Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824, Ansfelden, Upper Austria - 11 October 1896, Vienna) was an Austrian composer, organist and music teacher, known primarily for his symphonies, masses and motets. His symphonies are often considered symbolic of the final phase of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable duration.
Bruckner was born in the village of Ansfelden near Linz. His grandfather took a teaching position in 1776, a position inherited in 1823 by the future composer's father, Anton Bruckner Senior (1791-1837). It was a poorly paid but respected position in the countryside. Bruckner senior married Theresia Helm (German), to whose marriage they had eleven children. Anton Bruckner was the eldest child in the family.
His father became Anton's first music teacher. In 1833, when Bruckner was confirmed, his father decided to send him to the Hörsching School, whose director, Johann Baptist Weiss, was a music enthusiast and respected organist. There Bruckner completed his school education, became a virtuoso organist and wrote his first composition, Four Preludes in E flat major for organ.
After the death of Bruckner senior, in 1837, the place and house of the teacher went to his successor, and Anton was sent to the monastery of St Florian, where he became a chanter and also studied the organ and violin. Despite Bruckner's musical ability, his mother wanted him to inherit his ancestors' profession and sent him to a teachers' seminar in Linz. After graduating with honours, Bruckner worked for a time as an assistant teacher to Franz Fuchs in the town of Windhag-by-Freistadt. There he lived in terrible conditions, received a meagre salary and was constantly humiliated by his superior, but he never complained or protested. Prelate Michael Arnett of the monastery of St Florian, learning of Bruckner's situation, sent him to Kronstorf for two years in the same position. Compared to the few Windhag works, the works of the Kronstorf period (1843-1845) first began to show distinctive features of Bruckner's individual 'Brucknerian' style.
In 1845 Bruckner returned to St Florian. In May he passed an examination allowing him to take up a position as an assistant teacher in a rural school. Bruckner continued his education in order to teach at higher levels. In 1848 he was appointed organist of St Florian; in 1851 this position became permanent for him. His repertoire consisted mainly of works by J. M. Haydn, J. G. Albrechtsberger, and F. J. Aumann.
In 1849 Bruckner wrote his first major work, Requiem, dedicated to the memory of Franz Sailer, a monastic notary who had supported his music studies and bequeathed his piano to him.
In 1854 Bruckner travelled to Vienna for the first time, where he auditioned with the court organist Ignaz Asmeyer. It was not until 1855 that the composer began a highly professional musical education, beginning counterpoint studies with the eminent Austrian music teacher Simon Sechter. In the same year, 1855, Bruckner unequivocally won a competition and took up the post of town organist in Linz, and in 1860 he also became the leader of the men's choir Liedertafel Frohsinn, in connection with which choral works began to occupy a significant place in his oeuvre alongside organ works. Bruckner's first mature work is the Mass No 1 in D minor (1864), which he wrote at the age of 40.
Sechter's studies with Bruckner culminated in 1861 with his final examination, after which, according to legend, one of the examiners (Johann von Gerbeck) exclaimed: "He should be the one examining us!". Bruckner then returned to his studies, however, attending a seminar of the Linz conductor Otto Kitzler, during which he studied Richard Wagner's musical principles with close attention. In 1865 Bruckner became personally acquainted with Wagner. Wagner's music and personality had a great influence on Bruckner.
In 1868, after Sechter's death, Bruckner was invited to take up the vacated position as a lecturer in music theory at the Vienna Conservatory. During his time teaching, he concentrated most of his energies on writing symphonies. These symphonies were poorly received by the public, sometimes considered "wild" and "meaningless". His students at the conservatory included such notables as Hans Rott and Franz Schmidt.
Bruckner's skills as an organist (above all his improvisations) were highly appreciated outside Austria. In 1869 he played in France and in 1871 in England: six concerts on the new organ at the Albert Hall and five at the Crystal Palace.
In 1875 Bruckner became associate professor at the University of Vienna, and three years later organist at the Court Chapel. In 1886 he was honoured with the Order of Franz Joseph.
He was friends with the philosopher Anton von Elzelt-Nevin, to whom he dedicated his 6th Symphony.
The composer died in 1896 in Vienna, where a monument was erected three years later. The sarcophagus with Bruckner's ashes rests in the crypt under the organ of the St Florian Monastery.
