Poschner conducts Bruckner

The symphonies of Anton Bruckner are some of the most magnificent orchestral pieces written in the second half of the 19^th century. They have a character like no other: massive tectonic plates of sound converging into a monolithic construction that is given a profoundly personal texture by the brass sonorities. Symphony no. 8, generally considered one of Bruckner's best, was completed in 1890 and dedicated to Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I. One enraptured listener described the symphony as “the crown of music in our time”, an opinion shared by composers Hugo Wolf and Johann Strauss.

Bruckner's symphonies are seldom performed in Iceland, and the eighth has not been heard in over a decade. It is therefore particular cause for celebration that this performance should be in the hands of Markus Poschner, who has conducted the ISO a several times since 2009. The consensus is that this German conductor who holds the position of Chief Conductor of the Bremen Philharmonic has unusual command of the entire spectrum of orchestral sound and that the ISO seldom plays better than under his direction.