Bruckner2024

BRUCKNER2024 is a large-scale project since 2011 by the conductor Gerd Schaller with the aim of performing all symphonies of Anton Bruckner in all versions on the concert stage until the composer's 200th birthday in 2024 and recording them on CD. Gerd Schaller is the first conductor to record all of Bruckner's symphonies in all versions on CD. The Project also includes not only all symphonies in all versions but also the intermediate variants. Project partners are the festival Ebracher Musiksommer, the Bavarian Radio – Studio Franken and the CD label Profil Edition Günter Hänssler. Over 20 CDs have already been released.

Anton Bruckner created true cathedrals of sound with his wonderfully emotional but at the same time highly complex music. But like no other composer, he repeatedly fine-tuned nearly all of his works, especially the symphonies, constantly striving for the ideal form and making changes. Therefore, there are different variants or versions of his symphonies existing, which Gerd Schaller and his orchestra, the Philharmonie Festiva, now are recording in their own artistic handwriting within the framework of BRUCKNER2024. The very possibility of being able to compare these different versions directly, interpreted by one and the same orchestra and conductor is intended to help listeners to even better understand the fascinating and multifaceted musical personality of Anton Bruckner.

The basis for this is Gerd Schaller's internationally acclaimed Bruckner cycle, in which several symphonies are already available in different versions on CD, but also the first oratorical and organ works have been published. The recordings of the still missing variants of the symphonies and the other works will be realised in the coming years and will appear on the CD label Profil Günter Hänssler.

The editions used take into account the current state of musicology. However, this is not enough for Gerd Schaller. And so it is a major concern of his not to neglect the important findings of previous generations of editors. In some cases, he even includes the first printed editions of Bruckner's works, which also convey information that is important in terms of performance history and is worthy of tradition. As world premiere recordings, he has also recorded a number of intermediate versions in the editions of William Carragan. Most important for Gerd Schaller, however, is one's own critical research and dealing with the respective autograph. This led to the fact that he even created his own editions of several versions. Gerd Schaller would like to present the symphonies in editions that are not only based on knowledge that is currently favored and may already be outdated in a few years. Rather, he strives for a timeless overall view of all symphonies that are based on musicology and that are as timeless as possible. important performance-historical aspects are also taken into account.

The final goal is Bruckner's 200th birthday on September 4, 2024: until this day, the entire recording should be completely available. And of course, this birthday will also be celebrated with a special Bruckner party as part of Gerd Schaller's festival Ebracher Musiksommer!