Symphony No. 4 in E♭ major "Romantic"

Bruckner's Fourth Symphony (1874, rev. 1878/80/88) is his most popular and is nicknamed "Romantic" by the composer himself — evoking a medieval knight leaving his castle at dawn to the sound of a horn call over trembling strings. The opening Eb horn solo over a soft string tremolo is one of the most magical openings in the symphonic repertoire. Bruckner revised the symphony multiple times, particularly the scherzo and finale. The work exemplifies his "cathedral" approach to symphonic architecture: vast spans, "Bruckner rhythms" (triplet against duplet), chorale-like brass writing, and an overwhelming sense of scale. The finale's culminating return of the opening theme in apotheosis is deeply moving.