Bruckner entered new musical territory with his Sixth Symphony. The meandering harmonies, intricate rhythms and imaginative orchestration are coupled with contrasting moods and a theme that pleasantly moves from dark to light.

Occasionally overshadowed by the better-known symphonies, the Fifth and Seventh, the Sixth has many extraordinary moments, including the astonishing Scherzo. Notably, this was the first work that the self-doubting composer did not seek to revise.