Intermezzo, for string quintet in D minor, WAB 113
String Quartet in C minor, WAB 111
Newcomers to the symphonies of Anton Bruckner often find them to be daunting works that demand considerable time, concentration, and erudition. However, a much easier entry point to his music can be found in the String Quintet in F major and the String Quartet in C minor, which have long been overshadowed by the many recordings of the symphonies in their various versions and editions, though increasing availability on CD has made them much more familiar. Characteristics that are well-known in the symphonies -- insistently ...
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Newcomers to the symphonies of Anton Bruckner often find them to be daunting works that demand considerable time, concentration, and erudition. However, a much easier entry point to his music can be found in the String Quintet in F major and the String Quartet in C minor, which have long been overshadowed by the many recordings of the symphonies in their various versions and editions, though increasing availability on CD has made them much more familiar. Characteristics that are well-known in the symphonies -- insistently repeated rhythms, somber chorales, and dramatic fanfares -- are missing in Bruckner's chamber music, though the fluid counterpoint, expansive melodies, rich harmonies, and intricate modulations that make the symphonies so fascinating can be found in the Quintet, and to a less developed degree in the Quartet. Essentially, these pieces and the intervening Intermezzo in D minor present Bruckner in a more manageable form, and the lucid performances by the Fitzwilliam String Quartet make...
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