Bruckner 7 (complete) - 'Great Music in a Great Space', St John the Divine NYC

Bruckner 7 (complete) - St John the Divine NYC, live concert:
'Great Music in a Great Space' - Tuesday 26th February.
I hope you will enjoy this live footage from the premiere of my new Bruckner 7 transcription. I am honoured to be Mr Bruckner's ambassador - well, after all, he was an Organist! I have tried to imagine what he would say, if he was standing over my shoulder. I hope he would be happy with the sound and flexibility of our incredible Skinner Opus 150A - to my mind, one of the very finest organ/acoustic combos in the US, if not even further afield.
Program notes:
I’m very pleased to welcome you to this, the world premiere of my new transcription of Anton Bruckner’s monumental Seventh Symphony. It represents the culmination of a huge and wonderfully enjoyable project, spanning just over 6 months.
Bruckner brought the Seventh Symphony to life between 23rd September 1881 and 5th September 1883, and made some substantial revisions in 1885. In January 1883 he had a premonition that his ‘master’ Richard Wagner did not have long to live. The news of Wagner’s death reached him while he was working on the score of the Adagio: the huge climax had been done, and all that remained was the closing section at rehearsal letter ‘X’. This became transfigured into a profoundly moving lament ‘in memory of the dearly beloved, immortal Master, now departed this life’.
The original manuscript of the Seventh Symphony rests in the Austrian National Library in Vienna. It embodies Bruckner’s original text and also the many modifications made by Josef Schalk and Ferdinand Löwe in January 1885: “We have gone through the the score of the Seventh with Bruckner, discussing some changes and improvements”. It seems that Bruckner was happy, indeed grateful, for these amendments - indicating a certain sensitivity and perhaps an innate vulnerability. One cannot imagine Gustav Mahler authorizing such changes by others!
The first orchestral performance took place on 30th December 1884, conducted by Arthur Nikisch, in the Town Theater at Leipzig, a concert intended to raise funds for the construction of a monument to Richard Wagner. The work was Bruckner’s first major triumph, and his reputation as a symphonist spread all around the world.
I hope you will enjoy my re-casting of one of the greatest orchestral masterpieces of the end of the C19th. One of my intentions is to prove that the St John the Divine organ has as much, if not more, color, flexibility and power than the full symphony orchestra. And, very importantly, we have the acoustic - and I hope through these two media, I can channel Mr Bruckner’s intentions with honesty and a degree of integrity and energy.

[@SynchroScore]

Listening to Bruckner's symphonies, you can tell that he was an organist. Prolonged pedal points, instruments in unison like stops coupled together, alternating blocks of instruments like switching manuals. Perhaps you could play such an arrangement on the organ at Sankt Florian, with Bruckner buried right beneath it. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

[@kryzadmz]

Amazing and Astounding. I can't imagine how many presets you had programmed in the organ to create this towering performance. I imagine Mr. Bruckner would be pleased to hear such a fine performance of his symphony on his instrument.

[@grobifrank1976]

THIS is the right organ for Bruckner!

[@joewitous6281]

Love this music. Thanks for the upload!

[@federicozimerman8167]

Wonderful!!! Huge piece, great accomplishment. Even though tremolos and timpani are absent, it sounds great. Congratulations, hope to hear you live one day.

[@threethrushes]

A monument to humanity. Thank you.

[@sylvieguerin4643]

Merci m. BRUCKNER et merci à cette sublime interprétation cela résonne au plus profond de moi!!!

[@lazarillodetormes8995]

What a nice surprise! Bruckner's 7th, one of his most beatiful symph, played by a superb organist who made his own arrangements/transcription. Isto est, a masterwork inside a masterwork. And the 2nd movement is beyond perfection. Several years ago I committed my sons to play the 2nd of the 7th in my not so far own funeral. No flowers, no rendez-vous, no food celebration, just this music and farewell. Now, I have chosen the version.

[@fedeginz2]

Superb! Incredible immensely beautiful, please upload to spotify!!

[@zircon345]

I hope you perform Bruckner's 8th soon

[@prometheanevent]

It’s really amazing how true to the orchestral version this is.

[@musicworld6803]

As a composer/arranger the fact you did this transcription in 6 months.... Incredible!

[@douglasjensen8986]

I love everything about this--artist, composer, work, venue, recording.

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you very much, Douglas - very kind of you!

[@conleytpt]

Beautiful Performance! I've watched it enough that I went ahead and posted time stamps for each movement. 1st Movement: 0:00 2nd Movement: 23:00 3rd Movement: 47:20 4th Movement: 56:55

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you very much!

[@guychazelle3345]

Absolument magnifique cette adaptation aux grandes orgues de la 7 ème symphonie de Bruckner! Fan du compositeur depuis mes 10ans, je trouve l'interprétation de l'oeuvre en tout point sublime. Les jeux sont judicieusement choisis. Le final entre autre, est (presque) encore plus passionnant à écouter, et à voir dans cette transcription. Le scherzo est d'une totale réussite. Et que dire des 2 premiers volets. Je tends à rêver par cet immense organiste et transcripteur une adaptation de la 8 ème symphonie. Mille bravos.

[@fabiosergioforesi3917]

Thank you .Thank you. Maestro

[@jordanmorris4090]

This is incredible! I would love to hear this live, as well as Bruckner's 5th (which was almost made for organ). Well done!!!

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you very much for these kind words! I'm so happy you enjoyed it.

[@rogierdailly1608]

5th is also uploaded on KZbin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn3Kd2qmYtmpd6s&ab_channel=Hansj%C3%B6rgAlbrecht-Topic

[@minka866]

For me some Bruckner's symphonies are made for organ.

[@NitricNotes94]

Absolutely amazing

[@inspectorachundia1]

Awesome!!!

[@antoniusaetneus855]

Thank you!

[@emmanuelagudo4918]

This is exactly as the inspiration once was. Thank you!

[@MaxPower-grrl]

Wow! Thank you very much!

[@MartinGaskellMusic]

A very impressive transcription and performance!

[@birdz_]

Please release this on Spotify it’s amazing!!

[@conw_y]

Finale ending is spectacular!

[@joaofelipe719]

Maravilha! Obrigado!

[@juliogallegos350]

❤amazing

[@wavejaco]

What an absolutely magnificent performance! Your transcriptions never cease to serve as inspiration to me as an organist, and I believe to many others as well. I learned so much just by watching you play this transcription, while admiring your excellent performance of a truly majestic work. Well done!

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you very much indeed for these very generous comments, Jaco. I'm very happy that you enjoyed it. St John the Divine is the perfect instrument for both transcriptions and repertoire, with an almost limitless resource of colour. And I think the Bruckner sounds amazing in this acoustic! 😎

[@wavejaco]

@@davidbriggs6375 It is my pleasure! The organ at St John the Divine has long been (and still is) one of those organs that I never get tired of listening to. Its tonal capabilities and endless possibilities for transcription repertoire are so vast that I can never get bored listening to recordings made there. It will truly be a great dream come true if I could one day spend just a few minutes behind that console and explore some of its gems. Thank you for all of your marvellous recordings on that organ. You have a very happy fan here!

[@davidbriggs6375]

@@wavejaco Let me know when you are in NY and I can show you the instrument. 😎

[@wavejaco]

@@davidbriggs6375 That will be an honor! Thanks!! 😀

[@grassmugge]

Very convincing. Thank You very much for posting!

[@a55b47]

Bravissimo!!

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you very much 😎

[@Piflaser]

Concepted at an organ, orchestrated, published, taken, deorchestrated, and played again at the organ. Nice story, fine result.

[@cabbagepatch8947]

Wonderful. Have you thought about arranging for organ the last movement of Scriabin's Second Symphony. Should sound good.

[@leongreen8088]

Glad to find you have done this. Heard a very good performance by David Amado and the Delaware SO yesterday at the Cape Henlopen High School auditorium. Among my thoughts was whether you'd done this, and I see my prayer was answered already. Thanks!

[@livzdave]

Wow! David, you need to get Fred Hohman interested in recording this, and a complete Mahler cycle at St. John! Wonderful camera work and editing! I can't wait for your next orchestral transcription!

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you very much for your kind words!

[@georgeallcock299]

That really is superb!

[@davidbriggs6375]

Thank you, George - delighted you enjoyed it 😎

[@joaofelipe719]

Alguém em Rio de Janeiro ouvindo isto!

[@Basal89]

🤩

[@ootamanabu]

彼の基礎はこのオルガンから成り立っていると思います。だってオルガンで弾くと、ピッタリと音楽がはまります。

[@HeelPower200]

I am no organist but this seems to be one of the hardest ,most taxing things a single organist can do on the instrument. Some sections seem to be pushing the player to the absolute limit. Am I right or is this standard for organ repertoire? I would love to know.

[@davidbriggs6375]

Yes, it is quite difficult and takes a lot of work to do well!

[@HeelPower200]

@@davidbriggs6375 Thank you for the peformance, David. This video is a masterwork.

[@neilsaunders9309]

Let's have Franz Schmidt's Fourth Symphony performed on organ!

[@neilsaunders9309]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3qkq56Fa5WmjcU

[@davidbriggs6375]

I've just learnt (and recorded) the D Major Hallelujah Prelude and Fugue - wonderful piece! Thanks for the heads-up about the 4th Symphony - will definitely explore!

[@basedscores]

how could I contact you for the sheet music, so I could do a score video on the near future

[@davidbriggs6375]

www.david-briggs.org

[@aznminr123]

23:08 mvt 2

[@wesleydecasere9832]

1:05:14

[@MattRichardsonX]

How much are they paying that guy to turn the pages?