This Hybrid SACD is part of a series of recordings of the symphonies of Anton Bruckner from the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and the celebrated conductor Jaap van Zweden. It features one of the composer’s lesser known works, the Symphony No 6 in A major. Previous releases in the cycle, which have included performances of Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, have received a great deal of critical praise - for instance, a stunning version of the Third Symphony (CC72551), released in March 2013.
Amsterdam-born Jaap van Zweden has risen rapidly in little more than a decade to become one of today’s most sought-after conductors. He has been Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2008, and is also Honorary Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Radio Chamber Philharmonic (having been Chief Conductor from 2005-2011). Appointed at 19 as the youngest concertmaster ever of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, he began his conducting career in 1995 and held the positions of Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra between 1996 and 2000, Chief Conductor of The Hague Philharmonic from 2000 to 2005, and Chief Conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra (2008-2011). His recent releases for Challenge Classics have included a live recording with the Netherlands RPO of Britten’s War Requiem (CC72388), and a concert performance of Wagner’s Parsifal (CC72519) which has just won the Edison Award.
Anton Bruckner wrote his Sixth Symphony between 1879 and 1891. Although considered by many to be one of his least successful works, it is still full of rich, individual expression and was a favourite of the great British composer and music critic Robert Simpson.
