Anton Bruckner

An Austrian composer of orchestral, chamber, keyboard, sacred vocal music, and several symphonies, who was influenced by Wagner. Bruckner was a deeply religious man. Often misunderstood and under-programmed in his lifetime, this mysteriously retiring, reticent composer of simple, rustic tastes amazed audiences with his improvisatory skill on the organ. He created nine symphonies of absolutely unique form and expression that speak of an awe of nature. Their flowing sense of development leads into the most unexpected imaginary zones, with thematic material (often drawn from the dances and folk tunes of his homeland) sometimes suddenly reappearing in disguised and metamorphosed visage.