Max Bruch (1838-1920) enjoyed a long and fruitful career as a composer, conductor and teacher. He studied with Ferdinand Hiller, and his talent was recognized early on by Schumann and Ignaz Moscheles. Today, Bruch is primarily remembered for his fine violin concertos and his choral works. However, as the esteemed chamber music scholar Wilhelm Altmann notes, Bruch's chamber music is beautiful and deserving of performance.
Max Bruch’s Octet in B flat Major was one of three chamber music works that were never published during his lifetime, and the manuscripts were only rediscovered in the early 1990’s. Nearly all of Bruch’s chamber music was composed in his youth during the 1860s, while he was under the thrall of Mendelssohn and Schumann: to wit his two string quartets opp.9 and 10 and his piano trio, op.5. Upon the rediscovery of the manuscript to the Octet, a so-called prominent scholar claimed that it was written when the poor fellow was nearly on his death bed at age 80. Based on this expert’s supposition, the original publisher of Octet baptized it Op. Post. However, one must wonder if this so-called expert had actually played or heard any of the chamber works which were published during Bruch’s lifetime, because once you have played the above works and then play the so-called Op.Post. Octet, it is rather obvious that Bruch composed the Octet in his youth. If not, then one would be forced to conclude that some 60 years later, his style had not evolved. But either a playing or hearing of his Eight Pieces, Op.82 composed around 1910, makes it eminently clear that his style did evolve. So what then is the explanation? The answer is that Bruch returned to these works to edit and clean up what he had written as a young man, but at the time had chosen not to publish. And despite the fact that he returned to the Octet, while in ill health at the end of his life, he would not have been able to arrange for its publication, given the state that Germany was in 1920 after being defeated in World War I.
The Octet is scored for four violins, two violas, cello, and double bass, replacing the second cello found in traditional octets (such as Mendelssohn’s) to create a deeper sonority. It appears that Bruch reworked a string quintet written in his youth, with which he was not satisfied, turning it into an octet. The music clearly shows the influence of Mendelssohn and Schumann, just like all of his chamber music published in the 1860s. It is in three movements and begins with a slow introduction leading to the main section, a dramatic and at times lyrical Allegro moderato. The second movement, Adagio, has for its main theme an elegiac, singing melody. The finale, Allegro molto, is rather like two movements in one, combining elements of a scherzo with a concluding allegro. It is full of forward energy and ends on a triumphant note.
We are indebted to Professor Lena Gruber of Vienna, who kindly sent us a copy of Bruch's manuscript, which resides in the Österreichsche Nationalbiblithek Wien (Austrian National Library) in Vienna. Our edition is based on the original manuscript and was edited by Dr. Brian Mitchell with the help of Professor Gruber. This is an attractive work which deserves a concert performance, but which was also designed to please good amateur players.
