Travel tips for classic lovers – Linz and Anton Bruckner

Bruckner lived in Linz during two periods of his life, first he attended the so-called Präparandenschule (teacher training) for 1 year (1840/41) as a seminarian. During his studies and at the theater, he became acquainted with secular music, among other things, and learned harmony with Dürrnberger.

Fourteen years later, the position of cathedral organist had become vacant in Linz. Friends urged Bruckner to participate in the competition for the job. Bruckner won the competition easily and thus, at the age of 31, went from being a full-time teacher in St. Florian to a full-time musician. He lived on Pfarrplatz in the so-called Mesnerstöckl, which has since been torn down. In addition to this office, he continued his education with two important teachers (Sechter and Kitzler) and gained further confidence, so that in his early forties he achieved his first masterpieces (masses in D minor, E minor and the first symphony), all of which were premiered in Linz. In 1860 he took over responsibility for the “Liedertafel Frohsinn”. Bruckner subsequently gained an excellent reputation as a conductor of male choirs and composed works for choir. However, the triple burden of being cathedral organist of two churches, male choir director, and composer took its toll, and he was forced to take a short stay in Bad Kreuzen for several months in 1868 due to a nervous condition. In 1868, the first performance of his first symphony took place in the Redoutensaal in Linz and was well received. That year he left Linz for Vienna to take up the post of his late teacher Sechter at the Vienna Conservatory.