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What began in autumn 2020 as a major undertaking by the MDR Symphony Orchestra under the direction of its Chief Conductor Dennis Russell Davies has now become a sonic reality: Over the course of four concert seasons, all of Anton Bruckner’s symphonies were recorded live. Since May 2026, one symphony has been released each month on major streaming and download platforms – bringing Bruckner’s complete symphonic cosmos to digital audiences.
This month, the 2nd Symphony was released. Composed in 1872 and initially rejected as unplayable, this version offers a glimpse into a still-experimental composer whose distinctive symphonic language was already beginning to take shape. Vast soundscapes, expansive thematic groups, intricate layers and motivic connections between the movements characterize the work. The first version of the symphony was never performed during Bruckner’s lifetime and was only made accessible again in its original form in 2005. The recording is therefore not only a fascinating document of Bruckner’s creative work, but also offers a glimpse of the monumental musical language that would come to define his later symphonies.
The release of the 3rd Symphony will follow in September.
What began in autumn 2020 as a major undertaking by the MDR Symphony Orchestra under the direction of its Chief Conductor Dennis Russell Davies has now become a sonic reality: Over the course of four concert seasons, all of Anton Bruckner’s symphonies were recorded live. Since May 2026, one symphony has been released each month on major streaming and download platforms – bringing Bruckner’s complete symphonic cosmos to digital audiences.
This month, the 2nd Symphony was released. Composed in 1872 and initially rejected as unplayable, this version offers a glimpse into a still-experimental composer whose distinctive symphonic language was already beginning to take shape. Vast soundscapes, expansive thematic groups, intricate layers and motivic connections between the movements characterize the work. The first version of the symphony was never performed during Bruckner’s lifetime and was only made accessible again in its original form in 2005. The recording is therefore not only a fascinating document of Bruckner’s creative work, but also offers a glimpse of the monumental musical language that would come to define his later symphonies.
The release of the 3rd Symphony will follow in September.