performances of the Sixth Symphony, citing its bright character and key and its plethora of tender, memorable themes as grounds for more widespread acceptance. Carl Hruby wrote that Bruckner once said that if he were to speak to Beethoven about bad critiques Beethoven would say, "My dear Bruckner, don't bother yourself about it. It was no better for me, and the same gentlemen who use me as a stick to beat you with still don't understand my last quartets, however much they may pretend to." In saying this, Bruckner both acknowledged his bad critiques and maintained hope that his own compositions might one day garner the same type of positive reaction that Beethoven's music received from his contemporaries. Performance and recording history The first performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 6 was by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Wilhelm Jahn on February 11, 1883, making it the only performance of the piece that Bruckner heard in his lifetime. However, only the two middle movements were performed. The first complete performance of the Sixth Symphony occurred in 1899 conducted by Gustav Mahler who made substantial changes to the score. The first full performance of the original score took place in Stuttgart in 1901, conducted by Karl Pohlig. Since that first full performance, the Sixth Symphony has become part of the symphonic repertory, but is the least performed of Bruckner's symphonies, never overcoming its original status as a symphonic "stepchild". The oldest surviving recorded performance is of Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in 1943; however, the first movement is missing. The oldest surviving complete recorded performance is of Georg Ludwig Jochum with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz from 1944. The first commercial recording is from 1950 and features Henry Swoboda and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Selected discography Joseph Keilberth and Berlin Philharmonic 1963 Telefunken Otto Klemperer and New Philharmonia Orchestra 2003 EMI Records Ltd (recorded November 1964) Eugen Jochum and Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks 1966 Deutsche Grammophon William Steinberg and Boston Symphony Orchestra 1972 RCA Horst Stein and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra 1974 Decca Daniel Barenboim and Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1977 Deutsche Grammophon Herbert von Karajan and Berliner Philharmoniker 1979 Deutsche Grammophon Sir Georg Solti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1979 Decca Wolfgang Sawallisch and Bayerisches Staatsorchester 1982 Orfeo Ferdinand Leitner and SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg 1982 Hänssler Classic Riccardo Muti and Berliner Philharmoniker 1988 EMI Eliahu Inbal and Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt 1989 Teldec Herbert