James McCullough: Reflections on the Music of Anton Bruckner

clipped from www.bruckner.org If the spirit of Protestantism finds superlative musical expression in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, then perhaps the same claim could be made for the spirit of Catholicism in the music of Josef Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). Though not as popularly celebrated as his German predecessor, the music of Bruckner is equally sincere and just as moving in its evocation of Christian spirituality. And just as Bach’s music is able to transcend its historical context, so too the music of Bruckner, though located in a particular time and reflective of the aesthetic trends of its moment, continues to speak in a relevant and inspiring manner. It is often said that Anton Bruckner’s symphonies are like cathedrals of sound. Like a great cathedral, Bruckner’s music irresistibly eventuates in only one direction – up.