with the cycle 'My Country,' a symphony, 2 quartets, a trio, etc., besides 8 Bohemian operas (from 1865), piano works and songs.
Anton Bruckner (d. 1896) was born in Upper Austria, also in 1824. His early studies were mostly alone and on the organ. In 1855 he became cathedral-organist at Linz, later studying with Kitzler and Sechter. From 1867 he followed the latter as court-organist at Vienna, being also professor at the conservatory and from 1875 lecturer at the university. He twice toured in western Europe as a virtuoso organist of the first rank. His learning as a contrapuntist and his sympathy with the most advanced ideas of style are shown in 9 symphonies, and abundant chamber and choral music. On the whole, however, he is more abstruse than inspired.
Karl Goldmark, born in Hungary in 1830, received his formal education, as far as it went, in Vienna and has always worked there. From 1858 he became prominent as a pianist and composer, among his early works being chamber pieces, the overture Sakuntala and a cyclic orchestral work. In 1875 came his brilliant opera Die Königin von Saba, to which 4 more have succeeded. His orchestral list includes 2 symphonies, 5 overtures and a symphonic poem, written in a style full of spirit and warmth, but not profound.
A Bohemian, trained at Prague, but working elsewhere, is Joseph Abert. Entering the Stuttgart orchestra as a double-bassist, his talent for composition led to his promotion in 1867 to be conductor at the court-theatre, whence he retired in 1888. His works include 6 symphonies (from 1852), overtures, quartets, the symphonic poem Kolumbus (1864), 5 operas (1858-90), songs, etc.
The so-called 'New-Russian' movement came into view before
the close of the middle period of the century, though its full
development as a national school belongs to the recent period.
In the field of opera the young Slavic enthusiasts were quick to
parallel Wagner's theories by a program of their own aiming at
the same dramatic results, but naturally through somewhat
different technical means. In the field of orchestral music they
turned into paths like those of Berlioz and Liszt, particularly as
the Slavic artistic drift is toward sensuous richness, passionate
extravagance, and a certain recklessness and whimsicality
of procedure. Against this New-Russian movement, however,
stood Rubinstein—a genuine Slav whose style had been shaped
largely upon German lines. The result of his attitude was an
unfortunate alienation between him and his urgent compatriots,
an exaggerated desire on his part to belittle the achievements of
Wagner, and finally a morbid pessimism regarding the future of
musical art. But these critical opinions did not prevent him
from expressing his individuality through a variety of important
works, orchestral and vocal, some of which have considerable
significance.
