– Graf and Bruckner
Even though both composers were solidly anchored in the late romantic period and embodied the greatest orchestra ensembles, one can hardly find two greater opposites when it comes to personalities and compositional styles.
Richard Strauss was musically cosmopolitan and frolicked over the fact that he was familiar among other famous composers and conductors. He was very productive, composed playfully easy and handled tonality and the control of melody almost with an exaggerated virtuosity, which this evening will be for the good of his absolute favorite instrument, the horn.
Anton Bruckner on the other hand, doubted himself despite his talent for composing and was very humble towards his colleague composers and other authorities. He suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder and loneliness and was first recognized for his large impact on 20th century music very late in his life. His symphony no. 6 is a journey, both deeply into the mind and out in the wide world, virtuously and tightly composed and garnished with the sound of the Austrian alps portrayed on the largest musical screen.