai nder of t he eveni ng provedt o be f r i endl y and j ol l y.A r eal under st andi ng between t he t wo was, of cour se, i mpossi bl e. I t was a caseof t emper ament s di amet r i cal l y opposed, concept i ons of ar t basi cal l y at var i ance,i n shor t , an apt i l l ust r at i on of Ki pl i ng' s phr ase "And t he t wai n shal l nevermeet . "Br uckner expl ai ned t he si t uat i on t hus: "He i s Br ahms ( hat s of f ! ) ; I amBr uckner; I l i ke my works bet t er. He who want s t o be soot hed by musi c wi l lbecome at t ached t o Br ahms; but whoever want s t o be car r i ed away by musi c wi l lf i nd but l i t t l e sat i sf act i on i n hi s wor k. " Br ahms hi msel f had decl ar ed bef or e

j oi ni ng t he Hansl i ck camp: "Br uckner i s t he great est symphoni st of t he age. "Once af t er l i st eni ng t o a Br uckner symphony Br ahms appr oached t he composer ,sayi ng: "I hope you won' t f eel hur t about i t , but I r eal l y can' t make out whatyou ar e t r yi ng to get at wi t h your composi t i ons. " "Never mi nd, Doct or, " answer edBr uckner , "t hat ' s per f ect l y al l r i ght . I f eel j ust t he same way about yourt hi ngs. "


I n 1890, war ned by r epeat ed at t acks of l ar yngi t i s and general ner vousness, hebegged l eave t o spend a year f r ee f r om conservat ory duty. Hi s r equest wasgrant ed, but wi t h no pay. He now drew t he l ong- dormant Fi r st Symphony f r om i t sdust y shel f and set t o work pol i shi ng i t . Sever al year s bef or e, Hans Ri cht er ,happeni ng to be pr esent when t wo of Br uckner ' s pupi l s pl ayed a f our - handarr angement of t he work, i n hi s ent husi asm snat ched up the or chest r al score andwant ed to r un of f wi t h i t , when Br uckner cal l ed out anxi ousl y, "But t her agamuf f i n has to be cl eaned f i r st ! " Fr omt hat t i me t he Fi r st Symphony was known

i n Br uckner ci r cl es as t he "Ragamuf f i n" an apt nomencl ature, i ndeed, when oner emembers t he i mpudence of t he openi ng bars.Her mann Levi , al r eady f ami l i ar wi t h i t , was par t i cul ar l y wor r i ed t hat t he agi ngmast er mi ght make radi cal changes i n the pr ocess of r evi si on and wr ot e t o hi m:"The Fi r st i s wonderf ul ! I t must be pr i nt ed and per f ormedbut pl ease don' tchange i t t oo muchi t i s al l good j ust as i t st ands, even t he i nst r ument at i on.Pl ease, pl ease, not t oo much r et ouchi ng. " An el oquent t r i but e t o the geni us oft he ear l y Br uckner i s t hi s, ver di ct f r om t he l i ps of t he gr eat est of Wagner i anconduct or s and cer t ai nl y one of t he f i nest musi ci ans of hi s t i me.Duri ng t hese vacat i on days t he mast er woul d revi ew wi t h l ongi ng t he happy days


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bef ore hi s Vi ennese t r i al s began. Wonder i ng what had become of t he pr et t yJ osephi ne Lang wi t h whom he had f al l en i n l ove t wenty- f i ve years bef or e, hedeci ded t o l ook her up. She had marr i ed l ong bef ore and he was del i ght ed t o f i ndi n her beaut i f ul f our t een- year - ol d daught er t he l i vi ng r epl i ca of her mot herwhom he had l oved so l ong ago. Ki ssi ng the gi r l , he cal l ed her : "My dar l i ngsubst i t ut e. " I n her company al l r eckoni ng of t i me past or pr esent was l ost f orhi m and hi s heart beat once more as swi f t l y as t he vacat i on moment s f l ew by.On December 21, 1890, t he f i r st and second pr i nted ver si ons of t he WagnerSymphony were per f ormed consecut i vel y i n Vi enna. Hansl i ck admi t t ed t hat her e andt her e f our or ei ght bar s of except i onal and ori gi nal beaut y mi ght be hear d, butt hat t he bul k of t he work was "chaos. " One wonder s whet her t he man was r eal l y sool d- f ashi oned t hat he coul d onl y read conf usi on out of t he super- order whi ch t hewor l d now knows as Br uckner ' s symphoni c f orm, as vast and as cent r i pet al as agreat empi r e.About Hansl i ck t her e seems ever t o be poppi ng up a ghost of doubt , "Was t he man,af t er al l , si ncer e?" I f so, he cer t ai nl y deser ved t he i mmort al i t y Wagner gavehi m i n t he f i gur e of Beckmesser . I t i s good f or us t o keep i n mi nd t hatBeckmesser or Hansl i ck, t he st ubborn react i onar y, i s an et er nal t ype to be f oundi n ever y gener at i on and i n ever y f i el d of act i vi t y.


On t he above occasi on t he cri t i c Hel m, l ong f ai t hf ul Hansl i ck assi st ant , l ef tt he opposi t i on and st epped over t o Br uckner ' s si de beat i ng hi s breast s f or hi spast si ns. The val i ant Kal beck st i l l st ood f i r m and i ncor r i gi bl e. He of f er edt hi s reci pe i n l i eu of cri t i ci sm: "Stand t he Al l egr o of Beet hoven' s Ni nt h on i t shead and see t he Fi nal e of t hi s Br uckner Symphony t umbl e out . "Vi enna was by t hen t horoughl y convi nced of Br uckner' s qual i t y. A gr oup ofweal t hy Aust r i ans met t o t ake f i nanci al measured necessar y t o f r ee t he composerf r om hi s arduous academi c dut i es. Though pr i de at f i r st l ed hi m t o mi sunder st andt he moti ve f or t hi s, t he mast er soon r eal i zed t hat not hi ng but r egar d f or hi sgeni us had pr ompt ed i t and gr atef ul l y accept ed t he of f er, deepl y moved. Thus hewas set f r ee t o do wi t h t he l ast f i ve year s of hi s l i f e as he wi shed. Hi s newf ound l ei sure per mi t t i ng, he woul d of t en make t r i ps t o Germany t o hear hi s worksper f or med.

Once a chambermai d i n a Berl i n hot el pr essed a not e i nto hi s hand on hi sdepar t ur e f or Vi enna, i n whi ch she expr essed gr eat concer n f or t he bodi l ywel f ar e of her "dear Mr . Br uckner . " Nat ur al l y, ' he r esponded at once, buti nsi st ed ( t hi s was a mat t er of pr i nci pl e wi t h hi m) upon bei ng i nt r oduced t o thegi r l ' s par ent s. Wi t h t hem an under st andi ng was qui ckl y ar r i ved at and a l i vel ycorr espondence ent er ed upon, unt i l Br uckner , despi t e the admoni t i on of hi shorr i f i ed f r i ends, had made up hi s mi nd t o mar r y the gi r l . He i nsi st ed, however ,t hat she be conver t ed t o Cat hol i ci sm and t hi s pr oved i n t he end t he onl yst umbl i ng bl ock t o one of t he most cur i ous mat ches on recor d. For t unat el y, t he

gi r l woul d not sacri f i ce her f ai t h even f or t he pr i vi l ege of nur si ng her bel ovedMr . Br uckner . " He was seventy- one year s ol d when t hi s advent ure wi t h I da Buhz,t he sol i ci t ous mai d, came to an end.

Then t here was al so hi s "af f ai r " wi t h t he young and pret t y Mi nna Rei schi . Add t oa pai r of r ogui sh eyes a t horoughl y musi cal nat ur e and i t i s easy t o see why t heaged l over l ost hi s hear t t o thi s gi r l . She, of cour se, must have been mer el yamusi ng hersel f at Br uckner' s expense, because when she went as f ar as t o br i ngt he composer home t o her parents, t hese sensi bl e peopl e of t he wor l d at onceawakened hi m out of hi s December dream. When he came to Li nz shor t l y af t er , hi sacquai nt ances guessi ng the t r uth, t eased hi m, sayi ng: "Aha! So you have been out


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marr yi ng agai n!" Wi t h Mi nna, however , who af t erwards marr i ed a weal t hymanuf act ur er , Br uckner r emai ned ver y f r i endl y unt i l t he end.I n the aut umn of 1891 he was cr eat ed "Honorary Doct or" of t he Uni ver si t y ofVi enna, a di st i nct i on whi ch gave t he i ngenuous composer much happi ness. Not l ongbef ore t hi s he had r ecei ved f r omt he emper or Franz J oseph an i nsi gni a of whi chhe was i nor di nat el y pr oud and whi ch he was ver y f ond of di spl ayi ng, much as achi l d wi l l a new t oy. Thi s weakness of hi s f or gl i t t er , a char acteri st i c as ar ul e i ncompat i bl e wi t h t r ue gr eat ness, i s yet easi l y t o be reconci l ed wi t h hi schi l di shness and t he l ong year s spent i n a l and wher e t i t l es and decorat i onswere regarded as t he hi ghest marks of honor .


The summer of 1803 saw hi m t he cent r al f i gur e at t he Bayreuth Fest spi el e. Hi sar r i val was ent husi ast i cal l y gr eet ed by a host of musi ci ans and musi c- l over s. I nt he conf usi on of wel come t he t r unk cont ai ni ng t he sket ches of t he Ni nt h Symphonydi sappear ed, but af t er many anxi ous hour s i t was l ocat ed at t he pol i ce- st at i on,t o t he composer ' s gr eat r el i ef . Dai l y he made hi s pi l gr i mage t o the gr ave of t he"Mast er of al l Mast ers. " The cr i t i c Mar sop, once an enemy of hi s, says he sawBr uckner! appr oach Wagner ' s grave reverent l y, f ol d hi s hands and pr ay wi t h such

f er vor t hat t he tear s l i t er al l y st r eamed down hi s f ace. Per haps, Br uckneral r eady f el t t hat t hi s vi si t t o Wahnf r i ed mi ght be hi s l ast .I n the consci ousness of t he more enl i ght ened Vi ennese hi s name now occupi ed apl ace besi de the gr eat master s who had l i ved i n the "ci t y of musi c, " and as hepassed al ong t he st r eet , voi ces coul d be hear d whi sper i ng wi t h awe: "There goesAnton Br uckner! "He l i ved i n a smal l , si mpl e apar t ment of t wo rooms and ki t chen, t ended by an ol df ai t hf ul servant , Kathi , who f or t went y year s had spent ; a f ew hour s each daycar i ng f or t he bachel or' s househol d. I n the bl uewal l ed roomwhere he workedst ood hi s ol d gr and pi ano, a har moni um, a l i t t l e t abl e, and some chai r s. Thef l oor and most of t he f ur ni t ur e were l i t t er ed wi t h musi c. On t he wal l s hung al ar ge phot ogr aph and an oi l pai nt i ng of hi msel f . From t hi s r oom a door l ed t ohi s bedr oom, t he wal l s of whi ch were cover ed wi t h pi ct ur es of hi s " bel ovedMast ers. " On t he f l oor st ood a bust of hi msel f whi ch he was pl eased t o show hi sf r i ends, who rel at e that he woul d pl ace hi s hand upon i t s br ow, smi l e wi st f ul l y,and say: "Good chap! " Agai nst t he wal l st ood an Engl i sh br ass bed pr esent ed t ohi m by hi s pupi l s. Thi s he cal l ed "My one l uxur y. " At home he woul d go dr essedeven more comf or t abl y t han on the st r eet , merel y! donni ng a l oose coat whenevera guest was announced. Kat hi knew exact l y at what hours guest s were wel come. I ft he mast er was composi ng no one was per mi t t ed t o di st urb hi m. At ot her t i mes hewent i n person t o meet t he cal l er at t he door . Br uckner worked, as a rul e, onl yi n t he morni ng, but somet i mes he woul d get up dur i ng t he ni ght t o wr i t e down ani dea t hat had suddenl y! come t o hi m. Possessi ng no l amp, he di d thi s ni ght workby the l i ght of t wo wax candl es. When t he f ai t hf ul Kat hi saw t r aces of t hese i nt he morni ng she scol ded hi m sever el y, war ni ng hi m t o be more car ef ul about hi sheal t h. When she i nsi st ed t hat he compose onl y i n t he dayt i me, he woul d saycont empt uousl y: "What do you know about such t hi ngs? I have t o compose whenever

an i dea comes t o me. "Somet i mes, other answer s f ai l i ng hi m, he t r i ed nai vel y to i mpr ess her wi t h hi si mport ance, cr yi ng: "Do you know whomyou are t al ki ng t o? I amBr uckner! " "And IamKat hi , " she ret ort ed and t hat was t he end of t he ar gument . Af t er hi s deat hshe sai d of hi m: "He was r ude, but good!"


On t he ei ght eenth of December , 1892, occurr ed t he most i mpressi ve per f ormance ofhi s career , when t he Phi l harmoni c pl ayed hi s Ei ghth Symphony. Real i zi ng t he


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unprecedented depth of t hi s work, a pr of undi t y whi ch onl y movement s of t he mostcol ossal propor t i ons coul d cope wi t h, Br uckner had been much wor r i ed concerni ngt he wel come i t woul d recei ve f r om t he publ i c. The perf ormance, however, wassuper b and ar oused t he gr eat est ent husi asm. J ust bef ore t he Fi nal e t heexasperated Hansl i ck rose t o t ake hi s l eave and r ecei ved an ovat i on such as onl yt he consummat e vi l l ai n of t he pl ay i s gi ven upon a par t i cul ar l y ef f ect i ve exi t .Br uckner ' s condi t i on at t hi s t i me was al r eady causi ng hi s doct ors much concer nand i t was onl y owi ng t o t he ext r eme i mport ance of t he occasi on t hat t heyper mi t t ed hi m t o be pr esent .At t he cl ose of t he symphony, whi ch had been t he sol e number on t he progr am, t heappl ause was t r emendous and t hreatened never t o end. Br uckner, af t er count l essbows t o t he audi ence, t urned and bowed t o t he f amous or chest r a whi ch had at l astbeen won over t o hi s si de. I t was a t r ue t r i umph, t he Fi r st unqual i f i ed vi ct or yhe had ever gai ned i n Vi enna. The cr i t i cs cal l ed i t t he "cr own of ni net eent hcent ur y musi c, " " t he mast er pi ece of t he Br uckner st yl e. " Hugo Wol f wr ote: "Thewor k r ender s al l cri t i ci sm f ut i l e; t he Adagi o i s absol ut el y i ncompar abl e. " Event he "hol dout , " Kal beck, at l ast admi t t ed, "Br uckner i s a mast er ofi nst r ument at i on, " and " t he symphony i s wort hy of i t s sol e posi t i on on t heprogr am. "Br uckner was most unhappy t hat i ncr easi ng i l l ness of t en made i t i mpossi bl e f or

hi m t o hear hi s own works, t he per f ormances Of whi ch were becomi ng ever moref r equent . He had been put on a st r i ct di et . "Even my f avor i t e Pi l sner beer i sf orbi dden me, " he compl ai ned t o hi s f ormer t eacher Ki t zi er . Hi s badl y swol l enf eet r ender ed organ pl ayi ng out of t he quest i on and he had to remai n i n bed mostof t he t i me. Never t hel ess i t was t hi s same suf f er i ng Br uckner who wr ote t her ol l i cki ng Scher zo of t he Ni nt h' Symphony, per haps t he most vi t al of al l hi sl i ght er movement s.

The end of 1893 saw such an i mprovement i n hi s condi t i on t hat he was evenper mi t t ed a t r i p t o Ber l i n. Thi s change f or t he bet t er was, al as, onl yt emporar y, f or t he f ol l owi ng days br ought such an endur i ng rel apse t hat he coul dnot at t end the f i r st per f ormance of hi s Fi f t h Symphony i n Gr az, under t hat youngeagl e of t he baton, Franz Schal k, Apr i l 8, 1894. A devot ed pupi l of Br uckner ,Schal k had f er vent l y embr aced t he enormousl y di f f i cul t under t aki ng of l ovei nvol ved i n t he st udy and pr oduct i on of t hi s mi ght y wor k, wi t h i t s i r r esi st i bl yi nspi r i ng cl i max. Onl y t he pr esence of t he ai l i ng mast er was l acki ng t o r endert he occasi on as happy as i t was musi cal l y i mport ant .Dur i ng t he summer Br uckner was suf f i ci ent l y recover ed t o ret ur n t o the r ust i csur r oundi ngs of hi s ear l i er year s, but hi s sevent i et h bi r t hday was cel ebr at edqui et l y, by order of t he Vi ennese doct or who had accompani ed hi m. Tel egr ams ofcongr at ul at i on and best wi shes st r eamed i nt o t he l i t t l e t own of St eyr f r omal lcor ner s of t he ear t h. Ar t i cl es about hi m and hi s wor k appear ed i n al l t henewspapers . The peopl e of Li nz best owed on hi m t he key of t he ci t y; he wasel ect ed honorar y member of count l ess musi cal organi zat i ons. I n short , not asi ngl e si gn of est eemt he ear t h mi ght show i t s ki ngs of t one was now wi t hhel df r omt he ai l i ng geni us. The gl ory he had r i chl y ear ned t went y year s bef ore nowcame to hi m when t he gr eat est j oy he coul d r eveal at t he real i zat i on of hi suni ver sal r ecogni t i on was a wi st f ul smi l e i n whi ch l i f e- l ong spi r i t ual pai n

l ur ked behi nd t he ghost of a bel ated happi ness.


Unexpect edl y, what seemed a swi f t r ecover y, i n t he f al l of 1894. , f ound hi m oncemore ascendi ng t he pl at f orm at t he uni ver si t y to resume hi s l ect ur es on musi calt heory. Onl y a f ew such days of grace were grant ed hi s shat t ered body byr el ent l ess Fat e, f or t wo weeks l at er he st ood f or t he l ast t i me bef ore hi sbel oved st udent s. Fromt hen on hi s heal t h decl i ned st eadi l y and even hi s ment alcondi t i on suf f er ed f r om er r at i c spel l s. He was compel l ed t o abandon hi s Ni nt h


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Symphony at t he cl ose of t he thi r d. movement , an Adagi o whi ch, he tol d f r i ends,was t he most beaut i f ul he had ever composed. Fr om sket ches f ound among hi sposthumous ef f ect s we know i t had been hi s i nt ent i on t o add t o t hi s gl ori ouswor k a pur el y i nst r ument al f i nal e, per haps i n the manner of t he cl osi ng por t i onof hi s Tr agi c Symphony.

Yet , l i t t l e t hough he r eal i zed i t , when t he l ast note of t hi s Adagi o di es outt her e i s no expectati on unf ul f i l l ed. I t i s as i f he has conf essed al l , pour edout hi s ver y soul i n t hi s musi c, so that t he work he despai r ed of everf i ni shi ng, t he wor k he di ed t hi nki ng i ncompl et e, now st r i kes t he l i st ener as aper f ect symphony- uni t needi ng no pr escr i bed f i nal e.On J anuar y 12, 1806, he heard hi s Te Deum, i t s per f ormance i n Vi enna havi ng beenr ecommended by no ot her t han Br ahms hi msel f , who at l ast seems t o have changedhi s at t i t ude t owards t he man he had op

Anton Bruckner by Gabriel Engel

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