A Blaze of Glory – Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony | London Symphony Orchestra

In this mighty symphony, the culmination of his life’s work, Bruckner strove for total perfection.

Dedicated to God, and written in D minor, just like Beethoven’s Ninth, Bruckner’s Symphony No 9 was to be the epic product of ten years’ obsessive labour. But Bruckner died when he was working on the final pages, which have now been lost.

On his deathbed, he suggested that the symphony could be made complete with his Te Deum, a radiantly passionate choral hymn of praise. On his copy of the score, the composer Mahler wrote admiringly that the chorus was written ‘for the tongues of angels.’ Its massive sonic forces complete a symphony that is in turns solemn, ferocious, searching and resigned.

Bruckner is one of Natalie Stutzmann’s three favourite composers to conduct. Under her baton, the LSO strains every sinew to support his gargantuan final achievement. The London Symphony Chorus raise their voices to the heavens with celestial clarity in the Te Deum.