Andris Nelsons and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra continue their Bruckner cycle. Nelsons particularly emphasizes the transparency and grace of the themes in Bruckner's Second Symphony, composed between 1871 and 1872, which proves to be an ideal introduction to Bruckner's symphonic output.
The Eighth Symphony, which Bruckner himself described as a "mystery," fascinates Nelsons above all with its slow movement and self-contained form. He considers the monumental final movement a miracle and describes the performance experience of this symphony as a profoundly existential one.