Album insights
Continuing the celebrated Bruckner cycle, Andris Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig highlight the Second Symphony. Nelsons acknowledges the clarity in Bruckner's themes, separated by strategic pauses yet forming a cohesive whole. He emphasizes the symphony's rarity in performances and sees it as an ideal introduction to Bruckner's symphonic world. Composed between 1871 and 1872 as Bruckner's third symphony, the piece is described by Bruckner himself as a "mystery." Nelsons appreciates how Bruckner delves into uncharted territories in the slow movement of this monumental work. The symphony’s immense unity, particularly evident in the magnificent final movement, impresses Nelsons, who views conducting or listening to it as a profound, existential experience.