Anton Bruckner Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Prelude in D minorAnton Bruckner43rank/position

Anton Bruckner – Vorspiel in d, WAB 130 (Luca Massaglia, organ)

In addition to symphonies and sacred music, Anton Bruckner left about seven organ works.

This Prelude in D minor was composed around 1864.

Although it is a short piece of just under three minutes, it is a compelling work distinguished by Bruckner’s characteristic solemn tone and its rich, weighty harmonies.

Fantasia in G majorAnton Bruckner44rank/position

A. Bruckner: Fantasie G major, 1868, with G. Hemetsberger

A piano piece composed in 1868.

A bright, lyrical melody intertwines with a ripple-like accompaniment, creating an irresistible charm.

It can be seen as a work that pleasantly defies the common image of “Bruckner equals solemn and powerful.” Highly recommended for those who want to glimpse a slightly different side of Bruckner.

Fantasia in G major, WAB 118Anton Bruckner45rank/position

Anton Bruckner – Fantasie in G Major, WAB 118. {w/ score.}

Anton Bruckner, an Austrian composer and organist, is one of the leading masters of the late Romantic era.

While Bruckner is best known for his symphonies and sacred music, he also left behind a small number of highly distinctive and emotional piano works.

Composed in 1868, the Fantasia in G major, WAB 118, is a rare example among Bruckner’s piano pieces.

This two-part work consists of a gentle, lyrical first section and a lively, powerful second, condensing the composer’s inner world into just about three and a half minutes of music.

It is a gem I highly recommend to anyone wishing to discover a new side of Bruckner.

Overture in G majorAnton Bruckner46rank/position

Anton Bruckner – Overture in G minor, WAB 98

An orchestral work completed in 1863.

It was not performed during Anton Bruckner’s lifetime and was published and premiered in 1921, twenty-five years after his death.

As one of Bruckner’s early works, it is performed relatively often, and in Japan it has been taken up by ensembles led by Takashi Asahina as well as by amateur orchestras.

String Quintet in F majorAnton Bruckner47rank/position

Bruckner – String Quintet in F Major

A chamber work composed in 1879 when Anton Bruckner was 55 years old.

It is said to have been written at the recommendation of Joseph Hellmesberger Sr., a prominent violinist in Vienna at the time, but exchanges over certain revisions dragged on, and the piece was not premiered until 1881.

It is a richly textured work in which the tones of the violin, viola, and cello resonate together.

Gradual: “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom.”Anton Bruckner48rank/position

Bruckner- Os Justi Meditabitur- Monteverdi Choir

This is a piece of sacred music for mixed choir in four parts, composed in 1879.

It employs the Lydian mode, one of the church modes, and concludes with the Gregorian chant “Alleluia.” While it bears the characteristic sonic richness of Anton Bruckner, its pure and lucid resonance is particularly appealing.

Cavalry Lancers’ Quadrille WAB 120 No. 2Anton Bruckner49rank/position

Lancier-Quadrille in C Major, WAB 120: II. Allegro

A beginner-friendly piano piece by Anton Bruckner, Quadrille for Lancers.

Although Bruckner is known as a leading composer of the late Romantic era, he actually left some shorter, accessible piano works, and this is one of them.

Written in the 1850s for his students, it is a compact dance piece in four parts, featuring an appealing, lively sound that evokes Austrian folk dance.

Each part presents its own distinct melody and rhythm, offering a different character from his weighty symphonies.

It is a work that beginners to Bruckner should definitely explore.