New Edition of the Bruckner Symphony No. 8 receives its world premiere at Yale

The newly edited version of the Eighth Symphony, prepared for the MWV's New Collected Edition, received its world premiere at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut on October 27, 2017 in a performance by the Yale Philharmonia under the baton of principal conductor Peter Oundjian. Professor Paul Hawkshaw, the editor of this of this new edition says, “In the case of the Eighth Symphony that we are going to do at Yale, Bruckner left two versions. Both will be published in the new Collected Edition and both have been published before. The Philharmonia performed the first version, which he composed from 1884 to 1887 and which is the less-frequently performed of the two. The new edition corrects enough mistakes in the older print that anyone who knows it well will hear the difference right away. Nevertheless, it is still very much the same score. The new edition also modernizes the way the parts are written for the players. Bruckner used a very unusual method of notating the Wagner Tubas for example. This has been updated so modern performers will not have trouble reading the music.” Here are the dates for the upcoming performances: Oct 27: Yale Philharmonia, New Haven, Woolsey Hall, 7:30pm. Feb 23: Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Edinburgh, Usher Hall, 7:30pm Feb 24: Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall, 7:30pm May 2 and 3: Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto, Roy Thompson Hall, 8:00pm May 6: Toronto Symphony in Montreal, La Maison Symphonique, 7:30pm May 7: Toronto Symphony in Ottawa, National Arts Centre