Bruckner: Symphony No.4

It was on the borderline between High and Late Romanticism, where the style of the times was to change and finally dissolve, that Bruckner conjured up the essence of the Romantic attitude with his Fourth Symphony. It was Bruckner himself who gave the work its popular title 'The Romantic' as this symphony conjures up an ideal world in bright, unbroken colours, whilst reflecting upon an intact and carefree past. The consistently relaxed and positive mood of the symphony seems more astonishing when one considers the complicated history of the works genesis. The first version of 1874, was rejected by Bruckner after several plans for a premiere came to nothing; with relentless self-criticism, he referred to it as overladen and 'too restless'. In 1878 he subjected it to radical revision, in the course of which, among other things, a completely new third movement was written - the hunting scherzo. As one of Bruckners most-performed works the Fourth has remained successful to this day. Indeed, the symphonys unbroken popularity also underscores the timeless appeal of Bruckners work: that deeply human longing for the Romantic, which has left no-one unmoved to this day. Mariss Jansons performed the Romantic Symphony in Munichs Philharmonie im Gasteig in concerts at the end of November 2008, together with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

1. I. Bewegt, Nicht Zu Schnell

2. II. Andante Quasi Allegretto

3. III. Scherzo. Bewegt

4. IV. Finale. Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Schnell