‘Bruckner’s Sixth!’ I shouted as Martin Scherber’s mid­1950s Third Symphony shifted into gear. Then I thought‚ ‘No‚ wait a minute‚ it’s Bruckner’s Second’. Those resemblances soon gave way to others‚ most of them distinctly Brucknerian (ie‚ the Ninth at 9'26" leading back to the First at 10'13" then on to the Eighth at 28'09"). You may have guessed from these references that the Symphony comes of a piece. Indeed‚ it leads us through various connected sub­divisions in one massive‚ sweeping gesture (there are no tracks or index points on the CD). The initial terrain is epic‚ climaxing at around the 14­minute mark like a timpani­powered roller­coaster furrowing through a mountain range‚ though at 17'18" we’re left stranded on open heath­lands with just a few disjointed memories of Richard Strauss. That‚ very roughly speaking‚ is the overall pattern: broad vistas giving way to flatlands then building again‚ dying‚ building‚ dying and so on – a bit like a Brucknerian En Saga. There’s a noble chorale­type theme at 29'14" and some sunnier music scored for divided strings at around 34'53". But the overriding impression is of a thematically inbred effusion that only ends because it has to. One senses that by the time it was all over the long­suffering Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland­Pfalz was thinking ‘enough is enough’. I wouldn’t have argued with that. So much for the music. But who‚ you might ask‚ was Martin Scherber? He’s not currently listed in the latest Grove but I can at least tell you (courtesy of the CD booklet) that he was born in Nuremberg in 1907‚ the son of an orchestral musician. He studied in Munich‚ was much influenced by Goethe’s view of metamorphosis‚ composed three symphonies and died in 1974 as the result of a drunk­driving incident‚ leaving a projected fourth symphony and an opera unwritten. I’d say that if you’re into Bruckner‚ this interesting but flawed symphony is worth at least one listen. However‚ if you’re not into Bruckner‚ I’d spare yourself the trouble. The orchestral playing is adequate and the recording enjoys a nice bloom.