Bruckner: Te Deum and Mass No. 3

“Bruckner in close-up and with full force” – this was the headline of the Hamburger Abendblatt in September 2024 following the concert of the SWR Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado at the Elbphilharmonie, which also featured Anton Bruckner’s Te Deum on the program. The Te Deum and Bruckner’s Mass No. 3 now appear together on an album with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Vokalensemble, and the WDR Rundfunkchor under the direction of Heras-Casado. Also featured are outstanding soloists including Daniel Behle, Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Matthew Rose, and Christina Landshamer. The recording, made in 2024 and 2025, will be released on February 13 by SWR Music.

When Anton Bruckner had his Te Deum premiered in 1886 at the Wiener Musikvereinsaal, he later referred to it as “the pride of my life.” This rare display of self-confidence is surprising, as the composer was otherwise known for his self-doubt and revised many of his works multiple times. But this time Bruckner was certain—and the critics agreed: the Te Deum became one of his greatest successes and even surpassed many of his symphonies in its reception.

The history of the Mass in F minor unfolded differently. Commissioned by the Vienna Court Chapel and composed almost twenty years before the Te Deum, Bruckner subjected the work to several revisions until 1893—a creative process typical of him. He conducted the premiere himself and even covered the (considerable) costs after the Court Chapel had initially rejected the Mass as “unsingable.” Only gradually did the work find its place in the repertoire.