The Life of Anton Bruckner BY GABRIEL ENGEL from CHORD AND DISCORD A JOURNAL JOURNAL OF MODERN MODERN MUSICAL MUSICAL PROGRESS PROGRESS Published by the Bruckner Society of America, Inc. in January, 1940 -- (Vol. 2, No.1)
Li ke Franz Franz Sch Schu uber t , Ant on Br uckn ckner spr spr i ngs f r om a l i ne of Aust r i an scho school mast er s. I n t he pl easan sant l y si t uat ed vi l l age of Ansf el den, not f ar f r om t he t own of Li nz, Br uckne ckner ' s grand grandf at her J osep oseph an and hi s f at her Ant on had bot bot h devot ed t hei r l i ves t o t he dr ab dut i es of of r ust i c pe pedagogy, at t hat t i me st i l l consi consi der ed a heredi eredi t ar y occu occup pat i on among ong pr ovi ovi nci al s. Hence t he ar ar r i val val on ear t h of Ant on hi msel f on Sept Sept ember ber 4, 1824 1824,, meant eant i n t he nor nor mal cour cour se of of t hi ngs ngs merel y a f r esh cand candi dat e f or t he abu abundant ant mi ser i es of of school school mast ers hi p. As ear ear l y as as hi hi s f our t h yea year t he ti ny "Ton "Toner l , " l i ke Haydn ydn a cen cent ur y be bef or e hi hi m, show showed hi hi s und undeni eni abl e musi cal cal bent , f or even ven t hen he he cou coul d br br i ng f ort h i nt el l i gi bl e musi c f r om a l i t t l e f i ddl e and ( t o quot e an ol d Ansf el der ' s na nai ve cha char act er i zat zat i on of t hese f i r st si gns of of com composer ser ' s f ancy) cy) "coul "coul d of t en be hear d hum hummi ng or whi st l i ng unknow unknown t unes. unes. " Wi t h t he da dawn of scho school i ng t he ch chi l d sho showed a hear t y di di sl i ke f or al l cl assr oom act i vi t i es, excep cept t he "Si "Si ngst unde, " an ho hour whi ch see seemed f or hi m f i l l ed wi t h i r r esi st i bl e encha chant ment . Of cour cour se, he recei recei ved ved many a whi ppi ng f or hi s backw ckwar dness i n al al l extr a- musi cal cal st udi es. As t r adi adi t i on demanded of t he vi l l age age schoo schooll - t eache cher , Fat Fat her Br Br uckne ckner had al so t o pl ay t he organ organ i n chu chur ch, ch, and i t i s d do oubt l ess owi ng t o hi hi s ef ef f ort s t hat Ant on at t en knew knew enou enoug gh ab about out t he or or gan t o at at t r act t he at at t ent ent i on of a goo good d musi ci an i n a near by vi vi l l age. Under t hi s man Wei ss, a cou cousi si n of t he f ami l y, t he boy t hen ear ear nest l y st udi ed musi cal cal t heory and and or or gan- pl ayi ng f or t wo yea year s. Remar kab kabl y enou enoug gh, t he or gan gan pr pr el udes he he com composed posed dur i ng t hat per i od exh exhi bi t a f r eedo eedom m of exp expr essi on whi ch desert ed hi m al l t hr oug ough hi s subseq subsequ uent ent decad cades of of t heoret i cal cal st udy no not t o ret ur n ag agai n un uni mpai r ed unt i l hi s yea year s of mat ur i t y as as a symphoni phoni st . The deat deat h of hi s f at her i n 1837, 1837, l eavi ng el even chi l dr en ( Ant on bei ng t he el dest ) r ender ed i t i mper at i ve f or hi s mot her t o acce accep pt t he r ef uge of f er ed t he gi f t ed boy boy as Sae Saengerkna erknabe i n t he sacr sacr ed musi c schoo schooll of St . Fl ori an. The The f our our i mpr essi onab onabll e years years he spen spent t her e l ear ear ni ng how t o pl ay t he or gan, an, pi ano, ano, and and vi ol i n, and mast er i ng t he el el ement s of musi cal cal t heor eor y dou doub bt l ess st amped hi hi s ent i r e ch char act er , musi cal cal and ot ot her wi se, se, wi t h a f er ven vent pi et y whi ch no l at er i nf l uence ence ever ever di mmed. ed. Even ven when hen t he conf conf l i ct of suf f er i ng and and passi on r ages ages hi ghest ghest i n hi hi s monum onument ent al symphon phonii c f i r st and and l ast movem ovement ent s, a sudd sudden en nai nai ve app appeal eal di r ect t o hea heave ven n t hr ough ough aust aust ere t r ombone one chor chor al es poi poi nt s back back t o t he i nf l uence of of t hose ea ear l y ye year s of unquest i oni ng de devot vot i on an and zea zeal at St . Fl or i an. Pag Page 2 - - The The Li f e of of Ant on Br uckner ckner Yet at t hi s t i me t he i dea of musi c as a l i f e- wor k seems har dl y t o have ent er ed t he boy' boy' s mi nd. nd. Hi s l at her her had had bee been n a school school mast er ; he t oo must becom become one one.. To f ur t her t hi s ai ai m he ad added t o hi hi s arduo arduous musi c cou cour ses ses pr pr i vat vat e studi studi es i n aca academi c sub subj ect s, f i nal l y gai ni ng admi ssi on t o t he t each eachers* ers* pr epar at ory schoo schooll at Li nz. Though Though even a br i ef t en mont hs spent i n l ear ni ng what a pi ous chi l d must not be t augh aughtt pr oved oved t r yi ng t o so hum human a soul soul as young young Br uckner uckner , he pass pass ed hi s exam xami nat i on f or a posi t i on at seve seven nt een and set set out out f or t he f i r st scen scene of hi s t eachi chi ng car car eer , t he worl d- f ors aken ken moun ount ai n- vi l l age of Wi ndhaag. ag. Here, as assi st ant vi l l age age t each eache er and organ organi st , he was t o r ecei cei ve t he muni f i cen cent mont ont hl y
wage of t wo gul den ( l ess t han ei ght y ce cent s) . Addi t i onal at t r act i ve f eat ur es of of hi s work work we wer e t hat he must hel p i n t he f i el d du dur i ng "spar "spar e" t i me an and br br eakf akf ast wi t h t he mai d ser ser vant vant . I n spi spi t e of of t hese cr ushi ng hand andi caps caps t he yout yout h seem seems not not t o hav have e bee been n al al t oget oget her her unhappy, f or he f ound t he vi l l age- f ol k f r i endl y. An espe speci al j oy was t he f ol k- l i f e and danci ng, wi t h i t s op oppor t uni t y f or a new, f asci nat i ng ki nd of musi c maki ng. I n t hi s pl pl easan sant l i f e t he yout h gl adl y j oi ned, pl ayi ng t he f i ddl e at dances ces and and absor bi ng t hose r ust i c, r hyt hmi c st r ai ns whi ch t he Mi das- t ouch ouch of hi s gen geni us l at er t urned urned i nt o i ncomparabl y vi t al and and hum humor ous ous symphoni oni c scher scher zos. The anci ent cal m of t he vi l l age chur ch ser vi ces was f r equent equent l y i nt er r upt upt ed by t he new new or gani gani st whose mar ked l eani eani ng t owar ds dr amat i c har moni oni es was was i r r epr essi bl e. Hi s ex exper i ence wi t h t he st ar t l ed vi l l ager s i n t hi s respe respect wa was much l i ke t hat of t he gr eat eat Bach ach hi msel f , who was once once of f i ci al l y repr repr oved oved f or hi s f ant ast i c modul at or y i nt er pol at i ons du dur i ng t he r i t ual musi c. Yet Br uckner ' s i nnat nnat e musi ci anshi p must have dawned even upon upon t he i gnor gnor ant vi l l ager s, f or t hi s wor d has com come do down about i t di r ect f r om t he l i ps of an ol d Ansf el der , "Yes, "Yes, t hat f el l ow Br uckne ckner was a devi l i sh f i ne musi ci an! " Then, as an an af t er t hought , i n t he l i ght of a t eache cher ' s un unhappy l ot , "I woul dn' t l et any son son of mi ne becom ecome a t each eacher. er. No, si r ! Much bet bet t er be a cobb cobbl er ! " One day day Br Br uckner uckner , who was absent absent - mi nded nded,, f or got got t o at t end end t o some meni eni al chor chor e i n t he f i el d and f or puni shm shment he was t r ansf er r ed t o the st i l l smal l er vi l l age of Kr onsd onsdorf orf . The t eacher ' s demot i on pr oved t he musi ci an' s pr omot i on, however , f or t he l i t t l e " nest " l ay on onl y an an hour di st ant f r om t wo hi hi st or i c t owns, Enns and and St eyr. The l at t er was not not ed f or i t s f i ne or or gan and soon soon becam came t he ob obj ect of t he you youtt h' s f r equent pi l gr i mages. I n En Enns, mor eover ver , l i ved ved the cel cel ebr at ed or or gani st von von Zanet anet t i , a f i ne musi ci an, an, who now now becam ecame Br Br uckn uckner ' s new new mast er of t heor heor y. Al l hi s composi t i ons ons dur dur i ng t hi s per per i od bear t he modest odest cha char act er of occa occasi si ona onal chur ch musi c. Pag Page 3 - - The The Li f e of of Ant on Br uckner ckner Compl et el y h hum umbl ed i n t he f ace of super super i or know knowl edge edge t he zeal ous ous st uden udentt was con cont ent t o ob obey i mpl i ci t l y t he soso- cal cal l ed l aws of musi c. I nf i ni t e thor thor oughness, t he sol sol e pa pat h t o pe per f ect i on, on, becam came an an ob obsessi on wi t h hi hi m. Trust i ngl y he he al al l owed t he i ncredi credi bl y l ong vei l of year s of of acad cademi c sel sel f - sup suppr essi on t o f al l over ver hi s gen geni us. Mean eanwhi l e he had been een pr epari epari ng hi msel f f or t he f i nal exam exami nat i on f or a r egu egul ar schoo schooll mast er ' s l i cen cense. At l engt h, i n May 18 1845, he passed t he t est , and exp exper i enced ced t he goo good d f ort une of of an i mmedi edi at e ap appoi nt ment ent t o St St . Fl ori an, t he happy ha haven ven of of hi s ear ear l i er you yout h. The t ext s and dedi dedi cat i ons " t o t he beaut beaut i f ul days of young young l ove" of s ever al of hi s song songs an and pi ano pi eces ces i n t hose days t el l us t hat Br uckne ckner met hi s f i r st " f l ame, " youn young Ant oni oni e Wer ner, soon af t er hi s appo appoii nt ment ent as t each eacher er at St . Fl or i an. Yet Yet sen sent i ment was bu but short short - l i ved ved i n t he he hear t of t hi s you yout h whose i nsat sat i abl e ye year ni ng f or musi cal cal kno knowl edge swept asi de al al l ot her con consi der at i ons. At t hi s t i me, t oo, t her e began t o unf ol d t hat magni f i cen cent gi f t of hi s f or f r ee i mpr ovi ovi sat i on on t he organ organ, t he gi f t wi t h whi ch he i n l at er years years hel hel d audi ences ces spel l bound bound,, even even as Bee Beett hoven hoven and and Bach Bach had had don done e bef bef or e hi m. I n 1851 t he post post of organ organi st at St . Fl ori an was decl decl ar ed vaca vacan nt and Br Br uckne ckner , who had had f or s ome t i me been occu occup pyi ng i t as subst subst i t ut e, was of f i ci al l y ap appoi nt ed t her et o. By t hen he ha had r eached ched t he com compar at i vel vel y af af f l uent st at e of ei ght y gul den per yea year , pl us f r ee r ent , and and one one of hi s dea dear est wi she shes had had at l ast been r eal eal i zed: zed: he was mast er of t he f i nest nest or gan i n t he wor l d. Det er mi ned t o beco becom me a vi r t uoso of t he key keybo board ard he he made ade i t a hab habi t t o pr pr act i ce t en hour our s a day day on t he pi ano ano and and t hr ee hour hour s on t he or gan. gan. At St . Fl ori an i n 1849, he com composed osed hi s Re Requi em i n D- mi nor, t he on onl y ea ear l y work
deservi ng cl assi f i cat i on wi t h hi s mat ur e accompl i shment s. Desi r i ng t o obt ai n a l i cense t o t each i n "mai n school s" he cont i nued hi s academi c st udi es, st r essi ng Lat i n, and i n i 8r , i ) successf ul l y passed t hat exami nat i on as wel l . I n 1853 he had made hi s f i r st t r i p t o Vi enna i n t he hope of l ayi ng t he ghost of doubt t hat woul d ever l oom up i n hi s soul as t o t he l i f ework he had chosen. Thi s doubt had even l ed hi m t o consi der gi vi ng up musi c al t oget her , f or he once appl i ed f or a cl er i cal posi t i on i n Li nz, cl ai mi ng i n hi s l et t er t hat he had been pr epar i ng hi msel f f or sever al year s f or such a vocat i on. For t unat el y, wi se counsel i nduced hi m t o f orget such t hought s and t o appl y hi msel f anew t o t heor et i cal st udi es. From t hi s deci si on dat e hi s amazi ng year s of sel f - i mposed conf i nement i n t he cont r apunt al chai ns f or ged by t he f amous Vi ennese musi cal grammar i an, Si mon Secht er . Ther e i s t hi s t o say f or t he al most i ncompr ehensi bl e devot i on of t he superannuat ed school boy Ant on t o hi s t ext - book l essons, t hat onl y such har d pr escr i bed work coul d di spel t he t ort ur i ng doubt s whi ch l ur ked gr i ml y at t he t hr eshol d of hi s consci ousness. Page 4 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner I n J anuary, 1856, havi ng been pers uaded t o t ake part i n an open compet i t i on f or t he vacant post of or gani st at t he Cat hedr al i n Li nz, he easi l y car r i ed of f t he honor s, ast oni shi ng al l by hi s i ncr edi bl e power s of i mpr ovi sat i on on gi ven t hemes. Dur i ng the f i r st f ew of t he twel ve year s he ser ved as organi st i n Li nz, Br uckner made pr act i cal l y no ef f or t s at or i gi nal composi t i on, bur yi ng hi msel f hear t and soul i n t he cont r apunt al pr obl ems heaped upon hi m by t he pedant i c Secht er . Dur i ng t he per i ods of Advent and Lent , t he Cat hedr al organ bei ng si l ent , Bi shop Rudi gi er , who gr eat l y admi r ed Br uckner ' s geni us, per mi t t ed hi m t o go t o Vi enna t o pur sue ( i n per son) t he st udi es whi ch t hr oughout t he year had t o be l ef t t o t he uncer t ai n benef i t s of a cor r espondence cour se. One may get some i nkl i ng of t he st upendous physi cal and ment al l abor i nvol ved i n " st udyi ng, " as Br uckner i nt er pr et ed t he t er m, i f one bel i eves t he evi dence advanced by eye- wi t nesses, who asser t t hat t he pi l es of wr i t t en musi cal exer ci ses i n t he "st udent ' s" r oom r eached f r om t he f l oor t o the keyboar d of hi s pi ano. "For t hose who t hi nk thi s i ncr edi bl e t her e i s t he wr i t t en wor d of t he uni mpeachabl e Secht er hi msel f t o t he f ol l owi ng ef f ect . Upon r ecei vi ng f r om Br uckner i n a si ngl e i nst al l ment sevent een bookf ul s of wr i t t en exer ci ses, he war ned hi m agai nst "t oo gr eat an i nt el l ect ual st r ai n, " and l est hi s admoni t i on be t aken i n i l l par t by t he st udent , t he t eacher added t he comf ort i ng, i ndubi t abl e assurance: " I bel i eve I never had a more ser i ous pupi l t han you. " El oquent of Br uckner ' s Hercul ean l abors i n t he r eal m of musi cal gr ammar and r het or i c dur i ng those year s i s t he l i st of exami nat i ons t o whi ch he i nsi st ed upon subj ect i ng hi msel f ( af t er t ypi cal Br uckner esque pr epar at i on) . Af t er t wo years of wor k, on J ul y 10, 1858, he passed Secht er ' s t est i n Har mony and Thor ough- bass. Of t he t ext - book he st udi ed ( now a t r easur ed museum possess i on) not a si ngl e l eaf r emai ned at t ached t o t he bi ndi ng. Then on August 12, 1859, he passed El ement ar y Count er poi nt ; Apri l 3, 1860, Advanced Count er poi nt ; Mar ch 26, 1861, Canon and Fugue. Ther eupon he r emar ked, " I f eel l i ke a dog whi ch has j ust br oken out of hi s chai ns. " Now came t he cr owni ng t r i al of al l , one wi t hout whi ch he coul d not be sur e of hi msel f . He begged f or permi ssi on t o submi t hi s f und of accompl i shment s t o t he j udgment of t he hi ghest musi cal t r i bunal i n Eur ope, a commi ss i on consi st i ng of Vi enna' s f i ve r ecogni zed Sol ons of musi cal l aw ( t oday al l t ur ned t o names or l ess t han names) . The r equest was gr ant ed and Br uckner accor ded t he gr ace of choosi ng t he scene of " combat . " Such f i nal t est s of " mat ur i t y, " not uncommon i n Vi enna, were usual l y of a somewhat st er eot yped nat ur e, but i n t he case of t hi s ext r aor di nar y candi dat e t he
occasi on assumed an epi c cast . Br uckner had chosen f or t he scene of hi s gr and t r i al t he i nt er i or of t he Pi ar i st en- Ki r che. Had Wagner been pr esent , he mi ght have been r emi nded of t he exami nat i on of Wal t er by t he Mei st ers i nger, whi ch he was even t hen pl anni ng. The cust omar y shor t t heme was wr i t t en down by one j udge and submi t t ed t o t he ot her s f or appr oval ; but one of t hese mal i ci ousl y doubl ed i t i n l engt h, at once changi ng a mere t est of schol ar shi p t o a chal l enge of mast ery. Page 5 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner The sl i p- of paper was t hen passed down t o t he expect ant candi dat e seat ed at t he or gan. For some moment s he r egarded i t ear nest l y, whi l e t he j udges, mi si nt er pr et i ng t he cause of del ay, smi l ed knowi ngl y. Suddenl y, however, Br uckner began, f i r st pl ayi ng a mer e i nt r oduct i on composed of f r agment s of t he gi ven theme, gr adual l y l eadi ng t o t he requi r ed f ugue i t sel f . Then was hear d a f ugue—not such a f ugue as mi ght be expect ed f r om an academi c gr aduat e, but a l i vi ng cont r apunt al Phi l i ppi c, whi ch peal ed f or t h ever more maj est i c t o st r i ke t he ast oni shed ear s of t he f oxy j udi ci al qui nt et wi t h t he aut hor i t at i ve spl endor of a l i on' s voi ce bur st i ng f or t h f r om t he j ungl e. " He shoul d exami ne us! " excl ai med one j udge ent husi ast i cal l y. " I f I knew a t ent h of what he knows. I ' d be happy I " Then, bei ng asked t o i mpr ovi se f r eel y on t he or gan, Br uckner exhi bi t ed so f i ne a f ant asy t hat t he same j udge cr i ed: " And we' r e asked t o t est hi m? Why, he knows more t han al l of us t oget her ! " Thi s man' s name was Her beck, and he was f r om t hat moment Br uckner ' s gr eat est musi cal f r i end. Unf ort unat el y he di ed t oo soon t o be of much hel p t o t he st r uggl i ng composer . Of gr eat advant age t o Br uckner dur i ng hi s Li nzi an year s was t he opport uni t y af f or ded hi m f or t he f i r st t i me t o tr y hi s hand at "wor l dl y" musi c, f or chur ch- musi c had monopol i zed hi s at t ent i on ever si nce hi s ear l i est boyhood. The chor al soci et y " Fr ohsi nn" chose hi m as di r ect or i n 1860. Thr ough t hi s associ at i on, on May 12, 1861, Br uckner made hi s f i r st concer t appear ance as composer wi t h an " Ave Mar i a" f or seven voi ces. He st r uck up a f r i endshi p wi t h t he young conduct or at t he t heat r e and was appal l ed at t he real i zat i on t hat al l hi s ear nest year s of academi c st udy wer e mer e chi l d' s pl ay besi de t he pr act i cal musi cal craf t smanshi p of t hi s br i l l i ant young exponent of t he " modern" school . Eager l y he have hi msel f i nt o t he car e of t hi s new t eacher . Ot t o Ki t zi er . From t he regal i ng anal ysi s of Beet hoven' s sonat as, Ki t zi er l ed hi s ent husi ast i c di sci pl e t o t he st udy of i nst r ument at i on, i nt r oduci ng hi m t o t he beaut i es of t he Tannhaeuser s cor e. Here Br uckner was gi ven hi s f i r st gl i mpse of a new worl d of musi c, t he ver y exi st ence of whi ch he had scarcel y suspect ed. I n 1863, f i nal l y convi nced t hat he was r eady t o f ace t he musi cal worl d al one, he t ook l eave of Ki t zi er and t he l ast of hi s l ong year s of pr epar at i on. Those year s ar e per haps uni que i n t he annal s of mor t al geni us, at l east i n t hose of West er n ci vi l i zat i on. The nai ve modest y of a gr eat ar t i st al r eady wi t hi n si ght of mi ddl e age bur yi ng hi msel f mor e desperat el y t han any school boy i n t he mass of ant i quat ed musi cal dogma pr escr i bed by a "Dr . Synt ax" woul d be at once l abel ed i n t hese psychoanal yt i c days as a sampl e of t he wor ki ngs of an i nf er i or i t y compl ex. But Br uckner ' s had been a chur ch- l i f e, hi s l anguage a c hur c h i di om, and i n t he l i ght of t hi s , i s i t i l l ogi cal t o cl ai m t hat hi s par t i cul ar pr epar at i on had t o di f f er f r om t hat of ot her symphoni st s as t he ar chi t ecture of a cat hedr al di f f er s f r om t hat of a pal ace or vi l l a? Page 6 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner I n short , wi t hout t hose dr ab year s of st udy mi st akenl y t er med " bel at ed, " t he
t r emendous symphoni c f or mal concept s of Br uckner mi ght never have been r eal i zed. Of si gni f i cance i n t he cont empl at i on of hi s spi r i t ual af f i ni t y t o Wagner i s t he f act t hat an Over t ur e i n G- mi nor ( composed by Br uckner i n 1863) cl oses wi t h t he st i l l unknown " Feuer zauber , " not t hat ei t her mast er pl agi ar i zed t he ot her , but t hat t he capr i ce of nat ur e whi ch set t wo such gi gant i c f i gur es si de by si de i n t he same gener at i on must not be i gnored. I t i s t r ul y a cause f or human gr at i t ude t hat subl i me acci dent gr ant ed t he one t he f acul t y i t deni ed the ot her . Epi c as i s t he expr essi on of bot h t hese Ti t ans, Wagner ' s hel pl essness i n t he f i el d of t he symphony i s as not or i ous as Br uckner ' s i n t hat of t he musi c drama. The f ut ur e wi l l si mpl y have t o regar d t he t wo composer s as ki ndr ed i n spi r i t , but suppl ement ar y i n achi evement . The musi c of Tannhaeuser sang i nt o Br uckner ' s ear s a ver i t abl e pr ocl amat i on of i ndependence. Thus, Wagner , whom he had as yet never seen, set hi m f r ee at a mer e spi r i t ual t ouch, spur r i ng hi m t o unr est r ai ned sel f - expr essi on. Wi t h t he ver y f i r st ef f or t of t hi s new- bor n Br uckner , t he gl or i ous Mass i n D, t he wor l d was endowed wi t h an i ni t i al maj or wor k sur passed i n- dept h and bri l l i ancy perhaps by no ot her i n the ent i r e range of musi c. I nspi r ed by Tannhaeuser , i f you wi l l , yet soundi ng not t he sl i ght est echo of i t s st r ai ns, t he Mass abounds i n f i ne pass ages, unj ust l y dubbed Wagner i an, f or t hey coul d not as yet have had any prot ot ype. The openi ng Adagi o, bui l t up on t he t heme of t he Li ebest od ( a year bef or e t he f i r st per f or mance of Tr i st an) , t he musi c accompanyi ng t he set t l i ng down of t he dove at t he end of Par si f al ( ni net een year s bef or e t he f i r st per f ormance) , t he " Fal l of t he Gods" and t he " Spear - mot i ve" f r om t he Ri ng ( t wel ve year s bef or e Bayreut h) , t hese ant i ci pat or y t ouches shoul d, i nj ust i ce, be vi ewed, not as Wagneri sms, but r at her as f orer unner s of t he new epi c spi r i t t hat was j ust r i si ng i n musi c. The composi t i on of t hi s mast er pi ece t ook onl y t hr ee mont hs. Af t er t he f i r st per f or mance, i n t he Cat hedr al at Li nz, November 20, 1864, t he Bi shop Rudi gi er was hear d t o remark: " Dur i ng t hat mass I coul d not pr ay. " I ndeed, so pr of ound was t he i mpr essi on t he wor k made, t hat i t was gi ven a "concer t " per f or mance by gener al r equest Shor t l y af t er , achi evi ng a ver i t abl e t r i umph. Br uckner ' s success was proudl y r epor t ed i n t he Vi ennese paper s, f or i t was good publ i ci t y f or t he " home" conser vat or y of whi ch he had been "one of t he best pupi l s. " Page 7 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner El at ed by hi s s uccess Br uckner at once began wor ki ng on hi s f i r st symphony. That year ( 1865) May 15 had been set asi de i n Muni ch f or t he gr eat est musi cal - event of t he cent ur y, t he i ni t i al per f or mance of Tri st an. Nat ur al l y, Br uckner made t he t r i p t o t he Bavar i an capi t al and when, owi ng t o t he i l l ness of I sol de ( Frau Schnorr ) , t he event was post poned t i l l t he t ent h of J une, he deci ded t o awai t t he gr eat day i n t he ci t y. Ther e he had t he f or t une t o be pr esent ed t o Wagner hi msel f , who at once t ook a l i ki ng t o t he ser i ous, honest Aust r i an, i nvi t i ng hi m t o spend many an eveni ng i n t he f amous Wagner i an "ci r cl e. " Von Buel ow became Br uckner ' s f i r st conf i dant when t he l at t er shyl y showed t he gr eat pi ani st t he f i r st t hr ee movement s of hi s gr owi ng symphony. Von Buel ow was so ast oni shed at t he spl endor ' and f r eshness of t he i deas i n t hi s new score t hat he coul d not r ef r ai n f r om communi cat i ng hi s ent husi asm t o t he gr eat Ri char d, much t o Br uckner ' s embar r assment , f or when Wagner asked i n per son t o see t he symphony, so gr eat was t he awe i n whi ch t he younger composer st ood of t he " Mast er of al l mast er s" t hat he coul d not summon up t he cour age t o show i t t o hi m. He shr ank f r om such a st ep as t hough i t had been a sacri l ege. So nai ve was hi s her o- wor shi p of t he mast er t hat he coul d not even be i nduced t o si t down i n Wagner ' s pr esence. No wonder , t hen, t hat af t er t he Tr i st an per f or mance Wagner became f or Br uckner a ver i t abl e r el i gi on. Yet f or t hi s f ai t h t he younger man was condemned t o suf f er such abuse as has f al l en t o t he l ot of no ot her i n t he
annal s of art . He was t o wr i t e ni ne mi ght y symphoni es, ad maj or em Dei gl or i am, f or f r om man he was dest i ned t o recei ve not r ewar d, but negl ect , scorn, and spi r i t ual abuse beyond measur e. On Apr i l 14, 1866, Br uckner' s f i r st symphony was compl et e, r eady t o announce t o a skept i cal worl d t hat t he supr eme i nst r ument al f orm had not cul mi nat ed i n Beet hoven. True enough, i t was f r om t he i mmort al Fi f t h of Beet hoven, t hat Par nassus of musi cal cl assi ci sm, t hat t hi s new mast er dr ew t he spi r i t ual mot t o f or al l hi s symphoni c ef f ort s. Each of hi s symphoni es mi ght be descr i bed as an ascent per asper a ad ast r a. Thr ough t he l ogi cal or der of t he f our movement s he unf ol ded t he panor ama of t he t r i al s of t he human soul as hero. Begi nni ng wi t h ( f i r st movement ) t he dr ama of i nner conf l i ct , t hen ( adagi o) r et ur ni ng f r om t he pr ayer f ul communi on wi t h God t o the ( scher zo) j oys of l i f e i n nat ur e, at l engt h ( f i nal e) wi t h unconquer abl e ener gy and det er mi nat i on ent er i ng upon t he bat t l e wi t h t he wor l d, cul mi nat i ng i n t he f i nal t r i umph over al l opposi t i on, he l ai d down t he per manent spi r i t ual f oundat i on f or al l hi s symphoni c l abors . That t he f i r st per f or mance of t hi s symphony, 1868, t echni cal l y t he most di f f i cul t t hat had as yet come i nt o exi st ence, was not a t ot al f ai l ur e, i s scar cel y shor t of a mi r acl e, f or t he best st r i ng and br ass sect i ons t he t own of Li nz coul d pr ovi de f aced the al l egedl y "i mpossi bl e" scor e al most hopel essl y. Yet Br uckner conduct ed t he numerous r ehear sal s wi t h such desper at e zeal t hat t he r esul t was at l east musi cal enough to cal l f or t h respect f ul comment f r om t he cr i t i cs, t hough t hey coul d have gl eaned but t he scant i est not i on of t he t r ue si gni f i cance of t he work f r om such a perf ormance. Page 8 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner Even t he not ed cr i t i c Hansl i ck, on the st r engt h of t hi s f avor abl e repor t , congr at ul at ed t he Vi ennese conservat ory, hi nt i ng appr ovi ngl y at a r umor t hat i t s f acul t y was soon t o be augment ed by so val uabl e an acqui si t i on as Br uckner . The r umor came t r ue, t hough onl y af t er l ong, l ong hesi t at i on on Br uckner ' s par t . He f eared t o gi ve up hi s modest but secur e post i n Li nz f or a mi serabl y under pai d and i nsecur e chai r i n t heory at t he not ed musi c school of t he capi t al , but hi s f r i ends, under st andi ng hi s t i mi di t y and r eal i zi ng t he t r emendous ar t i st i c advant ages of t he pr of f er ed posi t i on, ur ged hi m t o accept i t . At l engt h, af t er Bi shop Rudi gi er assured Br uckner t hat t he or gan at t he Cat hedr al i n Li nz woul d al ways be wai t i ng f or hi m, he deci ded t o r i sk t he chance. The dat e upon whi ch he of f i ci al l y assumed hi s t i t l e of pr of essor was J ul y 6, 1868. J ust about t hi s t i me, i n hi s f or t y- t hi r d year , he was made t he unhappy vi ct i m of a gr eat spi r i t ual shock. The par ent s of t he sevent een- year - ol d J osephi ne Lang wi t h whom t he composer had f al l en i n l ove ref used hi m t he gi r l ' s hand because of hi s age. I n Br uckner ' s many cases of pl at oni c af f ect i on f or young gi r l s ( t hi s cont i nued t i l l hi s sevent i et h year ) t her e i s ent i ci ng f ood f or t he moder n psychol ogi st ' s or psychoanal yst ' s f or mul i zat i ons. Now began f or Br uckner a sl ow and cr uel mart yr dom. Hi s ver y f i r st Vi ennese at t empt , t he newl y composed Mass i n F- mi nor , was r ef used a hear i ng on t he gr ound t hat i t was "unsi ngabl e. " Af t er t hi s t wo new symphoni c at t empt s were suppressed by t he ner ve- r acked composer hi msel f wi t h t he bi t t er comment : " They ar e no good; I dare not wr i t e down a r eal l y decent t heme. " Di scour aged, he deci ded t o st op composi ng f or a whi l e and set out on a concert t our t hr ough France. The newspaper r eport s of t hi s seri es of r eci t al s wer e so j ubi l ant t hat Eur ope soon r ang wi t h t he name of Br uckner , " t he gr eat est or gani st of hi s t i me. " Ret ur ni ng t o Aust r i a, i n bet t er spi r i t s, he exper i enced "t he most gl or i ous day of hi s l i f e" when hi s Mass i n E- mi nor ( composed i n 1866) was gi ven i t s i ni t i al hear i ng ( Li nz, 1869) mi dst unqual i f i ed ent husi asm. The ast oni shi ng r epor t s f r om Fr ance about Br uckner ' s or gan- i mpr ovi sat i ons had so aroused t he cur i osi t y of many Engl i shmen t hat t he vi r t uoso was of f er ed f i f t y
pounds f or t wel ve r eci t al s i n London t o be gi ven wi t hi n a week! Out of t hi s " muni f i cent " f ee he was expect ed t o pay hi s own t r avel l i ng expenses! Nevert hel ess August 2, 1871, f ound Br uckner s eat ed at a London or gan dut i f ul l y i mpr ovi si ng on t he appr opr i at e t heme " God save t he Ki ng. " Phl egmat i c J ohn Bul l , qui t e i mpr essed by t he gr andeur of t hese i mprovi sat i ons, never t hel ess r emarked j udi ci ousl y t hat t he per f or mer showed hi s weakness i n a Mendel ssohn sonat a, as had been expect ed. Af t er one of t hese r eci t al s a London l ady advi sed Br uckner t hr ough an i nt er pr et er t o l ear n Engl i sh bef or e hi s next vi si t t o Br i t ai n. He never vi si t ed Engl and agai n. Page 9 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner Back i n Vi enna he dof f ed t he hat ed mask of vi r t uoso and det er mi ned at hi s own cost t o gi ve t he shel ved F- mi nor Mass t he hear i ng he f el t sur e i t deser ved. The per f or mance t ook pl ace i n J une, 1872. He had hi r ed t he wor l d- f amous Phi l har moni c orchest r a f or t he occasi on at a cost of t hr ee hundr ed gul den ( ei ght mont hs' wages t o t he Pr of essor of Count er poi nt ) but t he f avor abl e report of t he f amous Hansl i ck about t he wor k ( t hough he decl ared i t r emi nded hi m i n spot s of Wagner and Beet hoven) was al one wor t h t he pr i ce. Coul d Hansl i ck, Wagner ' s most power f ul and bi t t er opponent , onl y have dr eamed t hat t he si mpl e Br uckner was dest i ned t o r ecei ve at t he hands of t he gr eat musi c- dr amat i st t he heavy l egacy of cr i t i cal abuse he had gat hered t hr ough t wo scor e year s of st or my t r avel f r om Dr esden t o Bayr eut h! Br uckner, onl y t wo year s bef or e t hi s ( 1869) , humbl y as any musi c st udent , had sat wi t h r apt at t ent i on at t he f eet of Hansl i ck, t hen l ect ur er on " Musi cal Hi st ory" at t he Vi ennese conservat ory. Meanwhi l e, dur i ng hi s London exper i ence, he had l aunched upon a new symphony, det er mi ned t o make i t f r om t he vi ewpoi nt of t echni cal pl ayabi l i t y t ot al l y accept abl e t o t he easy- goi ng wor l d of musi ci ans and cr i t i cs among whom f at e had cast hi s l ot . Convi ct i on woul d not l et hi m abandon t he t i t ani c skel et al st r uct ur e of hi s Fi r st , t he symphoni c " wagon" t o whi ch he had " hi t ched hi s st ar . " Af t er l ong ponder i ng he hi t upon t he unusual i dea of punct uat i ng t he l onger movement s of t he wor k wi t h gener al pauses i n t he whol e or chest r a. Thi s st r i ki ng devi ce at once caught t he knowi ng ear s of t he musi ci ans dur i ng t he r ehear sal s f or t he f i r st per f or mance and r esul t ed i n t he f abr i cat i on of t he sar cast i c ni ckname, " Rest Symphony, " by whi ch t he wor k was t her eaf t er known i n Vi enna. The descr i pt i on " Upper - Aust r i an, " l at er appl i ed by t he not ed Br uckner bi ogr apher Goel l er i ch, i s f ar mor e appr opr i at e, f or t he openi ng and cl osi ng movement s, and par t i cul ar l y t he scher zo, ar e t horoughl y sat ur at ed wi t h t he at mosphere and song of Br uckner ' s r ust i c " home count r y" sur r oundi ngs. Upon bei ng once mor e r ef used an of f i ci al hear i ng f or hi s new wor k on t he gr ound of " unpl ayabi l i t y, " Br uckner agai n di pped deep i nt o hi s yawni ng pocket s and i nvi t ed Vi enna t o hear hi s Second Symphony t o t he t une of f our hundr ed and f i ve gul den l i t er al l y bor r owed on a "pound of f l esh. " Spei del , a pr omi nent cri t i c, had t he honest y t o say i n hi s r epor t of t he occasi on: " I t i s no common mor t al who speaks t o us i n t hi s musi c. Here i s a composer whose ver y shoe- l aces hi s numerous enemi es ar e not f i t t o t i e. " Hansl i ck, st i l l no out spoken Br uckner opponent , expr essed di scomf ort at t he t i t ani c di mensi ons' of t he work, and l auded t he " mast er l y manner " i n whi ch t he or chest r a pl ayed t he " unpl ayabl e" scor e. ( Oct ober 26, 1873. ) Al t hough Br ahms, whose Fi r st Symphony was st i l l uncompl et ed, had never t hel ess been f i r ml y seat ed on t he wor l d' s s ymphoni c t hr one ( f or had he not been cr owned by al l cri t i cs as Beet hoven' s hei r ?) cour t - conduct or Her beck coul d not r ef r ai n f r om maki ng t he f ol l owi ng remar k t o Br uckner af t er hear i ng thi s wor k: "I assur e you i f Br ahms were capabl e of wr i t i ng such a symphony t he concer t - hal l woul d r ock wi t h appl ause. " Page 10 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner Br uckner di d not ent er upon t hese huge pers onal expenses because of a t hi r st f or
publ i c appl ause. That t he j oys of symphoni c creat i on wer e suf f i ci ent spi r i t ual exal t at i on f or hi m, i s cl ear f r om t he zeal wi t h whi ch he began work upon hi s Thi r d at t he ver y moment hi s Second was uncondi t i onal l y r ej ect ed by t he Vi enna Phi l harmoni c. I n t he pr oduct i on of t hi s new score he gave up al l t hought of mol l i f yi ng f r i end and f oe, who al i ke had compl ai ned about t he l engt h and di f f i cul t y of hi s pr evi ous or chest r al ef f or t s. The her oi c def i ance t hat st al ks pr oudl y t hr ough ever y movement of t hi s wor k, maki ng i t sound much l i ke a huge decl ar at i on of i ndependence, has caused many t o l abel i t " anot her Er oi ca, " i mpl yi ng a def i ni t e communi t y bet ween Beet hoven and Br uckner . That i t was Br uckner ' s or i gi nal i nt ent i on t o make t hi s Thi r d a " Wagner " symphony i s cl ear f r om t he act ual not e- f or - not e quot at i ons f r om t he al r eady wi del y di scussed Ri ng. He had appar ent l y, by now, summoned up t he cour age t o go t o Wagner and ask hi m f or hi s ar t i st i c appr oval . For t unat el y hi s ar r i val at Bayr eut h, armed wi t h hi s l ast t wo symphoni es, caught t he Mast er of Wahnf r i ed i n most f r i endl y humor . Br uckner' s own descr i pt i on of hi s emot i ons as Wagner exami ned t he scores i s el oquent : " I was j ust l i ke a school boy wat chi ng hi s t eacher cor r ect hi s not e- book. Ever y wor d of comment seemed l i ke a r ed mar k on t he page. At l ast I managed t o st ammer f or t h t he hope t hat he woul d accept t he dedi cat i on of one of t he symphoni es, f or t hat was t he onl y and al so t he hi ghest r ecogni t i on I want ed f r om t he wor l d. " Wagner ' s answer, one of t he f ew happy moment s i n Br uckner ' s t r agi c l i f e, i s surel y r ecor ded by t he angel s. "Dear f r i end, t he dedi cat i on woul d be t r ul y appr opr i at e; t hi s work of your s gi ves me t he gr eat est pl easur e. " Af t er t hat , Br uckner went on, " We di scussed musi cal condi t i ons i n Vi enna, dr ank beer , and t hen he l ed me i nt o t he gar den and showed me hi s gr ave! " They appar ent l y spent a most del i ght f ul af t er noon t oget her . On t he aut hor i t y of t he f amous scul pt or Ki et z, who was pr esent part of t he t i me, we have i t t hat a most amusi ng sequel devel oped on t he t wo f ol l owi ng days. Br uckner had had not onl y some, but i n f act so much beer , t he hospi t abl e Wagner cont i nual l y f i l l i ng hi s mug and ur gi ng hi m t o empt y i t ( f or a whol e barr el had been or der ed f or t he occasi on) , t hat t he next mor ni ng f ound t he Aust r i an qui t e muddl ed and at a l oss whi ch of t he t wo symphoni es t he mast er had pr ef er r ed. Ashamed t o r et ur n t o Wagner , he sought out t he scul pt or and appeal ed t o hi m f of hel p i n t hi s di l emma, but t he l at t er , hi ghl y amused, pr et ended not t o have pai d at t ent i on t o t he di scuss i on, sayi ng he had hear d some t al k about D- mi nor and a t r umpet . Now i n t he scul pt or ' s own wor ds, " Br uckner suddenl y t hr ew hi s ar ms about me, ki ss ed me, and cr i ed, ' Thank you, dear Mr . Counci l or ( I don' t know t o t hi s day how I came by t he t i t l e) t hank you! I know i t ' s t he one i n D- mi nor t he Mast er has accept ed! Oh, how happy I am t hat I know whi ch i t i s! ' " Next day, however , he was once mor e doubt f ul , f or he sent t he f ol l owi ng message t o Wagner on a sl i p of bl ue paper ( now a t r easur ed museum poss essi on) : " Symphony i n D- mi nor i n whi ch t he t r umpet i nt r oduces t he t heme. A. Br uckner . " The same l eaf came back t o hi m pr ompt l y wi t h t he f ol l owi ng addi t i on: " Yes, yes! Hear t y gr eet i ngs! Wagner . " Thus came Br uckner ' s Thi r d t o bear t he name Wagner Symphony. Whenever Wagner hear d Br uckner' s name ment i oned t her eaf t er, he woul d excl ai m, " Ah! Yes, t he t r umpet . " Page 11 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner The r epor t of t hi s i nci dent wi t h i t s cl ear i mpl i cat i on of Wagner ' s r egar d f or Br uckner' s geni us pr oved t he deat h- knel l f or what ever chance t he symphoni st may st i l l have had f or Vi ennese recogni t i on dur i ng the Hansl i ck r egi me. Up to t hat moment hi s wor k had been negl ect ed mai nl y because t he musi ci ans of t he ci t y had l i t t l e ear f or s uch " modern" har mony and dr amat i c orchest r at i on, but t he l eaps and bounds Wagner ' s musi c- dr amas and Li sz t ' s Symphoni c Poems wer e maki ng i n t he worl d of art had br ought about a compl et e revol ut i on i n musi cal t ast e. The new era was one of bi t t er per sonal hat r eds bet ween musi ci ans and cr i t i cs of t wo opposi ng f act i ons. No pol i t i cal enemi es have ever used more poi sonous epi t het s
t han t he Wagner i t es agai nst t he Ant i - Wagner - i t es and vi ce- ver sa. A l i on f or puni shment , bot h t aki ng and gi vi ng, Wagner coul d easi l y weat her t he st or m of unspeakabl e abuse, but away f r om hi s s cor es and cl asses Br uckner was a mer e chi l d so si mpl e and shy t hat t he mer ci l ess cr i t i cal boycot t of hi s wor ks, whi ch now f ol l owed, al l but cr ushed hi s spi r i t . I t was i nconcei vabl e t o hi m t hat human bei ngs coul d be as cr uel as Hansl i ck and hi s s nar l i ng myr mi dons were t o hi m, merel y because he had gai ned Wagner ' s f r i endshi p and r ecogni t i on. Hi s onl y sol ace was t hat he had become r econci l ed t o composi ng wor k af t er wor k wi t hout t he encour agi ng i ncent i ve of publ i c hear i ngs, The Four t h, al r eady i n t he maki ng at t hi s t i me and bear i ng t he t i t l e Romant i c, was f i ni shed November 22, 1874. Al t hough t he descr i pt i on Romant i c i s no l ess f i t t i ng t han t hat of Past or at e i n t he case of Beet hoven' s Si xth, t her e seems l i t t l e doubt t hat t he det ai l ed "pr ogr am" or symphoni c pl ot communi cat ed t o hi s ci r cl e of f r i ends by Br uckner was a post - anal ysi s i nf l uenced by no ot her t han Wagner , who had even publ i shed a r at her f ant ast i c pi ct ori al descr i pt i on of Beet hoven' s Ni nt h. I t i s at any r at e si l l y t o di l l y- dal l y over t he f i t ness of i t s det ai l s, f or t he Romant i c has so cl ear and ef f ecti ve a t al e t o t el l t hat i t has become t he f avor i t e vehi cl e f or t he i nt r oduct i on of Br uckner t o a new audi ence. That t he composer di d not r egard t he " program" s eri ousl y i s evi dent f r om hi s r emar k concer ni ng t he Fi nal e: " And i n t he l ast movement , " sai d he, " I ' ve f orgot t en compl et el y what pi ct ur e I had i n mi nd. " Yet t he work possesses an unmi st akabl e uni t y hi t her t o wi t hout pr ecedent i n absol ut e musi c, f or al l f our par t s spr i ng f r om t he mai n t heme i n t he f i r st movement . So l ogi cal and mast er l y i s t he devel opment of t hi s t heme i n t he cour se of t he work t hat t he cl i max i s not r eached unt i l t he cl osi ng port i on of t he Fi nal e, maki ng t he Romant i c symphony f r om t he poi nt of vi ew of per f ect i on of f orm per haps t he l ast word t hat has yet been spoken by man. Page 12 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner At t hi s t i me, t hanks t o t he zeal of hi s enemi es hi s mat er i al condi t i on had become al most hopel ess. To quote f r om one of hi s l et t er s, J anuar y i g, 1875: "I have onl y my pl ace at t he Conser vat or y, on t he i ncome of whi ch i t i s i mpossi bl e t o exi st . I have been compel l ed t o bor r ow money over and over agai n or accept t he al t er nat i ve of st ar vat i on. No one of f er s t o hel p me. The Mi ni st er of Educat i on makes pr omi ses, but does not hi ng. I f i t wer en' t f or t he f ew f orei gners who ar e st udyi ng wi t h me, I shoul d have t o t ur n beggar . Had I even dr eamed t hat such t er r i bl e t hi ngs woul d happen t o me no ear t hl y power coul d have i nduced me t o come t o Vi enna. Oh, how happy I ' d be t o r et ur n t o my ol d posi t i on i n Li nz! " The Vi ennese musi cal " power s t hat be" had conspi r ed t o make l i f e unbear abl e f or t he avowed Wagner i t e. One of t he hi ghest of f i ci al s at t he conser vat ory, i n answer t o an appeal by Br uckner, gave hi m t he f ol l owi ng gener ous advi ce: " I t ' s hi gh t i me you t hr ew your symphoni es i nt o t he t r ash- basket . I t woul d be much wi ser f or you t o ear n money by maki ng pi ano ar r angement s of t he composi t i ons of ot her s. " The same man, wi t h equal l y ki nd i nt ent , went so f ar as t o say, "Br uckner can' t pl ay t he or gan at al l . " The war l i ke Wagner ' s ar r i val i n Vi enna i n t he spr i ng of 1875 dr ew mor e host i l e at t ent i on t o t he t i mi d symphoni st . Of cour se, i t di d hi m mor e har m t han good. The musi c- dr amat i st ' s r ei t er at ed pr ai se of Br uckner ' s wor k was l i ke a si gnal f or t he Vi ennese aut hor i t i es t o r edoubl e t he cr uel t y of t hei r met hod of t or t ur e. Dessof f , conduct or of t he Phi l harmoni c, pr omi sed t o per f or m t he Wagner Symphony, i nvi t ed Br uckner t o sever al r ehear sal s, and suddenl y ( af t er t wo mont hs of pr epar at i on) decl ar ed he coul d not f i nd r oom f or i t on a pr ogr am. Lat er t he or chest r a t ook hol d of i t agai n, but r ej ected i t f i nal l y (onl y a si ngl e musi ci an opposi ng t he move) as " absol ut el y unpl ayabl e. " J ust as t he per secut ed Wagner set t o wor k on hi s Mei st er si nger , pour i ng hi s suf f er i ngs out t hr ough t he l i ps of Hans Sachs, Br uckner pl unged i nt o t he t r agi c
dept hs of hi s Fi f t h. Onl y i n t he const r uct i on of hi s col ossal symphoni es was he abl e t o pl ay t he her o agai nst f at e. Over t wo year s i n t he pr ocess of composi t i on t he Tr agi c symphony was compel l ed t o wai t ei ght een years f or i t s f i r st hear i ng. That was not t o be i n Vi enna, nor was Br uckner ever t o hear t he wor k at al l . I n 1876 Wagner i nvi t ed hi m t o t he i naugur al Ri ng perf or mances at Bayr eut h and t he t wo gi ant musi ci ans once mor e di scussed t he Wagner Symphony. Per haps as a di r ect r esul t of t hi s conf er ence Br uckner now set about si mpl i f yi ng t he condemned scor e and agai n appeal ed t o t he Phi l har moni c f or a hear i ng. The pr ompt r ef usal t hen gi ven hi s r equest must have convi nced even hi m t hat a r el ent l ess host i l i t y due t o Wagner ' s prai se made hi s cause i mpossi bl e so f ar as t hat or gani zat i on was concer ned. I nt o t hi s spi r i t ual st at e of al most t ot al ecl i pse t her e suddenl y br oke a r ay of l i ght . Her beck, ol d f r i end of sunni er days, conduct or of t he f i ne, t hough l ess- f amed, or chest r a of t he Soci et y of t he Fr i ends of Musi c, became so di sgust ed wi t h t he unj ust per secut i on t hat he det er mi ned t o br ave t he wr at h of cr i t i cs and musi ci ans by espousi ng t i l e Br uckner c ause. Hardl y had he announced t he f i r st st ep of hi s campai gn, a pr oduct i on of t he t abu Wagner Symphony, when he di ed. had not , at t hi s j unct ur e, an i nf l uent i al gover nment r epr esent at i ve named Goel l er i ch ( f at her of t he not ed Br uckner bi ogr apher ) st epped i nt o t he br each, t he Thi r d Symphony woul d have been t aken of f t he Her beck pr ogr am and t he unhappy composer , poi soned wi t h a cup of mi ser y wor t hy of a J ob, woul d pr obabl y have gone mad. Page 13 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner The per f or mance i t sel f whi ch t ook pl ace December 16, 1877 was one of t he saddest i n t he hi st ory of musi c. Si nce no conduct or dar ed t o wi el d t he bat on upon t he occasi on, Br uckner hi msel f was compel l ed to di r ect t he or chest r a. Ear l y i n the cour se of t he symphony. Di r ect or Hel l msber ger , spokesman of t he conser vat or y, bur st out l aughi ng. Pr ompt l y anot her "di r ect or " f ol l owed sui t . Upon t hi s t he api sh st udent s j oi ned i n. Then, of cour se, t he publ i c began t o gi ggl e. Soon some peopl e rose and l ef t t he hal l , i ndi gnant t hat t he cause of musi c had been of f er ed so gr eat an i nsul t as t he per f ormance of a Br uckner work i n Vi enna, t he sacr ed musi cal met r opol i s. When t he symphony came t o an end t her e wer e har dl y t en peopl e l ef t i n t he par quet . The f ew f ai t hf ul occupant s of t he "s t andi ng r oom, " a handf ul of Br uckner- pupi l s, among t hem Gust av Mahl er, r ushed down t o t he hear t br oken mast er , f r om whom even t he musi ci ans of t he or chest r a had f l ed, and at t empt ed i n vai n t o cheer hi m wi t h consol i ng wor ds. At t hi s moment an angel appr oached, i n t he gui se of t he musi c publ i sher Rat t i g, descr i bed t he symphony as wonder f ul , and decl ar ed hi msel f r eady t o r i sk t he expense of publ i shi ng i t . Under such a bl ack sky was t he Wagner Symphony gi ven t o t he wor l d. To r et ur n t o t he Vi ennese cr i t i cs f or whose Wagner - gobbl i ng appet i t e i t had been a gal a eveni ng, t he di r ect or Hansl i ck ( i nt endi ng i t , of cour se, onl y as a j oke) f or once t ol d t he absol ut e t r ut h, namel y, t hat he " coul d not under st and t he gi gant i c symphony. " He sai d t her e had come t o hi m, whi l e l i st eni ng, " a vi si on i n whi ch Beet hoven' s Ni nt h had Vent ur ed t o accost t he Val kyr mai dens, onl y t o be cr ushed under t hei r horses' f eet . " As a sarcast i c cl i max he added t hat he " di d not wi sh by hi s words t o hur t t he f eel i ngs of t he composer , whom he real l y hel d i n gr eat est eem. " A l i t t l e bef or e t hi s t i me, t hr ough the good gr aces of t he pr evi ousl y ment i oned Goel l er i ch, t he Uni ver si t y of Vi enna had announced! t he cr eat i on of a "chai r " of musi c and t he i ncl usi on of har mony l and count er poi nt i n t he regul ar cur r i cul um. Despi t e the f i r m opposi t i on of Hansl i ck, Br uckner , who had ten year s bef ore appeal ed t o t he f acul t y t hat some such st ep be t aken i n hi s behal f , was now appoi nt ed l ect ur er . Fr om t he openi ng addr ess, Apr i l 30, 1876, whi ch was at t ended by so gr eat a number of st udent s t hat t he occasi on mi ght wel l be compar ed t o t he f i r st of Schi l l er ' s l ect ur es at J ena, t he younger gener at i on embr aced t he Br uckner cause ent husi ast i cal l y. To t he academi c subj ect s t aught by
Page 14 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner Br uckner, wi t h Goet he' s wor ds as mot t o: " Gr ay i s every t heor y. Gr een al one l i f e' s gol den t r ee, " wer e added those gl or i ous i mpr ovi sat i ons f or whi ch he was so not ed and t he i nspi r i ng message of whi ch endear ed hi m t o t he hear t s of hi s " Gaudeamuses, " as he l ovi ngl y cal l ed hi s st udent s. The open enmi t y of Hansl i ck t owar ds t hei r bel oved pr of essor gr adual l y assumed f or t hem t he pr oport i ons of a pol i t i cal i ssue and a l i f e pr obl em. I n the year s t o come t he Br uckner cause i n Vi enna was t o at t ai n such st r engt h t hr ough t he l oyal t y of t hese Uni ver si t y st udent s t hat t he combi ned enmi t y of cr i t i cs and musi ci ans woul d have t o bow bef or e i t i n t he dust . Thi s was act ual l y real i zed t en year s l at er , when t he Phi l har moni c was f i nal l y compel l ed, owi ng t o t he f or ce of publ i c opi ni on, t o pr ogr am t he al r eady wor l d- f amous Sevent h Symphony ( 1886) . As t he r esul t of t he f r i gi d r ecept i on accor ded t he Wagner Symphony Br uckner spent t he next t wo year s ( 1878- 80) i n a radi cal r evi si on of t he i nst r ument at i on of t he Second, Four t h, and Fi f t h symphoni es, i ncl udi ng t he composi t i on of a t ot al l y new movement , t he now f amous Hunt i ng Scher zo, f or t he Four t h or Romant i c. However , t he changes he made i n t he scor es ar e not of t he nat ur e of compr omi ses bet ween t he ar t i st and t he wor l d, f or t he t hemes of t he symphoni es r emai ned unal t er ed, onl y unnecessar y r hyt hmi c and t echni cal compl i cat i ons bei ng abandoned. To t hi s i nt er val al so bel ongs t he composi t i on of t he ( Qui nt et f or st r i ngs, Br uckner' s s ol e cont r i but i on t o chamber - musi c, but a wor k so deep and mi ght y t hat t hose who have hear d i t procl ai m t hat i n t he whol e range of chamber musi c onl y the l ast Beet hoven st r i ng- quar t et s at t ai n such spi r i t ual hei ght s. The Qui nt et was composed by t he symphoni st Br uckner and has t he sweep and gr andeur of hi s best symphoni c cr eat i ons. The i nt er val of r est f r om maj or composi t i on saw hi m f r equent l y at t endi ng t he many col orf ul f ormal dances of Vi enna. I t seems psychol ogi cal l y consi st ent t hat one whose mi nd was al ways engaged i n t r agi c i nner conf l i ct s s houl d seek r ecr eat i on i n t he hal l s of f est i vi t y and l aught er . Br uckner had al ways been f ond of danci ng. A sever e at t ack of " ner ves, " doubt l ess due t o over wor k, dr ove hi m t o seek r el i ef i n Swi t zer l and dur i ng t he summer of 1880. I n August of t hat vacat i on peri od he vi si t ed t he Passi on Pl ay at Ober ammergau and f el l head over heel s i n l ove wi t h one of t he " daught er s of J er usal em, " t he sevent een- year- ol d Mar i e Bart i . He wai t ed f or her at t he st age- door , obt ai ned an i nt r oduct i on, and escort ed her home. Af t er s pendi ng t hat eveni ng and most of t he next day i n t he Bar t i f ami l y ci r cl e t he ar r i ved at a t empor ar y under st andi ng whi ch l ef t t he l ove af f ai r on a cor r espondent i al basi s. Ther e f ol l owed a l i vel y exchange of l et t er s bet ween hi m and Mar i e, l ast i ng a year , but t he t i me came when t he gi r l no l onger answered hi m. Thus t he now f i f t y- si x- year - ol d l over f ound hi msel f agai n r ef used ent r ance i nt o t he hal l s of mat r i mony. One i s her e i nvol unt ar i l y r emi nded of t he l ove of t he t hi r t y- seven- year - ol d Beet hoven f or t he f our t een- year - ol d Ther ese Mal f at t i , t hough nowadays we have ceased t o gasp at such t hi ngs. The sol i t ary s i l ent r emnant of t hi s r omance of Br uckner' s i s a phot ogr aph of hi s bear i ng t he i nscr i pt i on: "To my cl ear est f r i end, Mar i e Bar t i . "
Page 15 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner I n t hese gl oomy days when, f ol l owi ng t he depl or abl e f i asco of t he Wagner Symphony, no one i n Vi enna dar ed or car ed t o l i f t a hand i n f avor of t he Romant i c and Tr agi c symphoni es, now l ong f i ni shed and st i l l unper f or med, a mal ady af f ect i ng hi s f eet compel l ed Br uckner t o t ake t o hi s bed. Ther e, i n spi t e of depr essi ng ci r cumst ances, he summoned up t he spi r i t ual st r engt h t o wor k on hi s Si xt h Symphony. As i f hi s mi sf ort unes had mer el y been t r i al s sent f r om Above t o pr ove hi s f ai t h, whi l e Br uckner was st i l l busy wi t h the l ast movement of t he new work, Hans Ri cht er , t he Wagner di sci pl e, vi si t ed hi m and was so st r uck wi t h t he beaut i es of t he dor mant Romant i c Symphony t hat he at once pr ogr ammed i t and i nvi t ed t he composer t o a r ehear sal . Ri cht er ' s own words descr i bi ng t he occasi on r eveal Br uckner ' s nai ve char act er: " When t he symphony was over, " he r el at ed, " Br uckner came t o me, hi s l ace beami ng wi t h ent husi asm and j oy. I f el t hi m pr ess a coi n i nt o my hand. ' Take t hi s, ' he sai d, *and dr i nk a gl ass of beer t o my heal t h. ' " Ri cht er , of cour se, accept ed t he coi n, a Mar i a Ther esa t hal er , and wore i t on hi s wat ch- chai n ever af t er . The pr emi ere of t he Four t h t ook pl ace on Febr uar y 20, 1881 and pr oved a r eal t r i umph f or Br uckner , who was compel l ed t o t ake many bows af t er each movement . On t he same pr ogr am, however , t he symphoni c poem, t he "Si nger ' s curs e" by Buel ow, met wi t h ut t er f ai l ur e. Buel ow, now a deser t er f r om t he Wagner camp, and t ur ned t o a st aunch Br ahmsi an coul d not cont ai n hi s j eal ousy l and asked sar cast i cal l y, r ef er r i ng t o t he successf ul symphony: " I s t hat Ger man musi c?" Fr om Buel ow, at any r at e, t he most devot ed of Wagner i ans coul d expect no pr ai se. I n t i me t he i nsul t s Br uckner had t o endur e f r om t hat sour ce gr ew vi l e beyond descr i pt i on. Even seven year s I dl er , wi t h musi cal Germany at t he composer ' s f eet , Buel ow st i l l st ood by t he si nki ng shi p, sayi ng: "Br uckner ' s symphoni es ar e t he ant i - musi cal r avi ngs of a hal f - wi t . " At l ast i n 1891, t he pat i ent composer exper i enced t he gr at i f i cat i on of hear i ng t hat Buel ow had f i nal l y r el ent ed and was pr omot i ng Br uckner ' s Te Deum as a spl endi d wor k wel l wor t hy of pubi c per f or mance, I n J ul y, 1882, he made a f l yi ng t r i p t o Bayr eut h t o hear t he openi ng per f ormance of Par si f al . To hi m t hese f ew days wer e a beaut i f ul i dyl l . He woul d st r ol l al ong t he r oad wi t h a bl ack f r ock- coat on hi s arm, r eady t o don i t hast i l y shoul d Wagner come al ong by chance. I t made no di f f erence t o hi m t hat peopl e sai d t hi s was an unnecess ar y act of homage. Somet i mes he woul d st op at " Wahnf r i ed" and gaze at i t s wi ndows l ong and r ever ent l y. Mor ni ngs he woul d vi si t Wagner. The Mast er woul d come out t o gr eet hi m, of f er i ng hi m t he hand of t he l i t t l e Eva, whi l e he sai d l aughi ngl y: " Mr . Br uckner , your br i de! " Then Wagner woul d depl ore t he di sappoi nt i ng st at e of cont emporar y musi c, excl ai mi ng: " I know of onl y one who may be compar ed t o Beet hoven — and he i s Br uckner ! " One eveni ng, gr aspi ng t he Aust r i an' s hand, t he aged Mast er cr i ed: "Rest assur ed, I mysel f shal l pr oduce t he symphony [ meani ng t he Wagner ) and al l your wor ks. " " Oh, Mast er ! " was al l Br uckner coul d answer . Then t he quest i on: " Have you al r eady hear d Par si f al ! How di d you l i ke i t ?" Br uckner sank upon hi s knees, pr essi ng Wagner' s hand t o hi s l i ps, and mur mur i ng: " Oh, Mast er , I wor shi p you! " Wagner was deepl y moved. When t hey bade each Ot her good ni ght t hat eveni ng, i t was t he l ast greet i ng t hey ever exchanged on ear t h, f or t he cal l of Val hal l a f or t he "Mast er of al l Mast er s, " as Br uckner cal l ed hi m, was soon t o sound. Thi s i s t he pr emoni t i on t hat t ook hol d of t he younger composer , t hen al r eady deep i n t he creat i on of hi s Sevent h Symphony. No mor e maj est i c t r i but e t o t he gr eat ness of one mor t al has ever been pai d by anot her t han i n t hat gl ori ous, soar i ng Adagi o of Premoni t i on. I t i s an appeal di r ect t o t he soul of t he mi ght y musi c- dr amat i st , spoken i n i t s own di al ect , consummat el y mast er ed by a ki ndr ed soul . Page 16 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner
The deat h of Wagner was a st upendous bl ow t o t he whol e musi cal wor l d and especi al l y so t o Br uckner . The l at t er , now appr oachi ng hi s si xt i et h bi r t hday, was st i l l humbl e Prof . Ant on Br uckner t o t he worl d about hi m. The f i el d of musi cal f ame, suddenl y depr i ved of i t s sol i t ar y gi gant i c t enant , seemed t o yawn f or a new Ti t an. The psychol ogi cal moment was at hand. On t he t went y- ni nt h of December , 1884, Hugo Wol f wr ot e: " Br uckner ? Br uckner ? Who i s he? Wher e does he l i ve? What does he do? Such quest i ons ar e asked by peopl e who r egul ar l y at t end t he concer t s i n Vi enna. " The Vi ennese were dest i ned t o t he shame of soon basi ng t aught by Ger many t he gr eat ness t hey had been i gnor i ng i n t hei r mi dst f or a scor e of year s. When on December go, 1884, young Ar t hur Ni ki sch, Br uckner pupi l , gave t he Sevent h Symphony i t s f i r st heari ng i n no l ess modest a hal l t han t he cel ebr at ed Gewandhaus at Lei pzi g, i t was as i f a di vi ne Voi ce had bur st f ort h f r om t ot al dar kness cryi ng, " Let t here be l i ght ! " As t he l ast not e ceased t her e was enact ed a scene of unpar al l el ed ent husi asm, t he appl ause l ast i ng f ul l y f i f t een mi nut es. Br uckner appear ed on t he st age dr essed i n hi s si mpl e manner and bowed r epeat edl y i n answer t o t he unexpect ed ovat i on. One of t he cr i t i cs pr esent spoke of ! hi m as f ol l ows: "One coul d see f r om t he t r embl i ng of hi s l i ps and t he spar kl i ng moi st ur e i n hi s eyes how di f f i cul t i t was f or t he ol d gent l eman t o suppr ess hi s deep emot i on. Hi s homel y but honest count enance beamed wi t h a war m i nner happi ness such as can appear onl y on t he f ace of one who i s t oo goodhear t ed t o succumb t o bi t t erness even under t he pr essur e of most di sheart eni ng ci r cumst ances. Havi ng hear d hi s wor k and now seei ng hi m i n per son we asked our sel ves i n amazement ' How i s i t possi bl e t hat you coul d r emai n so l ong unknown t o us? ' " On New Year ' s Day, 1885, t he whol e wor l d knew t hat a gr eat symphoni c composer whom snobbi sh Vi enna had f or year s hel d bound and gagged was at l ast f r ee t o del i ver hi s message t o al l manki nd. Page 17 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner The per f or mance of t he Sevent h Symphony i n Muni ch under Her mann Levi pr oved an even gr eat er t r i umph. The conduct or cal l ed I i t t he " wonder work, " avowi ng i t s i nt er pr et at i on was t he crowni ng poi nt of hi s ar t i st i c car eer . Per haps Levi , f amous Wagner i an chi ef t an as he was, i nt ended t o anni hi l at e Br ahms wi t h a wor d when he al so added, " I t i s t he most si gni f i cant symphoni c work s i nce 1827' " I nt o t he per f or mance at Kar l sr uhe ( t he wor k was now maki ng i t s met eor i c way t hr ough al l Ger many) , Fel i x Mott i , gi f t ed Br uckner pupi l , t hr ew so much spi r i t ual f i r e t hat even t he whi t e- hai r ed Li szt , si t t i ng among t he di st i ngui shed audi ence, became f r om t hat moment a st aunch Br uckneri t e. Thi s conver si on was al l t he mor e r emarkabl e si nce t he gr eat pi ani st had l ong r emai ned col d t o Br uckner ' s musi c, al t hough l i e had been f or t wo scor e years one of t he chi ef mar shal s of t he Wagr i er camp. Li szt as a Wagner i an had secr et l y nurs ed t he not i on t hat t he Li sz t Symphoni c Poems coul d never be pr oper l y under st ood by t he peopl e unt i l t hey had l ear ned t o appr eci at e hi s s on- i n- l aw' s musi c dramas. Despi t e t he r ecogni t i on of t he whol e of Germany, Vi enna and t he Phi l harmoni c cont i nued to mai nt ai n a dogged al oof ness. St i l l f ear f ul , Br uckner ant i ci pat ed any possi bl e desi r e on t he par t of t he f amous or chest r a t o pl ay hi s work by ent er i ng a f ormal pr ot est agai nst such a move, on t he gr ound t hat " t he host i l i t y of t he Vi ennese cr i t i cs coul d onl y pr ove danger ous t o my st i l l young t r i umphs i n Ger many. " For di pl omat i c r easons, no doubt , t he Qui nt et was now gi ven, f or t he f i r st t i me i n i t s ent i r et y, by t he Hel l mesber ger aggr egat i on. One of t he most pr omi nent r evi ewers wr ot e about i t as f ol l ows: " We cannot compar e i t wi t h any ot her Qui nt et i n t hi s gener at i on. I t st ands absol ut el y al one i n i t s f i el d. " Even Kal beck, Br ahms' bi ogr apher and one of Br uckner ' s bi t t er est enemi es, sai d: "I t s Adagi o radi at es l i ght i n a t housand del i cat e shades — t he ref l ect i on of a vi si on
of t he sevent h heaven. " Apparent l y t he dawn of r ecogni t i on was at hand, even i n Vi enna. Vet t he conspi r at ors were det er mi ned t o di e har d. Anot her cr i t i c, on t he same occasi on, af t er pavi ng t he way by admi t t i ng t hat t he Qui nt et was per haps t he deepest and r i chest t hi ng of i t s ki nd, war ned t he publ i c on et hi cal gr ounds agai nst Br uckner as "t he gr eat est l i vi ng musi cal per i l , a sor t of t onal Ant i - Chr i st . " Hi s argument f ol l ows: " The vi ol ent nat ur e of t he man i s not wr i t t en on hi s f ace—f or hi s expr essi on i ndi cat es at most t he smal l soul of t he ever y- day Kapel l mei st er . Yet he composes not hi ng but hi gh t r eason, r evol ut i on, and mur der . Hi s wor k i s absol ut el y devoi d of ar t or r eason. Per haps, some day, a devi l and an angel wi l l f i ght f or hi s soul . Hi s musi c has t he f r agr ance of heavenl y roses, but i t i s poi sonous wi t h t he sul phur s of hel l . " Meanwhi l e, f or t he benef i t of hi s Vi ennese f r i ends, whom he di d not wi sh to di sappoi nt , t he composer per sonal l y pr epar ed t he i ni t i al per f or mance of hi s r ecent l y f i ni shed Te Deum. Thi s, a semi - pr i vat e af f ai r , t ook pl ace i n a smal l concer t - hal l . Two pi anos wer e used i n t he absence of an i mpar t i al orchest r a. Page 18 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner Suddenl y Ger many and Hol l and began cl amor i ng f or ot her Br uckner composi t i ons, but onl y t he Wagner Symphony had appear ed i n pr i nt . That wor k had even penet r at ed t o Ameri ca wher e t he not ed Wagner di sci pl e, Ant on Sei dl , had gi ven i t a hear i ng at t he Met r opol i t an Oper a House, December 6, 1885. When Br uckner hear d about t he f avor abl e r epor t i n t he New Yor k Tr i bune, he was as happy as a chi l d, and excl ai med: "Now even Amer i ca says I ' m not bad. I sn' t t hat j ust r i ch?" These succ ess es, however , di d not t ur n hi s head. He was f ar f r om r eady t o r est on hi s l aur el s. Dur i ng t he summer of 1884 he began wor k upon a new symphony. Hi s si st er , i n whose house i n t he l i t t l e t own of Voeckl abr uck he was vacat i oni ng, says he woul d show her a st ack of musi c- paper covered wi t h penci l mar ks, sayi ng t hat t hese scr i bbl i ngs woul d become anot her symphony. I n or der t o be abl e t o set down undi st ur bed t he i deas t hat came t o hi m dur i ng f r equent wal ks) i n t he surr oundi ng woods, he rent ed a r oom wi t h a pi ano i n a house nearby, " j ust f or composi ng. " When he hear d t hat t he owner of t hi s house had a young and pr et t y daught er , he sai d, "I ' m gl ad. Now I ' m sur e I ' l l be abl e t o compose her e. " Ever y day he woul d br i ng t hi s gi r l , a Mi ss Har t mann, a bouquet of f l ower s. The pr esence of t he younger f ai r sex seems t o have been al ways a sour ce of happi ness t o t he composer . He was t hem over si xt y years ol d. At t hi s t i me, l i ke Bal boa when he f i r st st ood upon t he hi l l over l ooki ng t he mysti c expanse of t he Paci f i c, Br uckner st ood at l ast i n t he hal o of hi s bel at ed and hard- ear ned f ame l ooki ng back wi t h cal m mel anchol y upon t he bi t t er t r i al s of hi s ar t i st i c car eer . Beneat h t hi s r et r ospect i ve spel l hi s Ei ght h Symphony unf ol ded i t sel f . As a col ossal st r uctur e of spi r i t ual aut obi ogr aphy i n t one i t i s a sequel t o hi s Fi f t h or Tr agi c Symphony, whi ch i t excel s i n dept h of expr essi on. I t has been cal l ed t he "cr own of ni net eent h cent ur y musi c. " I t i s usel ess t o at t empt t o gi ve any i dea of i t i n wor ds, but i t s message i n br i ef i s: ( Fi r st movement ) how t he ar t i st , a mere human, l i ke Pr omet heus, st eal s t he sacr ed f i r e f r om heaven and, dar i ng t o br i ng t he di vi ne essence t o ear t h, i s condemned t o suf f er f or hi s t emer i t y. ( Scher zo) how hi s deed i s greet ed wi t h scorn and r i di cul e by hi s f el l ow- men, and he f i nds sol ace onl y i n t he beaut y of nat ur e. ( Adagi o) r eveal s t he secr et of hi s cr eat i ve power , communi on wi t h t he Supr eme Sour ce. ( Fi nal e) t he bat t l e al l t r ut h must f i ght on ear t h bef or e i t at t ai ns r ecogni t i on and t he f i nal vi ct or y and crowni ng of t he ar t i st . ' I n Br uckner ' s physi cal appear ance at t hi s t i me t her e was! no hi nt of seni l i t y. He was a l i t t l e above t he aver age i n hei ght , but an i ncl i nat i on to cor pul ency made hi m appear shor t er . Hi s physi ognomy, huge- nosed and smoot h- shaven as he was, was t hat of a Roman emper or , but f r om hi s bl ue eyes beamed onl y ki ndness
and chi l di sh f ai t h. He wore unusual l y wi de whi t e col l ar s, i n or der t o l eave hi s neck per f ect l y f r ee. Hi s bl ack, l oose- hangi ng cl othes wer e obvi ousl y i nt ended t o be, above al l , comf ort abl e. He had even l ef t i nst r uct i ons f or a r oomy cof f i n. The onl y t hi ng about hi s at t i r e suggest i ve of t he ar t i st was t he l oosel y ar r anged bow- t i e he al ways wor e. About t he f i t and shape of hi s shoes he was, accor di ng t o hi s shoe- maker , more par t i cul ar t han t he most exact i ngl y el egant member of t he f ai r sex. As he woul d hur r y al ong t he st r eet swi ngi ng a sof t bl ack hat , whi ch he hardl y ever put on, a col or ed handker chi ef coul d al ways be seen pr ot r udi ng f r om hi s coat - pocket . Page 19 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner I n t he summer of 1886 he ar r i ved i n Bayr eut h j ust i n t i me t o at t end t he f uneral of Li szt . As Br uckner sat at t he organ i mpr ovi si ng a " Funer al Or at i on" i n hi s own l anguage out of t hemes of Par si f al , i t was as i f he were sal ut i ng t he passi ng of t hat gol den age of ni net eent h- cent ur y musi c, whi ch had endowed t he wor l d wi t h t he t i t ani c cont r i but i on known as t he ar t of Wagner. Now he was l eader of t he gl or i ous cause, i t s hi ghest l i vi ng cr eat i ve exponent , but he st ood al one, he and hi s symphoni es, whi l e t he enemy st i l l hel d t he f i el d i n gr eat number s, The Sevent h Symphony cont i nued maki ng new conquest s. Col ogne, Gr az, Chi cago, New Yor k, and Amst er dam pai d t r i but e t o i t s gr eat ness. When i t r eached Hambur g t he aged t eacher of Br ahms sai d i t was t he gr eat est symphony of moder n t i mes. Br ahms, however , cont i nued t o shr ug hi s s houl ders , and r emarked: " I n t he case of Br uckner one needn' t use t he wor d ' Symphony' ; i t ' s enough t o t al k of a ki nd of ' f ake' whi ch wi l l be f or got t en i n a f ew year s. " Then young Kar l Muck, Br uckner pupi l , came t o Gr az wi t h t he same symphony, and f ol l owi ng upon t hi s r eal l y Aust r i an t r i umph, Vi enna was compel l ed at l ast t o capi t ul at e, much t o t he annoyance of t he Hansl i ck coal i t i on. Hans Ri cht er conduct ed t he host i l e "Ki ng of Or chest r as" on Mar ch 21, 1886. The Sevent h Symphony, af t er hunt i ng f or t he " bl ue bi r d" al l over t he wor l d, had come home at l ast t o br i ng happi ness t o t he "pr ophet i n hi s own count r y. " Hansl i ck' s r evi ew t he f ol l owi ng day was a sor t of br i ef apol ogi a pr o vi t a sua. "I t i s cer t ai nl y wi t hout pr ecedent , " compl ai ned he, " t hat a composer be cal l ed t o t he st age f our or f i ve t i mes af t er each movement of a symphony. To t el l t he t r ut h t he musi c of Br uckner so r ubs me t he wr ong way t hat I ' m har dl y i n a posi t i on t o gi ve an i mpar t i al vi ew of i t . I consi der i t unnat ur al , bl own Up, unwhol esome, and r ui nous. " Kal beck, hi s ai de- de- camp, pi cked i on Ri cht er f or havi ng shown per sonal homage t o Br uckner and al l eged t hat i t was done pur el y f or popul ar ef f ect . Concer ni ng t he musi c i t sel f he sai d: "I t comes f r om t he Ni bel ungen and goes t o t he devi l ! " Dompke, anot her member of Hansl i ck' s s t af f snar l ed: " Br uckner wr i t es l i ke a dr unkar d. " Ri cht er , at t he banquet of t he Wagner - Ver ei n hel d t o cel ebr at e t he occasi on, decl ared t hat many members of t he Phi l har moni c or chest r a had changed t hei r mi nds about Br uckner and t hat t her e woul d be no di f f i cul t y about pr oduci ng hi s wor ks i n Vi enna f r om t hat t i me on. As a mat t er of f act , t he next symphony, t he Ei ght h, was i nt r oduced t o t he wor l d by t he Phi l har moni c. Her oi c Ri cht er now car r i ed t he banner i nt o t he Br i t i sh I sl es, i n spi t e of Br ahms' r epr ovi ng ear ni ng, "You sur el y ar e not goi ng t o per f or m Br uckner i n Engl and! " Page 20 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner The t r i umphant j our ney of t he Sevent h cont i nued, Budapest , Dr esden, and London next bei ng conquered. To be sur e, Berl i n, i n t he hands of t he Br ahms mars hal s, Buel ow and J oachi m, onl y gave i t a t i mi d wel come. A pr omi nent wr i t er s ai d of t he occasi on: "I t was l i ke of f er i ng a r oast t o a t abl e of mul es. " Anot her sai d: "I consi der ed Br ahms a gr eat symphoni st unt i l t o- day, but how t he l i t t l e ' Doct or'
seemed t o shr i nk when he was pr ogr ammed besi de t hi s gi ant , as was t he case i n t hi s concer t ! " I t was st i l l i mpossi bl e f or Br uckner t o f i nd publ i sher s f or hi s col ossal wor k. Ti me af t er t i me hi s manuscr i pt s wer e cal l ed f or by di f f er ent f i r ms, but al ways r et ur ned t o hi m wi t h regr et f ul apol ogi es. Then Suddenl y, New Yor k t hr ough Ant on Sei di t hr eat ened t o publ i sh t he Romant i c, wher eupon Her mann Levi f or t he second t i me made a col l ect i on of t he r equi r ed sum i n Muni ch and t hus saved Eur ope f r om t he i mmi nent di sgr ace. I n t he aut umn of 1880 per sonal f r i ends of Br uckner and Br ahms, hopi ng t o end t he quarr el bet ween t he t wo mast er s, agr eed t o br i ng t hem t oget her i n a Vi ennese r est aur ant . Br uckner , qui t e ami cabl e, had ar r i ved ear l y and had al r eady had t wo or t hr ee port i ons of Nudel - soup bef ore Br ahms put i n an appear ance. " St i f f and col d t hey f aced each ot her acr oss t he t abl e, " r el at ed one of t hose pr esent . I t was an uncomf or t abl e si t uat i on and t he wel l - meani ng conspi r at or s wer e hi ghl y di sappoi nt ed. Fi nal l y Br ahms br oke t he si l ence and cal l ed f or t he bi l l - of - f ar e. Wi t h a f orced di spl ay of good- nat ur e he cr i ed out : " Now l et ' s see what t her e i s t o eat ! " He gl anced al ong t he l i st of cour ses, suddenl y l ooked up, and order ed: " Wai t er , bri ng me smoked ham and dumpl i ngs! " I nst ant l y Br uckner j oi ned i n, cr yi ng, "That ' s i t , Doct or! Smoker ham and dumpl i ngs. At l east t hat ' s somet hi ng on whi ch we can agr ee! " The ef f ect of t hi s r emark was i nst ant aneous. Ever ybody shook wi t h l aught er . The i ce was br oken and t he r emai nder of t he eveni ng pr oved t o be f r i endl y and j ol l y. A r eal under st andi ng bet ween t he t wo was, of cour se, i mpossi bl e. I t was a case of t emper ament s di amet r i cal l y opposed, concept i ons of ar t basi cal l y at var i ance, i n shor t , an apt i l l ust r at i on of Ki pl i ng' s phr ase "And t he t wai n shal l never meet . " Br uckner expl ai ned t he si t uat i on t hus: "He i s Br ahms ( hat s of f ! ) ; I am Br uckner; I l i ke my wor ks bet t er. He who want s t o be soot hed by musi c wi l l become at t ached t o Br ahms; but whoever want s t o be car r i ed away by musi c wi l l f i nd but l i t t l e sat i sf act i on i n hi s wor k. " Br ahms hi msel f had decl ar ed bef or e j oi ni ng t he Hansl i ck camp: " Br uckner i s t he gr eat est symphoni st of t he age. " Once af t er l i st eni ng t o a Br uckner symphony Br ahms appr oached t he composer , sayi ng: "I hope you won' t f eel hur t about i t , but I r eal l y can' t make out what you ar e t r yi ng t o get at wi t h your composi t i ons. " " Never mi nd, Doct or, " answer ed Br uckner , "t hat ' s per f ect l y al l r i ght . I f eel j ust t he same way about your t hi ngs . " Page 21 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner I n 1890, war ned by r epeat ed at t acks of l ar yngi t i s and general ner vousness, he begged l eave t o spend a year f r ee f r om conser vat or y dut y. Hi s r equest was grant ed, but wi t h no pay. He now drew t he l ong- dor mant Fi r st Symphony f r om i t s dust y shel f and set t o work pol i shi ng i t . Sever al year s bef or e, Hans Ri cht er , happeni ng t o be pr esent when t wo of Br uckner ' s pupi l s pl ayed a f our - hand arr angement of t he work, i n hi s ent husi asm snat ched up t he or chest r al score and want ed to r un of f wi t h i t , when Br uckner cal l ed out anxi ousl y, "But t he r agamuf f i n has t o be cl eaned f i r st ! " Fr om t hat t i me t he Fi r st Symphony was known i n Br uckner ci r cl es as t he " Ragamuf f i n" — an apt nomencl at ure, i ndeed, when one r emember s t he i mpudence of t he openi ng bar s. Her mann Levi , al r eady f ami l i ar wi t h i t , was par t i cul ar l y wor r i ed t hat t he agi ng mast er mi ght make r adi cal changes i n t he pr ocess of r evi si on and wr ot e t o hi m: " The Fi r st i s wonder f ul ! I t must be pr i nt ed and per f or med—but pl ease don' t change i t t oo much—i t i s al l good j ust as i t st ands, even t he i nst r ument at i on. Pl ease, pl ease, not t oo much r et ouchi ng. " An el oquent t r i but e t o t he geni us of t he ear l y Br uckner i s t hi s, ver di ct f r om t he l i ps of t he gr eat est of Wagner i an conduct or s and cer t ai nl y one of t he f i nest musi ci ans of hi s t i me. Dur i ng t hese vacat i on days t he mast er woul d r evi ew wi t h l ongi ng t he happy days
bef or e hi s Vi ennese t r i al s began. Wonder i ng what had become of t he pr et t y J osephi ne Lang wi t h whom he had f al l en i n l ove t went y- f i ve year s bef or e, he deci ded t o l ook her up. She had mar r i ed l ong bef or e and he was del i ght ed t o f i nd i n her beaut i f ul f our t een- year - ol d daught er t he l i vi ng r epl i ca of her mot her whom he had l oved so l ong ago. Ki ssi ng the gi r l , he cal l ed her : "My dar l i ng subst i t ut e. " I n her company al l r eckoni ng of t i me past or pr esent was l ost f or hi m and hi s hear t beat once mor e as swi f t l y as t he vacat i on moment s f l ew by. On December 21, 1890, t he f i r st and second pr i nt ed ver si ons of t he Wagner Symphony wer e per f or med consecut i vel y i n Vi enna. Hansl i ck admi t t ed t hat her e and t her e f our or ei ght bar s of except i onal and ori gi nal beaut y mi ght be hear d, but t hat t he bul k of t he wor k was " chaos. " One wonder s whet her t he man was r eal l y so ol d- f ashi oned t hat he coul d onl y read conf usi on out of t he super- order whi ch t he wor l d now knows as Br uckner ' s symphoni c f or m, as vast and as cent r i pet al as a gr eat empi r e. About Hansl i ck t her e seems ever t o be poppi ng up a ghost of doubt , " Was t he man, af t er al l , si ncer e?" I f so, he cer t ai nl y deser ved t he i mmort al i t y Wagner gave hi m i n t he f i gur e of Beckmesser . I t i s good f or us t o keep i n mi nd t hat Beckmesser or Hansl i ck, t he st ubborn r eact i onar y, i s an et er nal t ype t o be f ound i n ever y gener at i on and i n ever y f i el d of act i vi t y. Page 22 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner On t he above occasi on t he cri t i c Hel m, l ong f ai t hf ul Hansl i ck assi st ant , l ef t t he opposi t i on and st epped over t o Br uckner ' s si de beat i ng hi s breast s f or hi s past si ns. The val i ant Kal beck st i l l st ood f i r m and i ncor r i gi bl e. He of f er ed t hi s reci pe i n l i eu of cri t i ci sm: "Stand t he Al l egr o of Beet hoven' s Ni nt h on i t s head and see t he Fi nal e of t hi s Br uckner Symphony t umbl e out . " Vi enna was by t hen t hor oughl y convi nced of Br uckner' s qual i t y. A gr oup of weal t hy Aust r i ans met t o t ake f i nanci al measur ed necessar y t o f r ee t he composer f r om hi s arduous academi c dut i es. Though pr i de at f i r st l ed hi m t o mi sunder st and t he moti ve f or t hi s, t he mast er soon r eal i zed t hat not hi ng but r egar d f or hi s geni us had pr ompt ed i t and gr at ef ul l y accept ed t he of f er, deepl y moved. Thus he was set f r ee t o do wi t h t he l ast f i ve year s of hi s l i f e as he wi shed. Hi s new f ound l ei sur e per mi t t i ng, he woul d of t en make t r i ps t o Ger many t o hear hi s wor ks per f or med.
Once a chambermai d i n a Berl i n hot el pr essed a not e i nt o hi s hand on hi s depar t ur e f or Vi enna, i n whi ch she expr essed gr eat concer n f or t he bodi l y wel f ar e of her " dear Mr . Br uckner . " Nat ur al l y, ' he r esponded at once, but i nsi st ed ( t hi s was a mat t er of pr i nci pl e wi t h hi m) upon bei ng i nt r oduced t o the gi r l ' s par ent s. Wi t h t hem an under st andi ng was qui ckl y ar r i ved at and a l i vel y corr espondence ent er ed upon, unt i l Br uckner , despi t e t he admoni t i on of hi s horr i f i ed f r i ends, had made up hi s mi nd t o mar r y t he gi r l . He i nsi st ed, however , t hat she be conver t ed t o Cat hol i ci sm and t hi s pr oved i n t he end t he onl y st umbl i ng bl ock t o one of t he most cur i ous mat ches on recor d. For t unat el y, t he gi r l woul d not sacri f i ce her f ai t h even f or t he pr i vi l ege of nur si ng her bel oved Mr . Br uckner . " He was sevent y- one year s ol d when t hi s advent ur e wi t h I da Buhz, t he sol i ci t ous mai d, came t o an end. Then t her e was al so hi s " af f ai r " wi t h t he young and pr et t y Mi nna Rei sc hi . Add t o a pai r of r ogui sh eyes a t horoughl y musi cal nat ur e and i t i s easy t o see why t he aged l over l ost hi s hear t t o t hi s gi r l . She, of cour se, must have been mer el y amusi ng her sel f at Br uckner' s expense, because when she went as f ar as t o br i ng t he composer home t o her parent s, t hese sensi bl e peopl e of t he wor l d at once awakened hi m out of hi s December dr eam. When he came t o Li nz shor t l y af t er , hi s acquai nt ances guessi ng t he t r ut h, t eased hi m, sayi ng: " Aha! So you have been out
mar r yi ng agai n! " Wi t h Mi nna, however , who af t er war ds mar r i ed a weal t hy manuf act ur er , Br uckner r emai ned ver y f r i endl y unt i l t he end. I n t he aut umn of 1891 he was cr eat ed " Honor ar y Doct or " of t he Uni ver si t y of Vi enna, a di st i nct i on whi ch gave t he i ngenuous composer much happi ness . Not l ong bef ore t hi s he had r ecei ved f r om t he emper or Fr anz J oseph an i nsi gni a of whi ch he was i nor di nat el y pr oud and whi ch he was ver y f ond of di spl ayi ng, much as a chi l d wi l l a new t oy. Thi s weakness of hi s f or gl i t t er , a char acteri st i c as a r ul e i ncompat i bl e wi t h t r ue gr eat ness, i s yet easi l y t o be reconci l ed wi t h hi s chi l di shness and t he l ong year s spent i n a l and wher e t i t l es and decorat i ons wer e r egar ded as t he hi ghest mar ks of honor . Page 23 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner The summer of 1803 saw hi m t he cent r al f i gur e at t he Bayr eut h Fest spi el e. Hi s ar r i val was ent husi ast i cal l y gr eet ed by a host of musi ci ans and musi c- l over s. I n t he conf usi on of wel come t he t r unk cont ai ni ng t he sket ches of t he Ni nt h Symphony di sappear ed, but af t er many anxi ous hour s i t was l ocat ed at t he pol i ce- st at i on, t o t he composer ' s gr eat r el i ef . Dai l y he made hi s pi l gr i mage t o t he gr ave of t he " Mast er of al l Mast ers. " The cr i t i c Mar sop, once an enemy of hi s, says he saw Br uckner! appr oach Wagner ' s gr ave r ever ent l y, f ol d hi s hands and pr ay wi t h such f er vor t hat t he t ear s l i t er al l y st r eamed down hi s f ace. Per haps, Br uckner al r eady f el t t hat t hi s vi si t t o Wahnf r i ed mi ght be hi s l ast . I n t he consci ousness of t he mor e enl i ght ened Vi ennese hi s name now occupi ed a pl ace besi de t he gr eat mast er s who had l i ved i n t he "ci t y of musi c, " and as he passed al ong t he st r eet , voi ces coul d be hear d whi sper i ng wi t h awe: " Ther e goes Ant on Br uckner ! " He l i ved i n a smal l , si mpl e apar t ment of t wo r ooms and ki t chen, t ended by an ol d f ai t hf ul servant , Kat hi , who f or t went y year s had spent ; a f ew hour s each day car i ng f or t he bachel or' s househol d. I n t he bl uewal l ed room where he worked st ood hi s ol d gr and pi ano, a har moni um, a l i t t l e t abl e, and some chai r s. The f l oor and most of t he f ur ni t ur e were l i t t er ed wi t h musi c. On t he wal l s hung a l ar ge phot ogr aph and an oi l pai nt i ng of hi msel f . From t hi s r oom a door l ed t o hi s bedr oom, t he wal l s of whi ch were cover ed wi t h pi ct ur es of hi s " bel oved Mast er s. " On t he f l oor st ood a bust of hi msel f whi ch he was pl eased t o show hi s f r i ends, who rel at e that he woul d pl ace hi s hand upon i t s br ow, smi l e wi st f ul l y, and say: " Good chap! " Agai nst t he wal l st ood an Engl i sh br ass bed pr esent ed t o hi m by hi s pupi l s. Thi s he cal l ed "My one l uxur y. " At home he woul d go dr essed even mor e comf or t abl y t han on t he st r eet , mer el y! donni ng a l oose coat whenever a guest was announced. Kat hi knew exact l y at what hour s guest s wer e wel come. I f t he mast er was composi ng no one was per mi t t ed t o di st ur b hi m. At ot her t i mes he went i n person t o meet t he cal l er at t he door . Br uckner worked, as a rul e, onl y i n t he mor ni ng, but somet i mes he woul d get up dur i ng t he ni ght t o wr i t e down an i dea t hat had suddenl y! come t o hi m. Possessi ng no l amp, he di d t hi s ni ght wor k by t he l i ght of t wo wax candl es. When t he f ai t hf ul Kat hi saw t r aces of t hese i n t he morni ng she scol ded hi m sever el y, war ni ng hi m t o be more car ef ul about hi s heal t h. When she i nsi st ed t hat he compose onl y i n t he dayt i me, he woul d say cont empt uousl y: " What do you know about such t hi ngs? I have t o compose whenever an i dea comes t o me. " Somet i mes, ot her answer s f ai l i ng hi m, he t r i ed nai vel y t o i mpr ess her wi t h hi s i mpor t ance, cr yi ng: " Do you know whom you ar e t al ki ng t o? I am Br uckner! " " And I am Kat hi , " she ret ort ed and t hat was t he end of t he ar gument . Af t er hi s deat h she sai d of hi m: " He was r ude, but good! " Page 24 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner On t he ei ght eent h of December , 1892, occur r ed t he most i mpr essi ve per f or mance of hi s career , when t he Phi l harmoni c pl ayed hi s Ei ght h Symphony. Real i zi ng t he
unpr ecedent ed dept h of t hi s wor k, a pr of undi t y whi ch onl y movement s of t he most col ossal propor t i ons coul d cope wi t h, Br uckner had been much wor r i ed concer ni ng t he wel come i t woul d recei ve f r om t he publ i c. The perf or mance, however, was super b and ar oused t he gr eat est ent husi asm. J ust bef ore t he Fi nal e t he exasper at ed Hansl i ck r ose t o t ake hi s l eave and r ecei ved an ovat i on such as onl y t he consummat e vi l l ai n of t he pl ay i s gi ven upon a par t i cul ar l y ef f ect i ve exi t . Br uckner ' s condi t i on at t hi s t i me was al r eady causi ng hi s doct ors much concer n and i t was onl y owi ng t o t he ext r eme i mpor t ance of t he occasi on t hat t hey per mi t t ed hi m t o be pr esent . At t he cl ose of t he symphony, whi ch had been t he sol e number on t he pr ogr am, t he appl ause was t r emendous and t hreat ened never t o end. Br uckner, af t er count l ess bows t o t he audi ence, t ur ned and bowed t o t he f amous or chest r a whi ch had at l ast been won over t o hi s si de. I t was a t r ue t r i umph, t he Fi r st unqual i f i ed vi ct or y he had ever gai ned i n Vi enna. The cr i t i cs cal l ed i t t he "cr own of ni net eent h cent ur y musi c, " " t he mast er pi ece of t he Br uckner st yl e. " Hugo Wol f wr ot e: " The wor k r ender s al l cri t i ci sm f ut i l e; t he Adagi o i s absol ut el y i ncompar abl e. " Even t he "hol dout , " Kal beck, at l ast admi t t ed, "Br uckner i s a mast er of i nst r ument at i on, " and " t he symphony i s wort hy of i t s sol e posi t i on on t he pr ogr am. " Br uckner was most unhappy t hat i ncr easi ng i l l ness of t en made i t i mpossi bl e f or hi m t o hear hi s own wor ks, t he per f or mances Of whi ch wer e becomi ng ever mor e f r equent . He had been put on a st r i ct di et . "Even my f avor i t e Pi l sner beer i s f orbi dden me, " he compl ai ned t o hi s f ormer t eacher Ki t zi er . Hi s badl y swol l en f eet r ender ed or gan pl ayi ng out of t he quest i on and he had t o r emai n i n bed most of t he t i me. Never t hel ess i t was t hi s same suf f er i ng Br uckner who wr ot e t he r ol l i cki ng Scher zo of t he Ni nt h' Symphony, per haps t he most vi t al of al l hi s l i ght er movement s. The end of 1893 saw such an i mpr ovement i n hi s condi t i on t hat he was even per mi t t ed a t r i p t o Ber l i n. Thi s change f or t he bet t er was, al as, onl y t emporar y, f or t he f ol l owi ng days br ought such an endur i ng rel apse t hat he coul d not at t end t he f i r st per f ormance of hi s Fi f t h Symphony i n Gr az, under t hat young eagl e of t he bat on, Fr anz Schal k, Apr i l 8, 1894. A devot ed pupi l of Br uckner , Schal k had f er vent l y embr aced t he enormousl y di f f i cul t under t aki ng of l ove i nvol ved i n t he st udy and pr oduct i on of t hi s mi ght y wor k, wi t h i t s i r r esi st i bl y i nspi r i ng cl i max. Onl y t he pr esence of t he ai l i ng mast er was l acki ng t o r ender t he occasi on as happy as i t was musi cal l y i mpor t ant . Dur i ng t he summer Br uckner was suf f i ci ent l y r ecover ed t o ret ur n t o t he r ust i c sur r oundi ngs of hi s ear l i er year s, but hi s sevent i et h bi r t hday was cel ebr at ed qui et l y, by or der of t he Vi ennese doct or who had accompani ed hi m. Tel egr ams of congr at ul at i on and best wi shes st r eamed i nt o t he l i t t l e t own of St eyr f r om al l cor ner s of t he ear t h. Ar t i cl es about hi m and hi s wor k appear ed i n al l t he newspapers . The peopl e of Li nz best owed on hi m t he key of t he ci t y; he was el ect ed honorar y member of count l ess musi cal organi zat i ons. I n short , not a si ngl e si gn of est eem t he ear t h mi ght show i t s ki ngs of t one was now wi t hhel d f r om t he ai l i ng geni us. The gl ory he had r i chl y ear ned t went y year s bef ore now came t o hi m when t he gr eat est j oy he coul d r eveal at t he real i zat i on of hi s uni ver sal r ecogni t i on was a wi st f ul smi l e i n whi ch l i f e- l ong spi r i t ual pai n l ur ked behi nd t he ghost of a bel at ed happi ness. Page 25 - - The Li f e of Ant on Br uckner Unexpect edl y, what seemed a swi f t r ecover y, i n t he f al l of 1894. , f ound hi m once more ascendi ng t he pl at f orm at t he uni ver si t y t o resume hi s l ect ur es on musi cal t heor y. Onl y a f ew such days of gr ace wer e gr ant ed hi s shat t er ed body by r el ent l ess Fat e, f or t wo weeks l at er he st ood f or t he l ast t i me bef ore hi s bel oved st udent s. Fr om t hen on hi s heal t h decl i ned st eadi l y and even hi s ment al condi t i on suf f er ed f r om er r at i c spel l s. He was compel l ed t o abandon hi s Ni nt h
Symphony at t he cl ose of t he t hi r d. movement , an Adagi o whi ch, he t ol d f r i ends, was t he most beaut i f ul he had ever composed. Fr om sket ches f ound among hi s post humous ef f ect s we know i t had been hi s i nt ent i on t o add t o t hi s gl ori ous wor k a pur el y i nst r ument al f i nal e, per haps i n the manner of t he cl osi ng por t i on of hi s Tr agi c Symphony. Yet , l i t t l e t hough he r eal i zed i t , when t he l ast not e of t hi s Adagi o di es out t her e i s no expectati on unf ul f i l l ed. I t i s as i f he has conf essed al l , pour ed out hi s ver y soul i n t hi s musi c, so t hat t he work he despai r ed of ever f i ni shi ng, t he wor k he di ed t hi nki ng i ncompl et e, now st r i kes t he l i st ener as a per f ect symphony- uni t needi ng no pr escr i bed f i nal e. On J anuar y 12, 1806, he hear d hi s Te Deum, i t s per f or mance i n Vi enna havi ng been r ecommended by no ot her t han Br ahms hi msel f , who at l ast seems t o have changed hi s at t i t ude t owards t he man he had opposed f or year s. Thi s was t he l ast t i me Br uckner ever heard one of hi s own wor ks. The ver y l ast musi c he l i st ened t o i n publ i c was Wagner ' s Li ebesmahl der Apost el . I t was much l i ke a musi cal f ar ewel l - gr eet i ng f r om t he Mast er he had est eemed above al l ot her s i n hi s l i f et i me. Dur i ng t he summer of t hat year Bayr eut h was pr epared f or t he wor st , f or a st r ong r umor was af oot t hat Br uckner was dyi ng. Yet hi s gi gant i c vi t al i t y out l i ved t he season. Not t i l l Oct ober 11 di d t he dr eaded moment come. I t was a Sunday. I n t he mor ni ng he had occupi ed hi msel f wi t h t he sket ches f or t he Fi nal e of t he Ni nt h Symphony. Ther e seemed not hi ng al ar mi ng about hi s condi t i on. At t hr ee i n t he af t er noon he suddenl y compl ai ned of f eel i ng col d and asked f or a cup of t ea. A f r i end who was wi t h hi m hel ped hi m t o bed, but no sooner di d he appear comf or t abl e, when he br eat hed once or t wi ce heavi l y and al l was over . At t he bur i al ser vi ce Fer di nand Loewe conduct ed t he Adagi o of t he Sevent h Symphony. Hugo Wol f was r ef used ent r y i nt o t he chur ch on t he gr ound t hat he was not a member of any of t he " Soci et i es" par t i ci pat i ng. Br ahms, a ver y si ck ol d man, st ood out si de t he gat e, but r ef used t o ent er . Someone hear d hi m mut t er sadl y: " I t wi l l be my t ur n soon, " and t hen he si ghed and went wear i l y home. I n accor dance wi t h Br uckner ' s i mpl i ci t wi sh hi s r emai ns were t aken t o St . Fl or i an wher e t hey l i e buri ed under t he mi ght y or gan t hat had been hi s best f r i end and i nt o t he gol den maj est y of whi ch he had on i nnumerabl e occasi ons pour ed t he t r oubl ed conf essi ons of hi s t r agi c l i f e.
