Despite living for another 14 years, the Cello Concerto was Elgar’s final major work. His beloved Alice was not in good health and died six months after the premiere in 1919, seemingly extinguishing his creative spark. The music is private and poignant, but it still remains a richly lyrical and noble work, with the solo cello in full focus with its bold statements and heart-rending themes. Since that time the work has grown in popular stature with its powerful yet understated evocation of the English countryside and psyche. Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony occupies a singularly important place in the composer’s output. It was with this piece that Bruckner finally achieved widespread recognition, and it has remained the most popular of his nine symphonies. The opening melody apparently came to him in a dream: a friend from Bruckner’s younger days played the theme on a viola, with the words “This will bring you success”. The heart of the work is the long and deeply felt adagio, composed as a memorial to Wagner who died whilst Bruckner was writing it.
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