Markus Poschner: “Bruckner remains a mystery”

All ten Bruckner symphonies at different locations, a concert in the Bad Ischler Salzhalle, Bruckner in the tavern – the 2023/24 season of the Bruckner Orchestra is largely determined by the 200th birthday on September 4, 2024 of its namesake, Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). . “The Bruckner year has been a highlight since I took up my post in Linz in 2017,” said chief conductor Markus Poschner at the program presentation on Friday. “It’s all been coming down to that since day one.”

All ten symphonies will be performed in and around Linz. The first and the “zero” (because later cancelled) symphonies will be heard at the beginning on December 2nd and 3rd in the Redoutensäle – where they were premiered. Because the hall is small, both works are played twice. The fourth symphony will be performed by the orchestra on January 13th in the Musikverein in Vienna and on January 14th in the Musiktheater, with Nikolaus Habjan playing Anton Bruckner with a puppet. The 7th and 8th symphonies can be heard on June 14th and 16th at St. Florian Monastery, with theologian Paul Zulehner contributing texts. In between, on June 15, the Bruckner Orchestra will play in the Saline Ebensee on the occasion of the Salzkammergut Capital of Culture. “Bruckner remains a mystery,” says Poschner. “There are so many irritating, contradictory things in his life that we cannot come to terms with. Bruckner is a big cosmos.” At the same time, Bruckner could also be an inspiration for people today: “Despite many failures, he remained true to his vision.”

In addition to the large symphonies, smaller formats are also planned. So there should be performances in inns under the motto “Bruckner goes Wirtshaus” (places and dates are not yet known). A youth concert under the motto “Bruckner goes Hollywood” is also planned for April 17 in the music theater. The orchestra will go on tour in autumn, but details are not yet certain. In total, exactly 52 concerts are on the program for the 2023/24 season (around 100 with the children’s concerts), says managing director Thomas Königstorfer: “That’s six more than last year.” Together with the Radio Symphony Orchestra, a recording of all 18 different versions of the ten Bruckner symphonies will be completed next year. The Bruckner Orchestra has a budget of twelve million euros at its disposal. Ten million of these come from the state of Upper Austria, two million are generated by the orchestra itself. Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) spoke of a “very special” 2023/24 season: “Who, if not the Bruckner Orchestra, should go ahead this year. It is not only a special requirement, but also a tremendous opportunity.”

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