THE 'i

MUSIC
REVIEW i
Editor
GEOFFREY SHARP i
VOLUME THIRTY-FOUR
i
1973
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__/ W. HEFFER& SONS, LTD.

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND
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The Coda in the Symphonies of Anton Bruckner
I
tee
r's
., BY
lS
I MICHAEL J. MORAVCSIK
it r
he I
es
d, It is well recognized by friend and foe that the large scale structure is an
ve essential element in the Bruckner symphonies. Those who do not feel an
ca affinity to Bruckner's music like to complain about the alleged choppiness of
lf his musical ideas, and about the supposedly excessive lengths of the way he
1e expresses them. On the other hand, those captivated by his music rave about
:d the magnificent grandiosity of structure and the organic relationships among
:n the sections of Bruckner symphonies. It might, therefore, be of some interest
it to investigate the structure and role of the coda in these symphonies, since

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I the coda is a generally used formal element of a symphony, and hence its
d particular position and function in the Bruckner works can serve as an illustra-
y

I,
n
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tion and documentation of more general features.
We will proceed in two steps. First it will be our aim to establish "facts"
about codas in the Bruckner symphonies by searching for common features.
A somewhat extensive detailed documentation of these "facts" is necessary
1t for the record but can be left out by those not interested in particulars.
c Having collected these "facts", we will try, in section IV, to interpret them
e in the broader context of the Bruckner symphony.
15 !
II
r
And now, down to the task of fact finding. Our search will encompass
e I the ten Bruckner symphonies from no. o (in d minor) to the unfinished no. 9.
r I No attempt will be made to deal with the early, unnumbered Symphony in
'1 f minor (1863).
In referring to bar numbers of scores, we will generally use the Haas
editions, although occasional references will be made to other versions. For
our purposes, the difference between the Haas and Nowak editions will be,
for the most part, unimportant, since, with one or two exceptions, they do not
I differ significantly in the codas.
l The scherzi in the Bruckner symphonies have no codas, with .the exception
of no. o and the first and second symphonies, and even in those the codas have
I a purely formal function. Our investigation will therefore be restricted to the
first, the fourth and the slow movements. As will be emphasized later in
I greater detail, the first and fourth movements in Bruckner symphonies have
I a very close organic relationship, and so it is no wonder that their codas have
the large majority of their features in common. Some of these features are also
f shared by the slow movements, but others are not.
f Let us, therefore, start by describing a "typical" coda in a first or fourth
movement of Bruckner. It is preceded by a climactic fortissimo passage,
I
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 THE MUSIC REVIEW

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followed by a chorale-like section. When this ends, there is a pause, often
v
associated with a solo drum. Then the coda proper begins, which consists of
cl
two parts. The first, introductory and generally subdued part is sometimes tl
followed by another chorale-like passage. The second part is the final thunder- v
ing climax, which ends virtually always on a quotation of one of the main themes
of the symphony. Ii
The tonality is as follows: all codas of first movements in those symphonies
whose basic tonality is in minor end in the tonic minor, while those in the I
t
symphonies with a basic tonality in major end in major. On the other hand, I
all fourth movement codas end in the tonic major, even if the basic tonality of d
the symphony is in minor. These fourth movement codas, however, almost d
always begin in the tonic minor if the basic tonality of the symphony is in
F
minor. In general the codas begin in the tonic, and generally remain in it, (
although transient modulations sometimes occur. d
In the first movement of the Symphony no. o an exciting build-up, echoing n
in the violins the first theme of the movement, ends in the fortissimo at bar 269 t
(Woss edition) and the trumpets lead it into a brief episode in major, followed .I I
by the chorale, back in d minor (bars 280-284). The pause is only brief, and
the strings begin the coda itself (bar 285) with the syncopated runs in the
violins, soon recalling the first theme. After a particularly striking chromatic
episode, we build up to another fortissimo, followed by another chorale (bars
'(( t
I
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342-343). The climax, starting at bar 344, also rests on the main theme of f
the movement, played by the violins, and is in the tonic d minor. (
The coda in the first movement of the first Symphony is short and lacks
some of the features we are looking for. Its insistant trumpet line accentuates , ~

I t
the build-up to the fortissimo (bar 319, Linz version, Haas edition), ending on j
afermata. Instead of the chorale, however, we have a brief, lyric phrase (bar l
323-327), composed of elements of the main theme of the movement, which l
connects, without interruption, with the coda (bar 328). This ends on another
fermata (bar 339), and the phrase connecting it and the beginning of the climax
(bar 343), is an ingenious descending mirror image of the phrase we have just 'i
heard immediately preceding the coda. During the climax, in the tonic
c minor, a fragment of the main theme is re-emphasized by the violins.
The coda in the first movement of the second Symphony is controversial,
although it does exhibit all the features we are looking for. Its fortissimo
comes at bar 451 (Haas edition), followed by a longer-than-usual poetic and
slow major reminscence, ending in a mysterious, somewhat chorale-like sequence.
I
This itself is in f minor and fades away into the horns playing F-B fiat-F-C, (
the C being pianissimo and reinforced by another C in the drum. These Cs
are maintained for two bars (bars 486-487), and are then held over into the
I
beginning of the coda (bar 488). Now comes the controversy. In the Haas I
edition the coda swells, then fades out, only to repeat its own beginning (bar I
520). On the other hand, in the version revised by Bruckner himself (in 1877,
when he was not yet so much dominated by those "advisers" who are re- f
sponsible for the quite unpalatable versions of other symphonies), this first
part of the coda is omitted, and thus the coda begins at bar 620 of the Haas
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I THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 243
:en I
of version. From then on the two versions are identical: a build-up, a pre-
1es
er-
1es
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climax chorale (bar 544 of Haas), and the driving climax at bar 554 of Haas in
the tonic of c minor, containing again a fragment of the first theme in the
violins.
Robert Simpson in his magnificent book, The Essence of Bruckner, declares
ies himself strongly in favour of the Haas version, and argues that because the
he pre-coda chorale and the preceding lyric passage wandered away from the tonic,
1d, the double start of the coda is necessary to establish firmly the tonic of c minor.
of I am not altogether convinced. Bruckner's modulations are often very
ist daring, and the two bars of C in the horns, particularly as reinforced by the
in drum (which almost always heralds the tonic) give me plenty of time to
it, prepare for the c minor, especially since I last heard it a scant 50 bars before.
On the other hand, from the point of view of our present investigation, the
ng double beginning of the coda is virtually without a companion in Bruckner's
music, and in any case shows no influence in the next four symphonies. I am,
59
~d
1d
.I therefore, quite willing to chalk it up as an experiment which, at least in the
present context, did not turn out to be a great success and hence was abandoned .
Ile
I The first movement of the third Symphony bases its pre-coda fortissimo on
:ic I the first and main theme of the movement, and, for that matter, of the sym-
phony as a whole. The importance of this theme is such that it merits an aside.
rs ( It appears throughout the Symphony in several forms, performing several
of
functions. Its first entrance is on a soft solo trumpet (bar 5, Oeser edition),
~s
over the undulating murmur of the strings, in d minor, and gives a melancholy
es and warm impression. It returns in this form a number of times throughout
)fl
the movement. Its second, much more overpowering version is as a triple
ir
forte, tutti entrance, as at bar 34r. The same theme now sounds like a Dies Irae.
:h It is still in minor. The third version is also a dynamic one, but in major.
It first enters, in a somewhat transient way, at the pre-coda fortissimo of the
.x first movement (bar 57r). It then disappears until the very end of the fourth
;t movement, where it constitutes the climax of the coda (bar 597). It is pre-
ic ceded by one of the most powerful build-ups in Bruckner, and its jubilant
triple forte entrance in brilliant D major is among the most exciting passages
1, in the Bruckner symphonies, ranking, on my scale, almost equal to the climax
:o of the first movement of the ninth Symphony (bar 550, Haas edition). This
climax in the third Symphony is enhanced by the use of the main theme in
d
~.
I its fourth variant, as a closing phrase. Its first four notes, played in unison,
r constitute an ending of extreme effectiveness and striking economy. Although,
' as we have mentioned, virtually all Bruckner movements end with some main
:s
e
i thematic element being recalled or paraphrased somewhere in the orchestra,
only the main themes of the third and fourth symphonies are capable of serving
I single
.s
handed as a closing phrase.
r I But now back to the first movement of the third Symphony. The pre-coda
',
f fortissimo, already discussed, ends abruptly in A major, and a solo drum on a
diminuendo A serves as the only bridge to the coda which starts in d minor
t
s
I (bar 589)-another example of the startling modulations by Bruckner. The
pre-coda chorale is absent here. The coda builds up to bar 6r7, followed, at

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244 THE MUSIC REVIEW

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bar 620, by a somewhat chorale-like passage. This leads to the climax at bar fI
627. The movement ends in d minor, with the trumpets and trombones I (1
carrying the main theme.
With the first movement of the fourth Symphony we come, for the first time,
Ia
to a basic tonic in major, and in fact in the colourful E flat. Here the pre-coda I n
fortissimo (bar 485, Haas edition) is based on material from the beginning of
the movement (bar 47), in the characteristically Brucknerian 2-3 rhythmic
I a
f1
pattern. There is, however, no chorale or pause before the beginning of the I cl
coda (bar 501). The climax comes at bar 557, and the movement ends, in a I t
manner similar to the third Symphony, by the horns heralding the main theme d
I
against the hammer-like chords of the entire remainder of the orchestra. The
similarity with the third is enhanced by the fact that the two main themes are i '
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also very similar, except that the rhythm in the fourth is even more dotted than r
in the third. t
The fifth Symphony represents an important stage in Bruckner's develop- t
ment, in as much as it constitutes the first bold excursion into the Brucknerian
largeness of scale which becomes fully evident in the eighth and ninth sym-
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phonies. The Sixth and Seventh, although hardly less experimental in other I r
respects, represent music on a smaller scale. The Fifth is also an important
step toward the integration of the symphony as a whole. More about this
l c
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later. Although these novel aspects come more to the fore in the fourth I e
movement, they are already indicated in the first. The fortissimo here occurs L
at bar 441 (Haas edition), based on the staccato theme of previous sections e
(e.g. bar 199). This ends on a fermata pause, followed by the syncopated (
pizzicato runs in the strings (which also opened the movement) against the ]
theme recalled from bar 55. The development of the coda is relatively long, l
leading to a climax at bar 493, and the movement ends with the trumpets r I
carrying a fragment of the theme from bar 55. (

The first movement of the sixth Symphony has its pre-coda fortissimo at I
bar 291 (Haas edition), based on a variant of the main theme (bar 3). A I
transitional passage then leads into the coda (bar 309), without pause, and I
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without a chorale, perhaps because the coda itself consists of a chorale-like
progression of chords in the trombones, accompanied by triplets in the strings.
The pre-climax chorale is replaced by a pianissimo set of four bars, which drops,
without any warning whatsoever, from an (admittedly transient) C sharp
major into a D major and then into the tonic of A major. I must confess I
that this particular modulation unsettles me, even now. The climax with
trumpets brings back a fragment of the first theme. ri
There is an interesting additional element in the coda of the first movement I
of the seventh Symphony. Here the pre-coda fortissimo is at bar 383
(Eulenburg edition). Three bars later, four bars of sustained clarinet and horn, I
combined with the slowly descending lines in the strings, leads to a pause, I
during which only a tremolo drum and a pianissimo bass can be heard. This
is followed by a resigned restatement of the second half of the first theme (from 1 J

bar 12). which builds up dynamically, then fades away. Then the coda itself
begins (bar 413), although one could legitimately consider the slow passage
 THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 245
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bar
ries
I from bar 391 on as part of the coda also. The climax comes (bar 433) after a
two-bar sequence of chords (Ersatz-chorale?). It emphasizes again, in the horns,

ne,
I) a fragment of the first theme (bar 3).
The first movement of the eighth Symphony constitutes the notable and
1da memorable exception to several of the general features we wish to demonstrate,
of ! and in fact to the purpose and function of the coda in general. The pre-coda
nic fortissimo appears with a vengeance (bar 382, Haas edition), a magnificent
:he I dissonance over the insistent, hammering of the dominant G by the horns and
I a
:ne
Itrumpets. The ensuing long pause is coloured, from time to time, by the
I drum on the tonic C. Then comes the coda itself (bar 393), quite a surprise.
he 1 Very short, it is a mysterious, sobbing echo of conflicts past, and fades away,
tre I with fragments of the first theme (bar 4) in the violins and violas. No climax,
an no solemn fortissimo. It is the only Brucknerian first movement ending
pianissimo-and yet in a different mood from the soft endings of the codas of
'P- the slow movements.
an It would be tempting to speculate after hearing the coda of the first move-
n- ment of the Eighth, that Bruckner, old and ill, had lapsed into a much more
er resigned, passive, and pessimistic mood, and abandoned the forceful
nt climaxes. Such a theory would, however, be completely demolished by the
llS coda of the first movement of the ninth Symphony, which is the most perfect
th example of the "regular" Brucknerian coda. Its pre-coda fortissimo, at bar
rs 493 (Haas and Orel edition) extends over ten bars. A sudden pause by all
ns except the third and fourth horns allows them to sound a noble phrase, intro-
~d ducing a twelve-bar long chorale (bars 505-516), consisting of two parts.
1e First the woodwinds introduced a heartrending phrase, then it is answered
g, in a more resigned mood by the brass. The ensuing pause allows the drum to
ts reaffirm the tonic d-and the coda begins at bar 519. It starts in a melan-
choly vein, with some remarkable elements (see the second and third clarinets,
1t bars 521-22 and 527-28), which, out of context, could be guessed to have
A been written by Mahler. At bar 531 a sweeping progression of steps begins,
d I' in the brass, building up to the climax at bar 550. It is built basically on the
:e dissonance of the phrase from bar 19 sounding as if in E flat, against the tonic
s. of d minor relentlessly driven home by the drum. This dissonance is finally
;, resolved at bar 563, and the movement ends with the shattering empty fifth
p of d minor, with the horns providing the dominant. This coda is one of the
iS I most brilliant Bruckner creations and an ending hardly surpassed in musical
h r literature.
Now a survey of the codas in the fourth movements of Brnckner symphonies.
I We will see that apart from the final tonality, which in the fourth movements is
j without exception in a major key, there is little difference in the major features
between the codas of the first and fourth movements.
I The coda in the fourth movement of the Symphony no. o builds up to a
; l fortissimo at bar 294 {Woss edition), still in minor, and is followed by a slow
passage with a three-bar chorale ending. Then, at bar 304, the tutti D major

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I brings in the coda which is very short and incorporates into itself the climax,
emphasizing a variant in major of one of the main themes from bar 19 in the brass.

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 THE MUSIC REVIEW

In the fourth movement of the first Symphony the pre-coda fortissimo builds
i =edi
up to bar 331 (Haas edition), underlined by the undulating runs of the strings. I aw.thr
The beginning of the coda is not preceded by a chorale, but is indicated by the
drum (bar 340). The coda itself is of full length, with the regular features:
I coc
a subdued beginning, building up to a peak at bar 356, then a decrescendo, I
ba1
qui
leading to a ten-bar section of chorale like structure. The climax begins at
bar 377, with support from the drum, and a trumpet version in the major of
i by
the main theme of the movement (bar r) serves as the end. I bei
The fourth movement of the second Symphony, just as its first movement,
presents a controversy, and for similar reasons. The build-up to the pre-coda I
I 58:
bo
D
fortissimo (bar 533, Haas edition) is regular. It is followed in this edition by a
m<
soft, misty phrase, with long pauses. The drum enters and an agitated but I ffi(
soft pizzicato passage reminds us of the beginning of the movement (bar r), it
but without the legato eighths accompanying it. At bar 582, the pre-coda
do
chorale is sounded in the brass, and at bar 590, the coda itself begins. \Ve might sy
remark at this point that in the 1877 and hence the Nowak editions a cut is
made so that the pre-coda fortissimo is followed immediately by the agitated . th
pizzicato. The main controversy is, however, just about to begin. In the l th
Haas version the coda starts at bar 590 and builds up to bar 639. Then comes
a long pause, followed by a fragmented sequence of twelve bars, slow and
I se
In
pensive, in which the main theme of the first movement (bar 3) is quoted.
0
After a short pause, the beginning of the coda (which is an ascending mirror
SC
image of the beginning of the movement, bar I) recurs, and in effect, the coda
b<
starts again (bar 652). We are thus confronted with a double start, in a
Ir
manner similar to the first movement of this symphony. It quickly escalates
tl
and reaches the climax at bar 676, in C major, in which a theme from the
Ir
beginning of the movement (bar 33) is paraphrased.
Now the Nowak edition simply cuts out the entire first start of the coda
b
(i.e. bars 59o-651) and thus the pre-coda chorale runs into the second begin-
1
(1
ning of the coda. This is obviously unsatisfactory because it seriously disturbs
0
the balance of the parts: after an especially long soft interlude between
the pre-coda fortissimo and the chorale and a leisurely chorale of 8 bars. the
1
main body of the coda (if taken from the second beginning only) is much
fi
n
too short-hardly longer than the climax itself. On the other hand, the
Haas version confirms my surmise that the idea of the double start for a
a
coda was, in fact, an experiment which was not a success and hence was I 5
abandoned after this symphony. In this movement the double start has r
an undoubtedly important function: it seems to coincide with a quotation in ' t
the fourth movement of thematic material from the first. (In the Nowak I (
edition this quotation is cut, together with the first beginning of the coda.)
It is, however, hardly necessary to use the double start gimmick to weave in I
elements from previous movements. In fact, this very crucial and character-
istic integration of different movements is handled much more successfully in
the third Symphony, and is further perfected in the later ones.
r
1
Let us see, in fact, how this is carried off in the fourth movement of the
third Symphony. There the pre-coda fortissimo is reached at bar 479 (Oeser I
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 I THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER
247
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1ilds
I
edition), and the syncopated, hammerlike theme (which I always found a bit
ngs.
( awkward) is maintained through bar 498, while the drum appears and sounds
the f through bar 5r4 which is otherwise silent. Bar 515 is the beginning of the
ires: coda which consists of three parts. The first ends at bar 552, followed by two
ndo, I bars of complete silence. The next four bars represent a Dens ex machina
s at
r of
i quotation of the second theme from the first movement (bar IOI). It is followed
by another two bars of complete silence. Then the second part of the coda
I begins, and builds up through a series of wild chromatic sequences. At bar
587 a combination of trumpet fanfare with a chorale in the horns and trom-
ent,
oda
I bones joined by the drum, announces the arrival of the climax in a brilliant
lY a
I D major. The theme of the climax is nothing but the major version of the
but main theme of the first movement. I have already remarked on the meta-
I morphosis
1), this theme undergoes during the symphony. In its present form,
oda it is a triumphant declaration consisting principally of the tonic and the
ght dominant and is a closing theme par excellence. The last four bars of the
t is symphony consist of a tittti unison statement of the first four notes of this
ted . theme.
We see then that in the coda of this movement three attempts are made at
the I thematic integration of the symphony as a whole: bars 555-558 quote the
nes
tnd
I second theme of the first movement, bars 597-6II quote its whole first theme
ed. in major, and the closing bars 635-639 quote the first half of the first theme.
ror Of these, I feel that the first one is not altogether successful, since it breaks
lda somewhat the line of the coda at a time when the search for culmination has
t a
become urgent. The second and third quotations I feel are very felicitous
tes " indeed. I have already alluded to this during the discussion of the coda in
:he J the first movement. It is left to later symphonies to carry such thematic
I integration to even greater heights, but the first success has been scored.
In the fourth movement of the fourth Symphony we are back with a text-
da
in- I book demonstration of most of our rules. The pre-coda fortissimo, in major
bs I (bar 463, Haas edition) quickly reverts to a soft minor passage, ending in a series of
en octaves and fifths and accompanied by the drum, symbolizing the chorale.
he Then the coda begins (bar 477), in the tonic minor (e flat). It is based on the
:h first theme of the movement, until about bar 517, when, still in minor, a
:ie majestic progression ascends in the trombones, joined by trumpets and horns,
a and breathtakingly converts into E flat major as it reaches the climax at bar
as I 533. During the climax the first theme of the first movement is paraphrased
as in the brass, and the fast figures in the strings add piquancy by emphasizing
r the note on an augmented fifth above the tonic.
in '
tk
:.)
I The coda of the last movement of the fifth Symphony is a special case. It
contains many of the general features we have discussed, but its scale and
in I dynamic thrust transcend our previous examples. This movement is, in
'I general, the most heavily contrapuntal of all Bruckner's symphonic move-
r-
ments, and makes us aware of our considerable loss in not having any record of
.n f the many fugues Bruckner must have improvized during his concert tours and
I other appearances as one of the foremost organists of his time. The fugue,
LC
starting at bar 222 (Haas edition), is less than halfway to the beginning of the
:r I
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 THE MUSIC REVIEW
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coda (bar 460), but it makes a deep mark on the structure and the movement be1
assumes a new, gigantic character. The pre-coda fortissimo at bar 438 is not fro
very prominent, and tapers off into a lighter, more lyric section, which descends by
dynamically to allow a sweeping, semi-chromatic crescendo to thrust us into Ne
the coda (bar 460). It begins with an emphatic phrase of octaves and fifths, a th1
favourite Brucknerian procedure. But then it immediately develops into a do
contrapuntal statement of the Allegro theme of the first movement (bar 55). be
Thus, here from the very beginning of the coda, the thematic integration of at
the first and fourth movements is stressed, and this theme plays an important ch
role throughout the coda, to its very end. For instance, after its first re- th
statement ends (bar 490-495), the pace quickens again to drive toward a new, be
more exotic version of this theme, using diminished intervals (bar 506). It b1
develops and extends, with the various instruments tossing the theme back
and forth between them, and interweaving it with the theme of the first contra- S
puntal episode of the movement (bar 29; see also bars II and 23). The tension al
mounts and is capped by the four bars of dotted rhythm (bars 560-563), which w
is reinforced by the fortissimo dominant f in the drums. Then the climax C1
.
begins (bar 564), and what a climax it is! The very beginning certainly lays l SI
down the tonic of B fiat, but the modulations, before we reach the final B flat c,
an unprecedented 69 bars later, are overwhelming. Orchestral colour is l p
abundant, as in the Ravelesque horn phrases of bars 567 and 57r. From bar 6
583 on we enter a climactic chorale. Its 5I bar span engulfs us to an extent t
hardly imaginable after the compelling involvement throughout this over- v
powering movement. The movement finally ends with the simultaneous t
statement of the two important themes of this coda, one from the first and one . 1
from the fourth movements. In fact, the concluding phrase is a tietti, marcato 1
rendering of the middle portion of the theme from the first movement.
Compared to the complete exhaustion one feels at the end of the coda of the
I
fourth movement of the fifth Symphony, the coda of the fourth movement of
the Sixth is again of normal dimensions. Its pre-coda fortissimo is at bar 277
(Haas edition), from which the descent includes a lyric reminiscence of some of
the more idyllic passages (bars 299-3I4). A warm and melancholy section
then takes us to the chorale (bars 327-33I), which, with the appropriate drum
accent, flows into the beginning of the coda (bar 332) which begins, in the by
now established pattern, with a paraphrase of a first movement theme (bar 15),
although it can also be considered related to the fourth movement theme
which first enters at bar 37. This thematic material forms two dynamic waves,
from bars 332 to 356, and 358 to 37r. The build-up at bar 37I suggests the
imminent climax, but after a fermata, the string pizzicato from the beginning
of the movement is repeated with the original form of the theme at bar 37
A sudden forceful change occurs at bar 385 and also at bar 399, the beginning
of the climax. It ends by recalling the first theme of the first movement
(bar 3), whose sextolets add flavour to the conclusion. T
The coda of the fourth movement of the Seventh is perhaps the most
unorthodox of all Bruckner codas. It has no clear pre-coda fortissimo, unless i
one counts bar 209 (Eulenburg edition), appearing some 38 bars before the
I
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 THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 249
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nent beginning. A tranquil section follows, recalling various thematic material

; not from the movement, and the beginning of the coda (bar 248) is marked only
ends by a tempo change and by the entrance of the main theme of the movement.
into No chorale, pause or drum. The main theme appears in two pieces. In this,
1s, a the first of three waves of the coda, the fragment first appearing at bar 5
to a dominates, while the second (bar 275) and third (bar 29r) waves emphasize the
55). beginning of the theme from bar r. Each wave is preceded by a ritardando or
~ of at least a marcato phrase. The third wave culminates in a sehr breit set of
!ant chorale-like harmonies, and the climax begins (bar 315) again with the first
re- theme. At the end (bar 331) of the coda, however, the dominant sound
cw, becomes the first theme of the first movement (bar 3), carried to its conclusion
It by the horn, drum and tuba.
ack In contrast to the Seventh, the coda in the fourth movement of the eighth
:ra Symphony is perfectly regular in its formal features. The pre-coda fortissimo
ion at bar 651 (Haas edition) ends by the trumpets and trombones thrusting forth
ich 1 what Robert Simpson so appropriately called "the supreme question for his
1ax coda to answer"-an element from the first movement. This subsides into a
.
LYS
I sombre string passage, accentuated by the drum, and even the pre-coda
lat chorale here is a more plaintive though warm resignation, tapering off into a
is I Pianissimo drum on the dominant. A pause, and then the coda begins (bar
1ar 685), solemn and melancholy. This ominous march is suddenly changed into
:nt the more martial statement (bar 708) of the first theme of the movement (bar 6),
which in turn is again suddenly altered into a jubilant mood, in which the main
us theme of the scherzo (at half speed and somewhat changed rhythm) is recalled.
ne . This represents a new stage of thematic integration of movements, and it is
rfo l not all! \Ve soon reach the climax at bar 725 in exalting C major, in which
( major themes of all four movements are juxtaposed: the slow movement in
the horn, the scherzo in the trumpet, the first in the bassoon and the trombone,
and the fourth also in the trumpet. It is a tour-de-force but not for its own
sake, since these themes are mere elements in the harmonies of this magnificent
conclusion. It is a crowning achievement. One feels quite certain that had
Bruckner been able to complete the fourth movement of the ninth Symphony,
n a similar fusion of thematic elements from all four movements would have
y appeared.
~,
e III
The structure of the slow movements of Bruckner symphonies is somewhat
"e different from that of the first and fourth movements. The pre-coda fortissimo
1
again appears, tapering off sometimes into a chorale, which is often separated
' by a pause and drum from the beginning of the coda. This much is in common
with other movements. The climax, however, is replaced by a concluding
Pianissimo section in which almost always the first theme of the movement is
T quoted or paraphrased. Thus the endings are always dynamically and in
general character very subdued, while (with the single exception of the first
i movement of the Eighth) the first and fourth movements conclude at a high
dynamical level, in a solemn, exalted, tragic or jubilant mood.
I

I
 THE MUSIC REVIEW

'Ve will now try to establish these features by analyzing the individual t'
slow movements. The interpretation will be offered later when we discuss the n
role of codas in the concept of the Brucknerian symphony. I
v
The slow movement of the Symphony no. o has no pre-coda fortissimo. A G
profoundly peaceful section precedes the coda in which the second theme, r
first heard in bar 28, returns. It is separated from the coda itself by a short
pause. The coda (bar 135. \Voss edition) begins with a new, typically e
Brucknerian melody of warmth and intimacy in C major. It quickly modu- t
lates, however, and builds up to a point of emphasis, followed by a piano subito l
and a new, somewhat tentative statement of the theme from bar 28. Another
short episode leads to a mournful minor passage, ever decreasing in volume.
A pause follows; and, as a reassuring, confident answer, the very first phrase of
the movement (bar l) is recalled, pianissimo, in the tonic of the movement,
B flat major.
The coda of the second movement of the first Symphony is very short. It
is preceded by a fortissimo at bar 151 (Haas edition), throughout which the
drum emphasizes the tonic of the movement, A flat major. This tonic persists
in the drum throughout the coda itself, which starts at bar 158, and consists of l
a mere eleven-bar decrescendo, in which runs are heard similar to those at I
the beginning of the movement (bar 9). The general mood is again that of
serenity. f
The pre-coda fortissimo of the second movement of the second Symphony
comes to full strength at bar 157 (Haas edition), first inc sharp minor, then in
b minor. A piano subito at bar 164 brings about a sudden shift into E major,
followed by a series of modulations. The coda starts at bar 180, in the tonic
of A flat major. In the Haas edition it is preceded by almost a whole bar of
rest, while in the Nowak edition the first notes come on the last beat of the
previous bar, with only a fraction of a bar rest. If this were in a first or fourth
movement, one could unhesitatingly favour the Haas version, because a long
pre-coda rest is more in keeping with the patterns of other symphonies. In
the second movements, however, the pattern is less clear, and hence the choice
between the two versions (on this count alone) is also more tentative, though I
prefer the Haas version. The coda itself has an intoductory string section,
followed by a flute-violin duet. The end of this again differs in the two

versions, and here I prefer the Nowak version, because it has an extra bar of I
the concluding figure at half tempo, thus repeating the entire preceding bar
(198 in the Haas edition). Examples for repeating a pattern at half tempo are
abundant in Bruckner, and it somehow sounds more complete when the whole
figure is thus repeated and not just half of it, as in Haas. The pianissimo
begins at bar 200, and as it fades away it recalls elements of the beginning of
the movement. The movement ends in the tonic of A flat major.
In the second movement of the third Symphony the pre-coda fortissimo
(bar 216, Oeser edition) is built up through a sequence of forceful modulations,
which arrives at G flat major. After a pause, a pianissimo response, in the
same key, follows, using the phrase already tested for this purpose at bar
I
j
 THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 251
=
1al twenty. After another pause, the fortissimo runs return, but now in e flat
he minor, followed again by the same response, in the same key. This responding
phrase is in the place of the pre-coda chorale, and now the coda itself gets under
way (bar 227). It ends in E flat major, the tonic, and recalls the main theme
A of the movement from bar I. The end, as usual, is triple pianissimo (bar 242),
te, radiating peace and serenity.
1rt As we come to the coda of the second movement of the Fourth, the scale
ly expands. Here, as a notable exception, there is no pre-coda fortissimo, but
u- the striking section, juxtaposing the pizzicato violins and celli to the broad
ito legato melody of the violas, ends at bar 186 {Haas edition). Bars 187-192
er represent the pre-coda chorale, first strangely broken as if the woodwinds
.e. wanted to imitate the previous pizzicato in the strings. But in the last two
of bars the brass turns to sustained chords. Then the coda begins (bar 193).
1t, We are now inc minor, then a sequence of stunning transitions occurs as we
build up to bar 221, a climax in C major. The tonality turns to C flat, then
It back again into C at bar 229, as the decrescendo takes us into the pianissimo
1e conclusion. We find again a number of transient modulations, which however
ts j settle down to C major. As a virtually unique exception, no discernible main
of theme appears in this concluding passage.
at f The fifth Symphony is characterized throughout by its grand scale, and the
of f coda of the second movement is no exception. It is also noted for being a
"symphony of chorales", to which the second movement is no exception. The
!Y pre-coda fortissimo comes at bar 133 (Haas edition), and is based on the in-
.n version of the second theme of the movement (bar 31). It suddenly drops to
r, pianissimo, but the theme remains the same. In the meantime the drum has
ic entered, very softly, on the dominant A, since we are now in d minor. The
if
1e I end of this section exhibits a common Brucknerian idiom, with an ingenious
twist (bars 157-162): a four note figure appears in the flute at bar 157, which
h 1 repeated three times in eighths. The figure then reappears at half tempo,
is
g I so that we would expect four bars of four quarters each. Instead, the second
n pair of quarter figures are replaced by the first two notes of the figure, then a
e half note rest, and then the second two notes of the figure, followed by another
I half note rest, producing a remarkable effect of quiet suspense. This is to set
l,
off the beginning of the coda (bar 163). It is of remarkable length (48 long
0 bars), and exhiblts great power. It begins with the main theme of the move-
,f I ment (bar 5), set against the sextolet figures in the violins which run through
r the coda up to the pianissimo conclusion. Soon an ascending chorale takes
e over (bar 169), followed by a quotation of the seventh figures which first
e appeared at bar 23. These three elements, namely the main theme, the
0 chorale, and the sevenths, alternate, until suddenly the insistent violin sexto-
f
i lets change into triplets. A short chorale develops and then stops in mid-air
(bar 202). A very soft drum d provides a background for the remainder of the
movement, the concluding pianissimo in which the string pizzicato echo of the
sevenths contrasts with the main theme in the winds. Still, we are in d minor.

r
I Then, with only two bars to go (at bar 210), the plaintive sorrow of d minor
suddenly resolves into a calm but warm D major by the F sharp of the flute.
1
252 THE :MUSIC REVIEW

The F sharp appears four bars earlier, in the pianissimo pizzicato viola, but it ei
is virtually inaudible against the legato lines of the main theme in the horn and ft
oboe. Furthermore, even one bar before the resolving F sharp in the flute, J:
the oboe rests firmly on a B flat. The overall effect of this sudden, last minute tl
resolution is a sense of relief. Ci
The pre-coda fortissimo of the second movement of the sixth Symphony n
(bar 125, Haas edition) builds up through a bright and cheerful second theme A
of the movement which first appeared at bar 25. The fortissimo ends, tonally u
suspended, at bar 132, and we suddenly lapse into f minor. The violins recall i l::
the theme which first appeared at bar 54, one of the most profound, gripping (J

and yet simple melodies Bruckner ever created. The air of resignation t
pervades us, but the short chorale at bars 139-140 consoles us somewhat, s
ending on a C sharp major chord. The next bar (141) is the beginning of the s
coda, and it is unmistakably, but completely unexpectedly in F major. Its
melody is the theme from bar 25, straight and inverted. The mood is warm
and calm throughout the rest of the movement. The concluding pianissimo
begins at bar 157, and its thematic content is taken from the very opening of
the movement. F major stays with us to the end.
The pre-coda fortissimo of the second movement of the seventh Symphony
I
occurs at bar 177 (Eulenburg edition), at the controversial triangle and cymbal I
stroke. We are in C major, having got there by an instantaneous Brucknerian
modulation from the previous B major. The jubilation subsides at bar 182,
I
and the theme from bar 4 of the movement, on which the fortissimo was based,
appears again gently in the flute. Then the coda begins (bar 185), again with
the same theme, but in a quite different mood, in c sharp minor. The chorale-
Iike sombre passage then leads to a recall of the theme from bar 13, which I
lingers on until the concluding pianissimo (bar 207) resolves the plaintive
mood into A major. Its backbone is the main theme of the movement from
I
bar l, at half tempo.
The pre-coda fortissimo in the slow movement of the eighth Symphony I
l
(bar 249, Haas edition) also enters through a sudden modulation, accompanied
by the harp, making its only appearance in the Bruckner symphonies. We I
are in E flat major, and the theme is the one from bar 15 of this movement.
After a quiet response at bar 254, the idyllic theme from bar 21 is quoted, and ,
its series of chords, accompanied by the harp, serve as a pre-coda chorale.
After a pause with afermata, the coda begins at bar 265 with the singing theme
from bar 47. The key is now D flat major, which persists throughout. Soon
the horns recall the main theme from bar 3, and these two themes are inter-
woven throughout. In the last three bars (bars 299-301) the pianissimo
violins offer the closing phrase, which is a superbly simple and calm version
of the theme from bar 47.
The pre-coda fortissimo of the slow movement of the ninth Symphony (bar
199, Haas and Orel edition), just as in the analogous places in the seventh and
eighth symphonies, bursts through an instantaneous modulation. The
nominally c sharp minor tonality is, however, lacerated with searing dissonances.
It is perhaps the most overwhelming, deeply disturbing and devastating
1
- THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 253
tit
eight bars in all of Bruckner. It ends in mid-air, followed by a pause with a
md fermata. When we recover from the impact; the mood is completely different.
1te, It is the beginning of the coda (bar 207), and we hear the passage from bar 9 of
ute the movement, serious, solemn and mysterious. But soon another change
comes with a piano subito at 219. It is another sudden modulation from F
iny major into something that oscillates between E major and the dominant of
me A major. Two tonally unstable bars follow (bars 225-226), and then the
lly uncertainty is finally resolved into a solid E major. The concluding pianissimo
all i begins at bar 231, and its main subject is a warm theme, very similar to the
ng opening theme of the second movement. The final few bars taper off with a
on tolling figure, similar to the bells of Parsifal, and the symphony ends with a
tt, soft, sustained E major chord in the brass against the pizzicato chords in the
he strings.
:ts
m
~o IV
of \Ve have thus completed a detailed journey through all the Bruckner
1y
I' symphonic codas. It now remains to interpret them.
Bruckner lived in the romantic era, but cannot be called a romantic com-
u ( ~
poser. The romantic strives for an idealized reality, a beautiful enhancement
m of the loftiest in us, and the appeal is exactly in the fact that, while idealized,
2,
1
it remains relevant to and reminiscent of reality. The personal lives of
3, romantic composers support this view. Their individual characters, writings,
h human contacts, all reveal the same tendencies, diverse as they may be.
~-
' Almost all romantic composers excel in vocal writing of one sort or another,
h I in which the same romantic qualities are reinforced by words and poetry in
e a similar vein.
n I
None of this holds for Bruckner. Almost all his vocal music is to a
y
l religious text and of rather formal nature. I find it impossible to visualize
I Bruckner as a lieder composer. Moreover Bruckner's personal life, writings,
d human relations, and his entire externally perceivable personality is at com-
e r plete odds with his music. There is hardly another figure in the history of
'"
j ,I art for whom there is such a complete separation between man and his creation.
In fact, the picture of Bruckner as a human being is exactly opposite to
the qualities in his music. Looking at him as a person, we see a pitiful
e
r conglomoration of obsessive meticulousness, abject servility, chronic in-
1
security, striking single-mindedness and embarrassing naivete, aggravated
by a paucity of means in written communication. The picture that emerges
is that of a complete misfit, a man with an enormous psychological block. It
is thus the more astonishing when we penetrate the world of Bruckner's
music, and are overwhelmed by its grand lines, striking originality, noble
self assurance, versatile complexity and inexhaustible richness-obviously
the creation of a mind with an enormous span and creative talent. It is
difficult to escape the conclusion that the world of Bruckner's music is not a
romanticized version of our world. It is a world in itself, in which Bruckner
lived almost exclusively, and which was reality to him, in contrast to a com-
l
254 THE MUSIC REVIEW

pletely opposite world (ours) in which he hardly lived and in which his personal
trace was faint and pathetic: a little lonely corner, held insecurely and shored
up with external manifestations of existence, such as certificates and titles.
It is in this sense that Bruckner was not a romantic, or even a mystic, if
we mean by a mystic somebody in a "state of the soul" having a vague
craving for something beyond the realm of logic. It would be fruitless to
speculate how Bruckner would have written had he been a contemporary of,
I
say, Bach, or, perhaps even more oddly, of Monteverdi. One is quite certain, I
however, that he would have been incongruous just as much in 1630 or 1730
as he was in 1880.
I believe that the above remarks are crucial to an attempt to absorb
I
Bruckner's music. We have to shed prejudices acquired in "our world",
and transform ourselves to understand the basic properties of Bruckner's
world. without such a change in the basic frame of reference, the encounter
with Brucknerian music is likely to be at least a partial mismatch.
Let us try to characterize now the world of Bruckner's music. It has a
number of fundamental features which differentiate it from our world.
Perhaps the most important of these is the concept of time. The basic I
time pace in Bruckner is quite different from ours in the twentieth century.
It is much slower but steadier, with ideas and lines reaching over a huge time
(
span. If the natural human rhythm is determined, roughly speaking, by the
frequency of our heart beat, the Brucknerian heart beat is quite different.
l
Thus the first task in preparing to listen to Bruckner is to escape from the
hectic life, and to relax completely. A few minutes of existence, apparently
without any time scale at all, allow us to assimilate the Brucknerian time
scale as the music begins. This is, in part, what Erwin Doernberg, in his I
fascinating book The Life and Symphonies of Anton Bruckner must have I
meant when he said that the Bruckner symphonies begin with silence.
Another essential feature of Bruckner's world is a marked air of solemnity [
and dignity. This is not to say that there is no element of vigour and some- I
times even joviality: particularly in his scherzi, we do find such traits. But
on the whole, it is deeply introspective and reverent. One of the most con- (
spicuous characteristics of his music is the absence of wit, cleverness, urbane I
sophistication. Thus, when preparing to listen to Bruckner, we must also
shed the frivolous and jocular, and concentrate on trying to understand. 1
The two elements of expanded time scale and serious introspection account I
for much of the intensity of Bruckner's music. Serious absorption in Bruckner
is bound to result in literal physical fatigue after a while, even if the spiritual I
experience is refreshing and rewarding. One of his most marvellous charac-
teristics is that he can maintain this intensity throughout his gigantic crea-
tions, and in fact often, when one feels that the intensity has hit an absolute
maximum, the music rises to previously unimaginable heights.
There is another "trademark" here which also pertains to the time sequence,
and which is a well known stumbling block to many in their attempt to i
identify with Bruckner's music. It is the connection (or lack of it) between I
large phrases, and the use of the pause to connect (or separate) them from
1
- THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 255
al
each other. It is on this account that Bruckner is often accused of being
:d
disjointed, unintegrated or incoherent.
It is important to make a distinction between two quite different types of
if
pause in Bruckner. The first serves to change the scene completely, and is
1e
located between two sections of quite different moods and often different
0
f tonalities. The second type serves as an emphasis, to underline the importance
f,
of what is to come. Most pauses preceding the codas are of this second type.
I, r
Here the tonality mostly does not change, the mood remains the same, and the
0
role of the pause is primarily to heighten the dignified pace and the atmosphere
r of solemn suspense. It is this pause which therefore is often only partial,
b
accompanied by drum roll, or soft sustained brass. I believe the criticism
is directed primarily against the first type.
s
In order to understand the role of the first type we might use an image, not
r
to be taken too literally, but probably not altogether inappropriate in illustra-
ting the point. The time sequence of events is like a series of images which
a
I.
unfold before one's eye. We see one picture, only to be obscured by clouds
' somewhat later. After a moment or two (this is the pause), the clouds part
c I again and another episode, seemingly quite different, appears before us. As
e ( this sequence progresses, however, the overall connection between them
~
becomes gradually evident. Those who give up Bruckner as disjointed and
e
1 disorganized never manage to perceive the stunning unity and cohesion
e which exist on a much larger time scale in which perhaps a dozen episodes,
separated by pauses, fit into one unit of time. No question that this requires
{
~
patience, devotion, and above all concentration to arrive at the frame of
I mind within which such superconnections become evident. I find it surprising
5
and encouraging that in our world of the 1970s, when there appears to be an
I increasing tendency toward the hurried, the superficial and the easily compre-
( hensible, an apparently fast growing number of people, perhaps as a sign of
backlash, make the effort to achieve an understanding of and to derive
I pleasure from the world of Bruckner.
( The enormous time span of Brucknerian thought is exemplified by the
thematic integration of movements which we demonstrated in the codas.
I This serves to underline the essential cohesion throughout the whole of the
Brucknerian symphony. The thematic unity has been referred to by many
1 Bruckner scholars, among them, by Max Auer in his comprehensive book
I Anton Bruckner, sein Leben und Werk. There is no question, that, as Robert
'
I Simpson very perceptively remarked, Bruckner did not dissipate his talent
in attempts to offer a great variety of forms, subjects or instrumental arrange-
ments. His main aim was to express one idea, in basically one way, and that
is what the ten Bruckner symphonies (the essence of Bruckner's musical
r creations) are about.
As we have remarked, Bruckner's music is not "programme" music in the
I' usual sense, and it should not be associated with particular human plots.
This is so, notwithstanding several quite reliable accounts of Bruckner him-
I self, in his role as a human being, trying to "explain" the "meaning" of some
of his compositions. It is precisely because of the chasm between Anton
1
 THE MUSIC REVIEW

Bruckner the man as it projected into our world, and the world of Anton
! =
ti
Bruckner as reflected in his music, that such "explanations" can be dismissed. I 0
A more plausible frame of reference for an interpretation of the meaning
of the Brucknerian symphony is a religious one. One knows that Bruckner
was deeply religious, although external manifestations in Bruckner's life are
often as exasperatingly naive as other aspects of his personality. Nevertheless,
I
f
e
a
i~
0
this is the only trait of the man Bruckner which, stripped of these external
f n
frills, can be isolated to give some basis for an unified philosophy of thought
underlying the Brucknerian symphony.
But it is not necessary to identify with any religious framework to arrive
at the interpretation I wish to suggest. It would seem that almost any
[ 0
v
I
thoughtful person, atheist or believer, has an affinity to the basic affirmations (

of the Brucknerian symphony. The timeless but steady paced, lonely a

majesty is evident in the vastness of the universe of stars around us, in the ~

gripping experience of a night time journey through the Arizona desert, in (

the inevitably compelling unfolding of a Greek tragedy, as well as in the image

of God before the creation of the world. Or, if we wish to exemplify the idea .
of the quiet, calm, serene, but at the same time supernatural mood of Bruckner's I'
slow movements, we can do so through the experience of exhausted sleep
after high fever, through the introverted solitude in a deep forest on a sunny
I
day, or through the expectations of life in Elysium. 1
I do not want to imply that any of these images was in Bruckner's mind, or
that this is the literal "subject matter" of his symphonies. What I wish to
stress is the universality of the "states of mind and soul" that are portrayed
in the Brucknerian symphonies. As with all great works of art, the significance, I
importance and appeal of the Brucknerian symphonies transcend any particular '
"interpretation" we can attach to them in specific terms, because they reveal I
basically a very deep psychological truth which is too universal and timeless (
to be tied down to specific verbalization or to any specific interplay of circum-
stance. This is what makes it possible to find relevance in these works at I
different times when the particular detailed problems, specific aspirations, (
and momentary moods of humanity differ considerably from what they might
have been during the life of the creative artist. I
With these general thoughts in mind, we can now follow the development
of a typical Bruckner symphony, and describe it in terms of images which, to 1
repeat, are meant to be more illustrative than literal. I
* * * I
The Brucknerian symphony is flanked by two similar movements: the I
first and the fourth. Each of them is an expression of conflict, an alternation 1
of light and shade, a juxtaposition of resignation and revolt, a vacillation
between hope and despair. The sonata form gives a standard frame for the I
structure of these movements, though the rigid prescriptions of such a form
are often stretched considerably to accommodate the variety of states of mind.
l
The conflict is always resolved by the end, and the crucial role of the codas is i
to bring about this resolution. The pre-coda fortissimo is the last battle in
 THE SYMPHONIES OF ANTON BRUCKNER 257
(
on f the arena of conflict, subsiding often in the solemn chorale, heralding the
~a. oncoming resolution. The pre-coda pause, in this context, is particularly
ng effective. One almost holds one's breath. The soft beginning, radiating an
ter atmosphere transcending the previous lightning and thunder of the movement,
Lre . r is most impressive, and the build up to the climax is one of powerful ingredients
SS, I of Bruckner's intensity and power.
ta! f It is the climax, however, in which the great similarity of the first and last
ht movements ends. We have seen that the tonality of the climax in the majority
of his symphonies is in minor, and even in the others, nominally in major keys,
ve we perceive a certain grimness in the climax of the first movements. The
1Y
r mood, therefore, in general is that of a majestic tragedy, or at least solemn
rlS determination. In sharp contrast, all fourth movement climaxes arc in major,
Iy and the mood is that of overpowering, festive jubilation. It is not too import-
le ant to decide whether this is the result of the joyful final message of a believer,
in or the recognition by the agnostic that a fundamentally pessimistic philosophy
~e is psychologically untenable. The impact remains the same: after the sombre,
~a . exhausting drama of the symphony, the final resolution is basically a positive
"s I, one, and its sweeping power leaves an exhilarating aftertaste. In this final
f development the fourth movement coda plays a crucial role. The fourth
-, movement is mostly in a minor key when the symphony itself is also in minor,
and in any case, the outcome of the conflict is not decided by the end of
Jr the recapitulation section. It is during the final coda that the metamorphosis
:o takes shape, and leads into the apotheosis. The thematic integration with
d the first movement greatly helps to underscore the fact that the fmal triumph
e,
Lr
I is alsoIn
over the old conflicts which took place in the first movement.
between the Scylla and Charybdis of the two flanking movements, the
'
il I slow movement and the scherzo represent a temporary respite, in which the
;s
l-
I less turbulent psychological states prevail. Of these, the scherzi, delightful
as they are, tend to be more formal and, at least to me, the less significant in
Lt I the overall scheme.
;,
(
The slow movements, on the other hand, are an integral part of the line
:t of development. The elemental building blocks of the content of these
I movements are serenity, calmness, mournful complaint, warm confidence and
t mysterious suspense, in alternating successions. Even these, however, form
0 1 an entity that is not of our world. This becomes striking to me when I compare
I a typical second movement of a Brucknerian symphony with, for example,
the slow movement of the Schubert string Quintet in C, op. 163, a movement
I I infinitely admire and never cease to enjoy. It appears to be based on
e I very similar emotions to the Brucknerian second movement, and yet I can
1
., gain access to its warm humanity almost instantly, and so do countless others,
1 while the seemingly similar moods in the Brucknerian slow movement require
e i a special change of frame of reference to the Brucknerian world before one

l can get caught in its sweeping lines.

The function of the coda of the slow movement is not so much that of
i resolution, since no great conflicts have developed, but rather a sublime fading
~ out of the mood of calmness and serenity. Thus the end lies always in a
 THE MUSIC REVIEW
i
pianissimo, in sharp contrast to the codas in the first and last movements
which (with the exception of the eighth Symphony) climax on a high dynamical I
level. For the same reason, the coda of the slow movement is not so strikingly
separated from the main body of the movement, but sometimes joins it
I
with a hint that the end is approaching. The tonality is often major, and I
the prevailing mood is that of inner peace and happiness. I
The slow movement is the second movement in the first eight symphonies,
and the third in the Eighth and Ninth. I consider the latter a more appro-
I B.
I IC
priate placing, since the contrast of this peace and the turbulance of the last I tii
movement is thus more striking. It is a tremendous loss from this point of I la
view also that Bruckner did not live to complete to any significant* extent the
fourth movement of the ninth Symphony. After the exquisite coda of the
I (e
so
third, a fourth movement equalling the first movement in quality would have I qt
been a superb experience. t> Ol
We have come to the end of our attempt to define the features of the I de
Brucknerian coda and to place it in context within the Brucknerian symphony.
Indeed, from this point of view, the main traits of pre-coda fortissimo, pre-coda
I cc
chorale, pre-coda pause, and the coda itself with its build-up to the climax, i~
together with the tonal, dynamic and thematic elements we tried to establish, I ar
appear as a necessary, in fact almost inevitable, stage of evolution in the ten l th
monumental landmarks of the Brucknerian world. W:
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* Significant, yes. But not, I think, in sufficient detail for anyone to construct a convincing UJ
Brucknerian whole from the fragments. (Ed.].