The Cambridge Companion to Bruckner (Cambridge Companions to Music)

This Companion provides an overview of the composer Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). Sixteen essays by leading experts provide an introduction to Bruckner's life and works in all genres and introduce the lay reader to issues that have concerned scholars over the past twenty years. This Companion Provides An Overview Of The Composer Anton Bruckner (1824-96). Sixteen Chapters By Leading Scholars Investigate Aspects Of His Life And Works And Consider The Manner In Which Critical Appreciation Has Changed In The Twentieth Century. The First Section Deals With Bruckner's Austrian Background, Investigating The Historical Circumstances In Which He Worked, His Upbringing In Upper Austria, And His Career In Vienna. A Number Of Misunderstandings Are Dealt With In The Light Of Recent Research. The Remainder Of The Book Covers Bruckner's Career As Church Musician And Symphonist, With A Chapter On The Neglected Secular Vocal Music. Religious, Aesthetic, Formal, Harmonic, And Instrumental Aspects Are Considered, While One Chapter Confronts The Problem Of The Editions Of The Symphonies. Two Concluding Chapters Discuss The Symphonies In Performance, And The History Of Bruckner Reception With Particular Reference To German Nationalism, The Third Reich And The Appropriation Of Bruckner By The Nazis.--jacket. Part I -- Introduction: A Catholic Composer In The Age Of Bismarck / John Williamson -- Musical Life In Upper Austria In The Mid-nineteenth Century / Andrea Harrandt -- Bruckner In Vienna / Andrea Harrandt -- Part Ii: Choral Music -- Bruckner's Large Sacred Compositions / Paul Hawkshaw -- Bruckner And The Motet / A. Crawford Howie -- Bruckner And Secular Vocal Music / A. Crawford Howie -- Part Iii: The Symphonist -- The Brucknerian Symphony: An Overview / John Williamson -- Bruckner's Symphonies - A Reinterpretation: A Dialectic Of Darkness And Light / Derek B. Scott -- Programme Symphony And Absolute Music / John Williamson -- Bruckner Editions: The Revolution Revisited / Benjamin M. Korstvedt -- Bruckner And The Symphony Orchestra / Julian Horton -- Between Formlessness And Formality: Aspects Of Bruckner's Approach To Symphonic Form / Benjamin M. Korstvedt -- Formal Process As Spiritual Progress: The Symphonic Slow Movements / Margaret Notley -- Bruckner And Harmony / Kevin Swinden -- Part Iv: Reception. Conductors And Bruckner / John Williamson -- The Musical Image Of Bruckner / Christa Brustle. Edited By John Williamson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 261-297) And Index. This Companion provides an overview of the composer Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). Sixteen chapters investigate aspects of his life and works and consider the manner in which critical appreciation has changed in the twentieth century. The first section deals with Bruckner's Austrian background, investigating the historical circumstances in which he worked, his upbringing in Upper Austria, and his career in Vienna. The remainder of the book covers Bruckner's career as church musician and symphonist, with a chapter on the neglected secular vocal music. Religious, aesthetic, formal, harmonic, and instrumental aspects are considered, while one chapter confronts the problem of the editions of the symphonies. Two concluding chapters discuss the symphonies in performance, and the history of Bruckner-reception with particular reference to German Nationalism, the Third Reich and the appropriation of Bruckner by the Nazis. -- publisher description Sixteen essays by leading experts introduce the lay reader to issues that have concerned scholars over the past twenty years regarding Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). They provide an introduction to the composer's life and works, covering such problematic areas as his relationship to Vienna; the numerous editions of his symphonies; performing styles; and his appropriation by the Nazis during the Third Reich. They also consider the extent to which his Catholicism shaped not just his religious music but his symphonies as well.