At the beginning of the 1870s Johannes Brahms complained to the conductor Hermann Levi: „I will never compose a symphony! You have no idea how discouraging it is to hear such a giant as Beethoven marching behind you.“ Like all composers of his generation Brahms felt that Beethoven´s symphonic works set a standard alost impossible to emulate. This is clear from the long period of time needed to compose his Symphony No. 1 in C minor, which lasted from the first sketches in 1862 to the world premiere on 4th November 1876.
In the same year Bruckner made the first revision of his 2nd Symphony, also in C minor, whose bold musical language was denigrated by the Brahms supporter Max Kalbeck as „betrayal, outrage and tyrrannicide“. The work in this shortened version - before a later large-scale reworking - was only once performed during Bruckner´s lifetime, on the 20th February 1976. Under the baton of Jérémie Rhorer Le Cercle de l’Harmonie will bring the works to life on period instruments - attempts by two composers to escape from the overpowering shadow of the „Giant“ Beethoven.
Anton Bruckner (1824–1896)
Symphony No. 2 in C minor, WAB 102 (1871–72, rev. 1873, 1876) „1876 Version“
– Interval –
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 (1862–76, rev. 1877)
Le Cercle de l’Harmonie
Jérémie Rhorer | Conductor
