Anton Bruckner

A good deal of classical pieces are hard-lined, clearly defined and slightly mechanical. The more intense and virtuosic pieces from the genre can seem forced and without any shred of humanity--void of any fallible presence. One individual who knew how to infuse his classical compositions with life, in all of its erratic vitality, was 19th century Austrian composer Anton Bruckner. His long, drawn out pieces were arranged in such a way that highlighted the rich harmonic language of the instruments, providing some undeniable character to the music. Though he died of natural causes, his pieces have gone on to meet with modern critical acclaim and Bruckner is widely considered to be one of the more influential composers of the 19th century.