CDLV. BRUCKNER, Anton (1824-1896)
First movement
This really sounds like someone creeping down the staircase:
A huge climax on A Major (can he get any further from the tonic?) and the texture thins until only a violin tremolo remains -- on A, then D. Of course, Bruckner immediately launches into a completely unprepared B-Flat Minor!
Next comes a second theme in F Minor, D-Flat Major
and back to F Minor:
and a third theme in D-Flat Major, jumping up a semitone from the quiet C Major chord:
Beautiful writing for brass:
Reduced:
Final bars:
Second movement
Lovely oboe; two-against-three rhythm:
and then a gorgeous string chorale:
Third movement
Duplicating the exact same bass line from the previous movement, Bruckner opens this movement with a fast-moving motivic theme in D Minor:
The second theme -- still using the same bass line -- is slower with an arching melody which touches the third, fourth and fifth degrees of F:
Development, recap, and finally the Trio -- a third theme:
The Scherzo is repeated ...
Fourth movement
Fourth movement
Opening exactly like the first movement:
This second clever fugue is unusually answered at the third (C to E); then D-Flat to A-Flat!
Both fugal subjects are presented simultaneously:
