Bruckner: Mass No. 2 in E minor & Motets

Contents

Anton Bruckner (1824-1896): Mass No. 2 in E minor & Motets, etc. Peter Dijkstra (conductor) / Bavarian Radio Chorus / Munich Radio Orchestra

[CD1] Anton Bruckner: Mass No. 2 in E minor & Motets 1. Ave Maria WAB 6 2. This Place Is God's Design WAB 23

3-8. Mass in E minor WAB 27 (Revised Edition) 3. Kyrie 4. Gloria 5. Credo 6. Sanctus 7. Benedictus 8. Agnus Dei

9. The Branch of Jesse Will Blossom WAB 52 10. Equare No. 1 in C minor WAB 114 11. Wisdom Speaks from the Lips of the Just WAB 30 12. Equare No. 2 in C minor, WAB 149 13. Christ Humbled Himself, WAB 11

[CD2] "The Road to Music: The World of Bruckner" - Mass in E minor Introduction to the Work by Markus Vanhoefer 1-4. Part 1 6-9. Part 2 10-14. Part 3 Music Used... ◎Excerpts from CD1 ◎Symphony No. 4, 1st and 4th Movements Marisse Jansons (conductor), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra ◎Prelude and Fugue in C minor, WAB 131 Martin Haselböck (Organ)

[CD1] Bavarian Radio Chorus...1-9, 11, 13 Munich Radio Orchestra...3-8, 10, 12 Peter Dijkstra (Conductor)

Recorded: October 24-26, 30-31, 2023 München, BR, Studio 1 (Germany)

Running Time: 68 minutes

[CD2] [Reading] Wiebke Pruss/Johannes Silberschneider Hans-Jürgen Stockerl/Hema Michael Friedrich Schroeffel

Original Story & Director: Markus Vanhoefer Recorded: January 29-30, 2024 München, BR, Studio 11

Running Time: 71 minutes

Total Running Time: 139 minutes

This two-disc album was produced to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Bruckner's birth in 2024. CD 1 features performances of Bruckner's sacred works by the Bavarian Radio Choir and the Munich Radio Orchestra conducted by Peter Dijkstra. This studio recording was made in conjunction with the season's opening concert on October 28, 2023. The recording centers around the solemn Mass No. 2, performed by the choir under the exceptional leadership of Dijkstra, a highly acclaimed choral conductor, and the wind ensemble of the Munich Radio Orchestra. The recording also includes five motets for solo choir and two Equales for three trombones. Bruckner's Mass No. 2 was commissioned for the dedication of Linz's New Cathedral and completed in 1866. However, due to delays in the cathedral's construction, the premiere, conducted by Bruckner, took place in September 1869. The work was written for an eight-part mixed choir and wind ensemble, but because the choir was too large for the new chapel, it was performed outdoors, where it was met with great acclaim. Bruckner subsequently revised the work in 1882 and premiered it on October 4, 1885, in Linz's Old Cathedral, where it also met with remarkable success. It is said that "Bruckner stood before the organ during the performance, staring intently at the cathedral ceiling and uttering wordless prayers." This revised version is the one performed on this disc. The accompanying motet is also a beautiful piece that draws on Bruckner's experience as a chorister and organist. Markus Vanhoefer's "The Road to Music: The World of Bruckner," featured on CD 2, explores Bruckner's story as a sacred composer through readings (German only) and music, centering on Mass No. 2.

Media Reviews and More

This two-disc album was produced to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Bruckner's birth in 2024. CD 1 features performances of Bruckner's sacred works by the Bavarian Radio Choir and the Munich Radio Orchestra conducted by Peter Dijkstra. This studio recording was made in conjunction with the season's opening concert on October 28, 2023. The album features the solemn Mass No. 2, performed by the choir under Dijkstra's exceptional leadership, and the wind ensemble of the Munich Radio Orchestra. The album also features five motets for solo choir and two Equales for three trombones. (C)RS CD