‘To me, Bruckner is one of the greatest composers,’ says conductor Stanisław Skrowaczewski. ‘He is another Mozart: his music is magical ... its message speaks about the infinite, transcendental cosmos, God, timelessness, love and tragedy.’ The opening melody of Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony apparently came to the composer in a dream: a friend from Bruckner’s younger days played the theme on a viola, with the words: ‘This will bring you success’. If this is true it was prophetic: the work was one of the greatest successes of the composer’s career.

Stanisław Skrowaczewski is regarded as one of today’s greatest living Bruckner conductors. Now in his 90th year, he brings a lifetime’s accumulated wisdom to this work.

This Symphony had a life-changing significance for Skrowaczewski. Aged seven, he heard some distinctive but unfamiliar music drifting out of the upstairs window of a house he passed, to dramatic effect: ‘It was such an impression that I became really out of my mind ... I had a high temperature, so all this proves really deep shock – and this stays forever’. This was Bruckner’s Symphony No.7.

This performance is of Skrowaczewski’s own edition, based on the Haas edition but including the triangle and cymbal clash at the climax of the Adagio.

Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London, on 24 October 2012.

Reviews from the concert performance:
‘The LPO were in tremendous form, right across the stage … I never believed I would hear an account of a Bruckner symphony that rivalled Günter Wand at his best, but last night I did … Truly an evening to remember!’ - Michael McManus, Gramophone

‘This was one of those performances that leave you feeling nourished, rather than exhausted … Throughout the performance the LPO played magnificently, wonderfully enhanced by Skrowaczewski’s concern to get the balance right, to let all the inner voices speak.’ - (5 stars) Ken Ward, Editor, The Bruckner Journal

‘There was space to breathe with Skrowaczewski, the music never dragging, and was a performance as one dreams of – of majesty, grace and full expression … The ascent to glory was captivating from the off, moments of serene bliss gave way to uplifting climaxes in the opening movement. Skrowaczewski tempted the LPO to great heights of playing.’ - Kevin Rogers, Classical Source