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Bruckner is finally a hit! Can he now follow through on the high expectations he鈥檚 created? With Donald Macleod

From our modern perspective, it can be difficult to appreciate why it took so long for Anton Bruckner to be recognised as one of the leading musical voices of the 19th century. His spectacular symphonies regularly pack out concert halls today, but his own era took many decades to warm up to his music. Only in his sixties did Bruckner begin to achieve the popularity he deserved and, even then, he retained a reputation as a bit of an oddball. Colleagues were disturbed by his unsophisticated manners, unquestioning religious devotion and peculiar personal habits. His tendency to see enemies all around regularly tested his relationships. His romantic choices were routinely disastrous.

This week, Donald Macleod marks the 200th anniversary of Bruckner鈥檚 birth by examining Bruckner鈥檚 lifelong struggle to become the great composer we know today.

Today, after long years of toil and heartache, Bruckner is finally moving from outsider figure to establishment giant. His seventh symphony has been an enormous success, and he now has high hopes for its sequel. However, his fortunes are about to take an unexpected turn. Can he pull himself from yet another devastating setback and put his ambitions back on track?

Te Deum in C major (No 5, In te domini speravi)
Hanna-Elisabeth M眉ller (soprano), Ann Hallenberg (mezzo soprano), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor), Tareq Nazmi (Bass)
Orchestre des Champs-脡lys茅es
Collegium Vocale Gent, conducted by Philippe Herreweghe

Virga Jesse, WAB 52
Tantum ergo in C major, WAB 41
Latvian Radio Choir, directed by Sigvards Klava

Symphony No 8 in C minor (ed. Novak) (1st mvt, Allegro moderato)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

Symphony No 8 in C minor (ed. Haas): (4th mvt, Finale, Feierlich, nicht schnell)
Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Herbert von Karajan