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Newsletter: November 1, 2022

Newsletter: November 1, 2022

Newsletter: November 1, 2022
Welcome to the Newsletter from Abruckner.com!

As of October 30th the Discography Database and the Bruckner Archive Database have been updated. The underlined headlines below will take you to the various sections of the website where the bullet points below are featured. Please use these as guides to the new information offered since the last newsletter.

Newsletter - November 1, 2022

There are two items that I would like to share with you.

1) Back in 2011, I came across the story of Felix Maria Gatz, an ardent Bruckner advocate and conductor who was extremely influential in Germany prior to the rise of National Socialism. I wrote an essay about him in 2015. Thanks to some better online research tools and with the help of the daughter of his widow, I have been able to improve upon the essay. I urge you all to read it and to become more familiar with this important Bruckner advocate who has been tragically forgotten.

2) In conjunction with The Bruckner Journal, I have written a short interactive guide to help listeners identify the different editions and versions of Bruckner's Symphonies.

Links to both of these essays can be found in the LATEST NEWS AND POSTINGS Section.

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The following will be listed here one last time to ensure that everyone has had a chance to read it:

There are three organizations in the United States that are devoted to promoting an understanding of the life and work of Austrian composer, Anton Bruckner:

1) The Bruckner Society of America – A non-profit private foundation
2) Abruckner.com – The Bruckner Discography and many other features
3) The Bruckner Journal – A tri-yearly Journal of essays, reviews and concert listings.

As separate as these organizations are, they will be gradually merging over time.

The first phase of this transition will be happening soon when the Bruckner Journal will become an integral part of the Bruckner Society. The Bruckner Journal originated as a print journal in the United Kingdom. When editor Ken Ward decided to hand over that task, Dr. Michael Cucka in the United States took on those responsibilities. Over the course of the last few years, the Bruckner Journal has become an American production. Since Dr. Cucka is also the treasurer of the Bruckner Society, he was in a good position to move the Journal under the banner of the Society. That shift is taking place as this is being written.

The merger of Abruckner.com will take longer. In fact there was a time when the Society and Abruckner.com shared the same website and instead of continuing the merger, they split apart. The reemergence of the Bruckner Society took place in 2009 when David Hempel, executor of the last president’s estate and I came to an agreement. The society’s non-profit status was secured, and a new board of directors was chosen. Abruckner.com brought the Society under its wing for a while, but since Abruckner.com is a commercial operation and the Bruckner Society is a non-profit, there were financial implications and the two entities needed to separate. The Bruckner Society established its own website at www.brucknersocietyamerica.org. Membership in the Society is $30.00 per year. It entitles the member to a yearly subscription to the Bruckner Journal (in digital format) and many other interesting articles in the Society’s member’s area.

Abruckner.com is a one man show and as long as I am interested, it will continue. But the day will come when the body of information will need to be handled by another. As that time draws near, Abruckner.com, with its discography, articles, features, downloads, etc; will be folded into the Bruckner Society’s website. The one part of the site that will not shift over is the webstore.

But this is progress as we navigate our mission for the future. So it is a cause to celebrate. We have two specials for you – both in limited quantities and for a limited time:

1) The book, “Bruckner: Eleven Symphonies,” by William Carragan is being sold on this site at the discounted price of $35.00. Click here.

2) A bundle of back issues of The Bruckner Journal ( 9 copies – 2019-2021) can be purchased here for the incredible price of $10.00. Knowledge per dollar has never been this good. Click here.

  • Join the Bruckner Society of America. The Society is now celebrating its 91st year. Annual membership is just $30.00 and it provides access to special essays and recordings and a subscription to The Bruckner Journal which is published three times per year. It is also the only place where you can obtain William Carragan’s superb new book, ANTON BRUCKNER – Eleven Symphonies - a must read for any Bruckner enthusiast. Carragan puts his enormous knowledge of Bruckner’s music on paper and complements his descriptions with smartphone “QR Codes” (or an associated website) of audio examples so the reader / listener can understand the differences between the various versions. The purchase of William Carragan's book includes a one year subscription to the Society.

  • CASH REWARD FOR WANTED RECORDINGS. Click here for details.

    LATEST NEWS AND POSTINGS

    • Any news about Bruckner that reaches my desk is posted here. After a while, interesting stories are moved to the FEATURES SECTION (below).


    THE BRUCKNER ARCHIVE

    • The Bruckner Archive recording database (with over 11,300 listings) has been updated and it is easy to download as an Excel file. Many of these recordings are available to collectors and researchers. Contact me for details on how you can fill in some holes in your collection. The database is fully sortable including the ability to sort by performance date!


    EDITOR'S SECTION

    • There are many subjects covered here. While the topics remain relatively static, the sections themselves are frequently updated, so make it a point to check out the various subjects under this heading.


    NEW AND FEATURED RELEASES

    • A listing of new releases and exclusive recordings - many currently available in my webstore.


    FUTURE RELEASES AND RECENT DISCOVERIES

    • A listing of future releases and recordings that have recently been discovered.


    DOWNLOADS

    • A collection of wonderful downloads including scores and the always popular DOWNLOAD OF THE MONTH.


    WEB STORE

    • The web store focuses on new Bruckner recordings and other Bruckner recordings that are not generally available. The store is divided up into sections for CDs and DVDs, books and scores, downloads, bargain samples and collectibles. Be sure to check out each section for new items. My focus is on new releases and hard-to-find items.


    FEATURES

    • As stories in the LATEST NEWS AND POSTINGS section get older, those that are still relevant get moved into the FEATURES SECTION. There is a wealth of information here that you may have missed when they were first posted.


    ARTICLES / GRAPHICS

    • Essays in English and other languages are entered as they are discovered or accepted.

    • New graphics (over 1,300) are frequently added.


    PLEASE SUPPORT THIS SITE All the information provided on this site is available to you free-of-charge. But it is not free for me to get it to you. Recordings must be purchased as does the server space upon which this website is stored. We have provided two easy ways for you to support this venture. First is to purchase recordings in my web store and second is to make your regular purchases through my homepage web links to online retailers. Purchases will support the ongoing expenses of operating this website.

    Stay safe and happy listening!

    John F. Berky