Bruckner's Symphony No. 8

Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony is a mighty fortress and a thrilling ride from darkness into light. The world of the Eighth is, by turns, complex, gracious, peaceful, and turbulent – Bruckner invites you in, takes you along, and never lets you go. ‘Bruckner’s strength lies in his slow development, not in the rapid tempo,’ according to conductor Christian Thielemann. ‘It’s the same as the infinite horizon you experience at sea when there are very few waves: the power is immense.’

Christian Thielemann

Christian Thielemann first conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1997 and subsequently made two successful return appearances. He was scheduled to come back after an absence of almost eighteen years in June 2020 to lead Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony. That performance was cancelled, however, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. But now, the German conductor will be back to lead the Eighth Symphony as part of the orchestra’s Bruckner cycle. Thielemann says: ‘There are only a handful of orchestras who grasp this composer, and they are primarily European orchestras, like the Concertgebouw, who understand this musical language, this expansiveness.’ We are looking forward to this renewed collaboration!