Bruckner's most cinematic opening
Follow us for a weekly analysis of some of our favourite musical moments.
Today, we share with you the opening bars of the last movement of Bruckner's 8th Symphony. This passage showcases an aggressive ostinato, chromatic triads, unexpected sequential modulations, and an overall grandiose atmosphere with brass chords and rhythmic blasts. It's not difficult to trace a line between late Romantic German music and the cinematic scores we are accustomed to hearing on the big screen. We hope this analysis helps you grasp some of the techniques that make this movement sound so cinematic.
/ @-momentsmusicaux-
Anton Bruckner (1824–1896)
Symphony No. 8 in C minor, WAB 108 (1892)
Performance: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sergiu Celibidache (1994)
Video made by MomentsMusicaux.