Even though the Symphony in D minor wasn't included among Anton Bruckner's numbered symphonies, its significance is belied by its unofficial nickname, "Die Nullte" (The 0th). Composed in 1869, between the Symphony No. 1 in C minor and the Symphony No. 2 in C minor, the work was later preserved with the autographs Bruckner intended to save for posterity, despite the cryptic "Ø" symbol he wrote on three pages, and the terms "gilt nicht" (does not count) and "annulirt" (annulled). This live recording by Gerd Schaller and the ...
Read More
Even though the Symphony in D minor wasn't included among Anton Bruckner's numbered symphonies, its significance is belied by its unofficial nickname, "Die Nullte" (The 0th). Composed in 1869, between the Symphony No. 1 in C minor and the Symphony No. 2 in C minor, the work was later preserved with the autographs Bruckner intended to save for posterity, despite the cryptic "Ø" symbol he wrote on three pages, and the terms "gilt nicht" (does not count) and "annulirt" (annulled). This live recording by Gerd Schaller and the Philharmonie Festiva shows that this symphony is much more accomplished and original than Bruckner or his contemporaries realized, and despite the composer's apparent lack of confidence in it, it has joined the rest of the cycle in most modern collections and is regarded as an important part of his development. Schaller's reading is serious and meticulous, and the orchestra is responsive and precise in its execution, giving the symphony some sharpness and the extra dose of energy that...
Read Less