Bruckner: Symphony No. 0

The MDR Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, under its chief conductor Dennis Russell Davies, presents Bruckner’s symphonies in their original first versions. The journey begins with his earliest symphonic sketches and extends to his monumental late works—an ambitious project that the orchestra is embarking on in collaboration with GENUIN. Listeners encounter the works in their overarching span while, in unprecedented fashion, drawing closer to every step along the path of their development. The series is continued with monthly releases; the latest instalment is the Symphony in D minor, the so-called “Nullte” (“No. 0”). With its distinctive spiritual character and the contrapuntal interplay of its central musical ideas at the close of the movements, the work reveals itself as unmistakably Brucknerian. With this symphony, Bruckner sketches a model that would be developed more fully in the symphonies that followed.


Pizzicato
"The performers launch into the D minor Symphony with a bold approach that brings a youthful freshness from the very start. [...] Davies’s unfolds a vast landscape that radiates tranquility, yet lacks a prayerful depth. This is complemented by the playing of the MDR Symphony Orchestra Leipzig, which offers a lyrical interpretation with the finest artistry." Review by Uwe Krusch, June 01, 2026