Eschenbach with Bruckner

Bruckner's Second Symphony is often referred to as the "Symphony of Pauses." But do not worry: these pauses are not silent, but full of tension and give the music room to breathe. A music that was initially considered unplayable by contemporaries. The Vienna Philharmonic initially rejected the work, deeming it far too long. Bruckner shortened it, rented the large hall at the Musikverein at his own expense, rehearsed thoroughly with the orchestra - and was successful. And what a success it was, the applause of the premiere audience on October 26, 1773, seemed never-ending. Bruckner himself later referred to it as the "most memorable day of my life." Today, the symphony is somewhat overshadowed by its successors, but unjustly so. Everything that Bruckner enthusiasts appreciate: the grand arcs of tension, the delicate as well as the powerful moments, the abrupt pauses and new beginnings - they are all already present here. Christoph Eschenbach is considered a Bruckner specialist; that is why we have invited him to conduct it.