Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824 ? 11 October 1896) was an Austrian composer whose mature music was written at the end of the Romantic era. Bruckner's reputation is based on his symphonies, masses, and motets. The symphonies in particular are famous for their depth and emotional ambition, although they have gained detractors (especially in English-speaking countries) owing to their large size and the fact that many of them exist in several different versions. Due to their scale, massive sonorities and imposing structure, the symphonies have often been referred to as cathedrals of sound.
