A few songs and piano works exist, but his symphonies and his choral works are his claim to fame-and, of course, given the implicit hierarchy of classical music, that means the symphonies. As for his choice of genres, Bruckner’s only significant chamber work is his String Quintet, and despite his stature as a virtuoso organist, he wrote barely any works for that instrument.

He began serious composition rather late (in his view, it only began in 1863 after his studies with Kitzler), his symphonies tended to be very long, and he constantly revised what he had already written (often to match his theories of metrical analysis). Compositions and Receptionįor a major composer, Bruckner wrote relatively few compositions in relatively few genres, for several reasons. It was in Vienna that almost all of his symphonies were written and that the slow path of his musical acceptance finally began. He taught organ at the Conservatory as well, and held various other positions, including organist (one of three) at the Hofkapelle. In October 1868 he moved at last to the cultural capital of Austria, Vienna, where he was Professor of Harmony and Counterpoint at the Vienna Conservatory until his retirement in 1891 his pupils included the influential theorist Heinrich Schenker. He was said to be especially concerned with dynamics. He also was the director of the chorus for two periods, first from November 1860 to September 1861, and then again from January to October 1868. As a chorister he sang second tenor any especially gorgeous second tenor parts are surely owing to that experience. On the negative side, Bruckner’s association with Wagner (and the “new” music that he stood for) created obstacles to the acceptance of his compositions, especially by the important Viennese music critic Eduard Hanslick (a delicious story-possibly apocryphal-is that the foolish and pedantic Beckmesser in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger, the “villain” of the piece, was originally named Hans Lick).ĭuring Bruckner’s time in Linz he was part of the “Liedertafel Frohsinn” chorus, first joining in 1856. On the positive side, Bruckner adopted aspects of Wagner’s harmony and orchestration (though earlier composers, including Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert remained important influences). Through Kitzler Bruckner learned the music of Wagner and rapidly became an ardent disciple of the operatic master. After ending that round of study, he embarked on another, this time of form and orchestration with cellist and Linz theater conductor Otto Kitzler, continuing his studies until 1863. In 1855 he also began studying counterpoint and harmony with the famous Viennese theorist Simon Sechter, training that lasted until 1861. In November 1855 Bruckner accepted the position of organist at Linz cathedral (provisional at first, then permanent two months later). In 1850 he became the organist for the monastery, a position that, however, never moved beyond provisional status. During his time there he developed into an outstanding organist with special skills in improvisation. Florian’s, where he also taught the choirboys singing. In 1845 he moved to a much better position as assistant schoolteacher back at St. He continued to study music and was composing by this time. Florian’s he trained as a schoolteacher in Linz (1840–1841) and then taught in two small villages between 18. Here he studied singing, violin, and organ he had begun piano studies earlier.ĭespite his evident musical gifts, after leaving St. Unlike many important nineteenth-century composers, he had a strong background in vocal music, becoming a choirboy at age 13 at the Augustinian monastery of St. Born in a small Austrian village, Bruckner showed musical talent from an early age.

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