English Commentary by Sergio Cánovas 

Bruckner’s Symphony No.7 was composed between September 23 of 1881 and August 10 of 1883. It was premiered in Leipzig on December 30 of 1884, performed by the Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Arthur Nikisch. It was a great success and arguably the biggest triumph in the composer’s career. After said premiere, Bruckner slightly retouched the score with some changes in tempo, dynamics, as well as the addition of a cymbal clash, triangle and timpani in the climax of the adagio. These changes were made under the influence of conductors Schalk, Löwe and Nikisch, and a debate still rages wherever it is appropiate or not.

The piece met success almost every time everytime it was performed, even in Vienna were most people were indifferent when not outright hostile to Bruckner’s music. Its performance in the Austrian capital on March 21 of 1886 was very well-received, despite the vicious attacks of critics Eduard Hanslick and Gustav Dompke. The Symphony has always been the most popular of Bruckner’s, and its not hard to see why; it’s full of memorable tunes, richly orchestrated, formally well-constructed and with a balance that seems flawed at first (two large movements followed by two short ones), but which makes sense when the symphony is considered as more than the sum of its parts.

The radiance and expansive nature of the music seems to encompass the divine and the humane in a very characteristic way: It was begun shortly after a terrible fire destroyed the Ringtheater and killed approximately 386 people. A shocked Bruckner, who lived in an apartment right in front of the theatre, feared for the destruction of his music, which thankfully didn’t happen. The composer also had attended the premiere of «Parsifal» in Bayreuth while he was writing the work, and learned of Wagner’s death while finishing the adagio. All these experiences, fused with Bruckner’s more than refined control of the symphonic discourse, contribute to an unquestionable masterpiece.

The first movement is structured in a large-scale, modified sonata form. It begins with glowing tremolos from strings, over which a deeply lyrical, divine main theme is introduced by cellos. Bruckner had apparently heard it in a dream, although it incorporates a quotation of the Credo of his Mass in D minor (1864), which he was revising at the time. It is restated on violins as it reaches a brief but brilliant climax. It is followed by a more mysterious second theme on oboes and clarinets over pulsating brass, derived from the main one. After a massive climax, a more rhythmic third theme appears and culminates in a powerful brass fanfare.

The ensuing development of the material features each theme inverted and passed through different tonalities. An intensely dramatic climax is reached, followed by an expressive passage of great turmoil. The varied recapitulation then begins with the main theme and its inversion in counterpoint, followed by the second which grows into several expressive climaxes. The momentum of the third one leads us to a substantial coda in which the main theme slowly reveals itself in a tragic way, followed by a completely serene recapitulation, which rises triumphally and ending the movement with a glorious blaze enhanced by the brass.

The second movement is written in an expanded ternary form. It opens with a sombre and funereal main theme, which contains a reference to Bruckner’s Te Deum. It unfolds with great pathos and reaches a painful climax, written when Wagner was severely hill. Follows a flowing, lyrical second theme on strings, which offers great contrast. The main theme is then recapitulated, followed by an inversion and a variation that modulate through several tonalities. After an intense climax, the music builds towards a brilliant, almost triumphal climax enhanced by the brass. The second theme is briefly repeated, before the main theme creeps out. It slowly builds intensity as it modulates through keys with added figurations. Then the music explodes in one of the most powerful climaxes in the history of music.

This extraordinary moment was apparently written by Bruckner upon hearing the news of Wagner’s death. A tragic passage dominated by the brass and described by bruckner as «Trauermusik» (funereal music), leads to an expressive coda with the main theme in C sharp major, ending the work with a slight sense of hope.

The third movement is a scherzo in ternary form. It begins with an agitated and rhythmic main theme shared between strings and brass, quickly growing into a forceful climax. This material is rhythmically derived from the third theme of the first movement, which is then unfolded through a series of inversions, modulations and repeats. The music reaches another vigorous climax. The trio section opens with timpani beats, followed by the appearance of a widely lyrical, angelic theme on strings. It delicately unfolds before the scherzo is repeated in its entirety. A forceful coda ends the movement with great energy.

The fourth movement is also structured in a large-scale, modified sonata form. It opens with string tremolos, followed by a lively and bright main theme, full of a sense of joy and will. It is contrasted by a broad, solemn second theme also on strings. Follows a massive third theme in form of a chorale. A brief, rather calm development ensues revolving around the main theme. Then suddenly an inverted recapitulation opens with the powerful third theme, followed by the second and first. The music rises in several brilliant climaxes, before the materials gradually coalesce in an intense crescendo, ending the work in a glorious blaze in E major.

Picture: «Music I» (1895) by the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: https://tinyurl.com/2czrjqge and https://tinyurl.com/259wbqc5 To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/28ef97hu