Bruckner: Symphony No. 9

Following their recordings of Bruckner’s Symphonies Nos. 7 (ALPHA932, Diapason d'Or) and 8 (ALPHA987, awarded 'Best Symphonic Recording of the Year' at the International Classical Music Awards), Paavo Järvi and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich now conclude their tribute to the Austrian composer in this bicentenary year with a recording of his 9th symphony. The orchestra's history has been closely linked to Bruckner since it gave the first Swiss performance of one of his symphonies under Richard Strauss in 1903. "The great classical and romantic tradition of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich make it ideally suited to Bruckner, the central composer for modern symphony orchestras," says Paavo Järvi. Bruckner composed this musical farewell (he wrote the words "a farewell to life" in the score) in his final years; legend has it that he was still working on the symphony on the day he died.