Symphony No. 7 (Bruckner)

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Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 in E major is one of his most popular Symphonies. It was written between 1881 and 1883 and revised in 1885. It is dedicated to Ludwig II of Bavaria. The premiere, given under Arthur Nikisch in the opera house of Leipzig in 1884, brought Bruckner the greatest success he had known in his life. The symphony is sometimes referred to as the "Lyric", though the appellation is not the composer's own, and is not often used.

Contents

[edit] Description

The symphony has four movements:

  1. Allegro moderato E major.
  2. Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam C-sharp minor. Legend has it that Bruckner wrote the cymbal clash at the climax of this movement at the precise moment on hearing the news that Wagner had died. (Bruckner likely did not intend the use of cymbals at all [1], [2]. They are included in the Adagio of the 8th, however.)
  3. Scherzo. Sehr schnell A minor.
  4. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht schnell E major. In the recapitulation, the subject groups are reversed in order (a form sometimes called "tragic sonata form").

[edit] Versions

[edit] 1883 version

This was the version performed at the work's premiere. Unfortunately it survives only in one autograph copy which includes later changes by Bruckner and others, so the exact contents of this version are lost unless new manuscripts are found. This version is unpublished.

[edit] 1885 version

[edit] Guttmann edition (published 1885)

Some changes were made after the 1884 premiere but before the first publication by Guttmann in 1885. It is widely accepted that Nikisch, Franz Schalk and Ferdinand Löwe had significant influence over this edition, but there is some debate over the extent to which these changes were authorized by Bruckner. These changes mostly affect tempo and orchestration.

[edit] Haas edition (published 1944)

Robert Haas attempted to remove the influence of Nikisch, Schalk and Löwe in order to retrieve Bruckner's original conception of the symphony. Haas used some material from the 1883 autograph but because this autograph also includes later changes much of his work was the product of conjecture. The most prominent feature of Haas's edition is the absence of cymbals, triangle and timpani in the slow movement.

[edit] Nowak edition (published 1954)

Leopold Nowak kept most of the changes in the 1885 Guttmann edition, including the percussion. He reprinted the tempo modifications from Guttmann but placed them in brackets. Many performances of this version omit the cymbal clash at the climax of the slow movement, although it is included in the printed score.

[edit] Instrumentation

The symphony requires an instrumentation of one pair each flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, with four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, and a quartet of Wagner tubas, along with a contrabass tuba, timpani and strings, and possibly cymbals and triangle.

[edit] Use by Hitler

Hitler before the bust of Bruckner at Walhalla, 1937
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Hitler before the bust of Bruckner at Walhalla, 1937

According to Frederic Spotts's Hitler and the Power of Aesthetics, Adolf Hitler compared this symphony favorably with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. When he consecrated a bust of Bruckner at Regensburg's Walhalla temple in 1937, the Adagio from the Seventh was played as Hitler stood in quiet admiration, a widely photographed propaganda stunt. Ironically, a recording of the Adagio was played before Admiral Karl Dönitz announced Hitler's death on Radio Berlin on May 1, 1945.

[edit] Discography

The first commercial recording was made by Oskar Fried with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra in 1924 for Polydor. Along with the Fourth, the Seventh is the most popular Bruckner symphony both in the concert-hall and on record.

[edit] Notable recordings

An arrangement of this symphony for chamber ensemble was prepared in 1921 by students and associates of Arnold Schoenberg, for the Viennese Society for Private Musical Performances: Hanns Eisler (1st and 3rd movements), Erwin Stein (2nd mvt.), and Karl Rankl (3rd mvt). The Society folded before the arrangement could be performed, and it was not premiered until more than 60 years later. It is scored for 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, Bass, Clarinet, Horn, Piano (4-hands), and Harmonium.

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