Symphony No. 4 (Bruckner)

1. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell
2. Andante , quasi allegretto
3. Scherzo . Bewegt
4. Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell

1874

Original version. Bruckner worked on it from January 2 to November 22, 1874. During the life of the composer was not performed. Published in 1975, edited by L. Novak .

1878

After completing the original version, Bruckner began work on the Fifth Symphony, returning to the Fourth only in 1878 , although he may have made some amendments earlier. Between January 18 and September 30, he significantly reworked the first two parts and replaced the original finale with a new one entitled Folk Festival ( Volksfest , published in additions to the editions of Haas [1936] and Novak [1981]). In December, Bruckner replaced the original scherzo with a new composition, sometimes referred to as the “Hunting Scherzo” ( Jagd-Scherzo ). The original title of the trio read: “Dance melody during a hunting meal” ( Tanzweise während der Mahlzeit auf der Jagd ).

1880 (also 1878/80)

Between November 19, 1879 and June 5, 1880 , a new finale was written - the third, in which, however, the thematic material of the original finale of 1874 was significantly used. This version formed the basis of the first performance (not the author conducted the premiere of the Bruckner Symphony).

1881

Several changes were made after the premiere, including a bill in the second part and a final rework. Published in 1936 under the editorship of R. Haas (1944 edition under his own editorship - compilation of versions 1880 and 1881).

1886

Bruckner introduced changes to the 1881 version when he was preparing the score for Anton Seidl , who took it with him to New York , where it was performed on April 4, 1888 under his direction. Published by L. Novak (1953) based on the original copy of the score discovered in 1952 (now in the collection of Columbia University ); erroneously entitled as “Version 1878/80”.

1887

Based on the publication, Bruckner carefully reworked the symphony with the participation of Ferdinand Loew and, possibly, Franz and Joseph Schalkov . Their “contribution” to the score is recognized as authorized. This version was performed with great success on January 20, 1888 by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Hans Richter. The only source of text for this version is an engraving copy prepared for the Vienna publisher Alfred Gutmann.

1888

In February, after the execution of the 1887 version, Bruckner made many corrections to the engraving copy, dated it and sent it to Gutman between May 15 and June 20. The first edition (1889) was printed from it. In 1890 , the second, corrected, followed. The authenticity of some discrepancies of the publication with respect to the copy (for example, the introduction of piccolo flutes , plates ) is called into question.

Woodwind

2 flutes

piccolo flute

2 oboes

2 clarinets (B)

2 bassoons

Brass

4 horn (F)

3 pipes (Es)

3 trombones

tuba

Drums

timpani

dishes

String

I and II violins

violas

cello

double basses

The first complete recording was made in 1936: Karl Böhm with the Saxon State Chapel ; version 1881.

Version 1874

• Elijahu Inbal with the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra (1977) and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (1982)

Version 1878 (Finale "People's Holiday")

• Georg Tintner with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (1998)

Version 1881

• Eugen Jochum with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra (1939)
• Oswald Kabasta with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (1943)
• Otto Klemperer with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (1947) and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (1951)
• Hermann Abendrot with the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra (1949)
• Franz Conwicz with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (1952)
• Karl Schuricht with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (1955)
• Bruno Walter with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (1960)
• Sergiu Celibidache with the Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1960), the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (1973) and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993)
• Bernard Haitink with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (1965, 1999), the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra (1974), the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1985), the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1996) and the London Symphony Orchestra (2002)
• Yasha Gorenstein with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra (1968)
• Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1970, 1974, 1975, 1979)
• Gunter Wand with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra (1976), the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra (1990, 2001), the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1998) and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (2001)
• Kurt Zanderling with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (1984), the Paris Orchestra (1992) and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1996)
• Georg Tintner with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (1996)

Version 1886

• Otto Klemperer with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra (1954), the Philharmonic (1964) and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1966)
• Eugen Jochum with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1955), the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1965), the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1974), the London Philharmonic Orchestra (1974), the Consertgebouw Orchestra (1975), the Swedish State Capella Symphony Orchestra (1975) and Sackson 1975)
• Franz Convicius with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (1961)
• Sergiu Celibidache with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (1969)
• Kurt Zanderling with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1994)
• Nikolaus Arnoncourt with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (1997) and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (2003)
• Philippe Herrevege with the Champs Elysees Orchestra (2005) and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders (2009)
• Elijahu Inbal with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra (2006)
• Bernard Hightink with the London Symphony Orchestra (2011)

Version 1888

• Bruno Walter with the NBC Symphony Orchestra (1940)
• Wilhelm Furtwengler with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1941) and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1951)
• Hans Knappersbusch with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1944) and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1955, 1964)
• William Steinberg with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1956)
• Karl Schuricht with the Romanesque Switzerland Orchestra (1961)

• Symphony No. 4 (Bruckner): sheet music for works at the International Music Score Library Project
• Full discography