I must take great exception to a comment by friend and colleague John Quinn in his recent review.

“In between the two symphonies, SOMM give us a recording of Psalm 150, Bruckner’s last significant choral work.”

Psalm 150 is indeed a splendid choral symphonic work, but assuredly not Bruckner’s last in that idiom. That distinction belongs to the Symphonic Cantata Helgoland of 1893, Bruckner’s last of all completed compositions. With full symphony orchestra plus large men’s chorus, Helgoland was composed (under commission) at the same time he was working on the Adagio of the Ninth. And Helgoland breathes the atmosphere, drama, and Affekt of the emergent Ninth! The orchestral and choral writing is top drawer - as fine as *anything* chorus with orchestra penned by this genius composer! It’s weakness, if one can call it such, is the by the commission specified text: a mediocre German nationalist poem by a then- popular poet, August Silberstein.

For 100% non-musical reasons, this text is off putting and frankly ridiculous to modern audiences. And assembling a sufficiently large *excellent* TTBB chorus of some 90+ men is also a challenge for a possible presenter. But as I said, the music is transcendentally magnificent - a co -equal creation from the exact milieu of the incomplete Ninth. In fact, I will go so far as to suggest that the magnificent, affirmative coda of Helgoland could very well reflect Bruckner’s thought-planning for the “hymn of praise to dear God” with which he intended to end the Ninth’s now-fragmentary Finale.

Musicologist Fritz Oeser valued Helgoland highly and sought to improve its accessibility to audiences by making an arrangement in the 1950s for mixed chorus SATB and orchestra, as written by Bruckner, with a new text adapted from the Psalms. Alas, as far as I can ascertain this arrangement of Helgoland has not been performed.

There are a number of excellent recorded performances of Helgoland. The finest, in my opinion, is that of Wyn Morris and the Symphonica of London. Over the top drama and passion with Morris and his mighty band. Secondly, Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony and chorus - glorious!