English Commentary by Sergio Cánovas 

Bruckner’s Symphony No.8 was composed between July 1884 and April 1887. In September the composer sent the score to Hermann Levi hoping for a performance, which he refused. Bruckner then began to revise the work in 1888, but stopped to revise the third and fourth symphonies. The revision continued between 1889-90 with the assistance of Frank Schalk, and the work was published before its performance in 1892. The coda of the first movement was rewritten, the scherzo was refined and the trio was rewritten, the adagio was revised and slightly cut, as well as the finale. The orchestration was expanded and made more refined as well.

Several scheduled premieres in Munich, conducted either by Felix Weingartner or Hermann Levi, were cancelled for lack of rehearsal times and a cholera breakout. The premiere didn’t take place until December 18 of 1892, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Hans Ritcher. The score in that occasion had been defaced with further cuts, changes of dynamics, phrasing, and orchestration made by Schalk. It was very well-received, to the point that the composer was given a laurel wreath, but only two further performances occurred during Bruckner’s lifetime. A huge mess was created when Robert Haas, in a failed attempt to remove Schalk’s interference, created an edition that mixed both versions. This edition was for a long time the most popular, but Leopold Nowak’s edition restores the work as it was finally left by Bruckner.

In an 1891 letter to Weingartner, Bruckner gave extramusical associations to several parts of the symphony, without providing a detailed programme unlike the fourth symphony. These comments (which I will provide in the analysis) show a Bruckner increasingly concerned with death and religion, conveyed through a much more dissonant and violent music full of a twisted anguish. A subtitle was even provided in hopes to make the work more popular: «The Apocalyptic», which failed to catch on. Considering that Bruckner didn’t live to finish his ninth symphony, the eight remains as the crowning achievement of his music due to its monumentality and concentrated display of expression and energy.

The first movement is structured in a large-scale, modified sonata form. It begins with mysterious string tremolos over an ambiguous harmonic background. An intensely dramatic main theme is slowly hinted, before being exposed by full orchestra. It is reminiscent of both the main theme of the first movement of Beethoven’s Ninth, and Bruckner’s own march in D minor of 1862. It is contrasted by a chromatic, ascending lyrical second theme on strings, supported by the Bruckner rhythm and with an unresolved sense of yearning. A dissonant, rhythmically marked third theme then appears and grows into an ambiguous climax, with tonality being pushed to its limit. The ensuing development opens with desolated fragments of the main theme, later heard between trumpets and horns.

The music grows more dissonant and violent, reaching a massive climax in which we hear the three themes in counterpoint. The recapitulation doesn’t begin straight away, instead the material fragments and reassembles before beginning the varied recapitulation of the themes, leading to a fierce climax with the third one. It suddenly breaks off, leaving just the trumpets and three horns hammering out the rhythm, timpani thundering beneath. Bruckner described this passage as «the annunciation of death». A hopeless coda, full of despair, then ends the movement as it began with a mysterious fog. This ending is described by Bruckner as the last moments before death arrives to one’s bed, with the ominous ticking of the clock.

The second movement is a scherzo in rondo form (A-B-A’-C-A»-B»-A»’). It opens with an agitated and ambiguous main theme, supported by tremolo figures in the upper strings, derived from the third theme of the first movement as well as a reminiscence of the Credo of the Mass in E minor. According to Bruckner, it also represents Michael the German, a personification of the German people.

A more melodic variation, but with some sinister touches, serves as the second theme, but it’s quickly swept by the energy of the main theme. A vigorous climax leads us to the trio section, with a gentle and lyrical theme on strings supported by pizzicati. It grows into a solemn, almost religious climax. Bruckner describes «In this part, the fellow wants to sleep, and in his dreamy state cannot find his tune: finally, he plaintively turns back.» The touches of the harp serve as an example of portraying said dreamy state. After a broad climax, the scherzo its then resumed in all its restless, menacing energy. The two themes are recapitulated, before a forceful coda based on the main theme ends the scherzo.

The third movement is written in an expanded ternary form. It begins with an expressive and desolate main theme on strings, supported by a mix of uneven triplets and eighth notes. It unfolds like a solemn, expansive chorale with a mixture of tragedy and religious ecstasy. A deeply lyrical second theme is then introduced by cellos. Its otherworldly beauty reminds us of Bruckner’s previous symphony. The material also references Schubert’s «Wanderer Fantasie». The main theme is then recapitulated, with the horns playing a near quotation of Wagner’s Siegfried theme. The music builds towards a passionate climax, followed by the recapitulation of the second theme. After another peak, the main theme is recapitulated and builds towards and intensely fiery climax, followed by an even more powerful and triumphal climax on the main theme. It is recapitulated as it leads us to a peaceful, serene coda. Bruckner’s only description of the movement is rather aphoristic: «I have gazed too deeply into a maiden’s eyes».

The fourth movement is also written in a large-scale, modified sonata form. It opens bellicose and forceful main theme in form of a powerful and solemn chorale, enhanced by the brass. This is described by Bruckner as «At the time our Emperor received the visit of the Czars at Olmütz; thus, strings: the Cossacks; brass: military music; trumpets: fanfares, as the Majesties meet.» A huge contrast is created with the appearance of a widely lyrical second theme, derived from material of the adagio and the trio of the scherzo. It is followed by a third theme in form of an imposing march, derived both from the third theme of the first movement and the main scherzo material. The ensuing development of the material is rather slow and serene, unfolding contrapuntally as powerful climaxes on the main theme are reached.

References to material from previous movements also take place. The varied recapitulation (almost a second development) opens with the fierce return of the main theme on full brass, followed by the second. A fugue on the third theme then begins on strings, more instrumental voices being added and exploding in a massive climax. After a brief pause, the coda begins with the contrapuntal combination of all the main theme of the four movements, something very similar to what the composer did in the ending of Symphony No.5. This is described by Bruckner as: «In closing, all themes… thus as deutscher Michel arrives home from his journey, everything is already gloriously brilliant. In the Finale there is also the death march and then (brass) transfiguration». A glorious blaze in C major ends the entire work triumphally.

Picture: «The Destruction of Pharaoh’s Host» (1836) by the English painter John Martin.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Source: https://tinyurl.com/28g9vm59 To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/28g8mn2l