Composer: Anton Bruckner
Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Juan José Mena
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Chandos
Catalogue: CHAN20221
Release: 2021
Size: 555 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Symphony No. 6 in A major
01. I. Majestoso – Bedeutend langsamer
02. II. Adagio. Sehr feierlich
03. III. Scherzo. Nicht schnell
04. IV. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
Considered by some to be the ‘Cinderella’ of his symphonies, the Sixth Symphony of Anton Bruckner was composed in 1879 – 81. It may well demonstrate a reaction to the severe criticism of the first Viennese performance, in 1877, of his Third Symphony, which Eduard Hanslick described as a vision of how Beethoven’s Ninth befriends Wagner’s Walküre and ends up being trampled under her horses’ hoofs’. Much the shortest of his mature symphonies, the Sixth also reverts to a more classical form than its predecessors. This recording was made in 2012, during the first season of Juanjo Mena as Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, and just a month before their acclaimed performance of the work at the BBC Proms. Classical Source commented: ‘Mena didn’t miss a trick and the result for the whole symphony was a revelation, and you don’t get many of those. This was a thrilling, delightful performance.’