Dedicated to Karl von Stremayr, education minister in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the symphony has at times been nicknamed the "Tragic", the "Church of Faith" or the "Pizzicato"; Bruckner himself referred to it as the "Fantastic" without applying this or any other name formally.

The Fifth was first performed in public on two pianos by Joseph Schalk and Franz Zottmann on 20 April 1887 in the Bösendorfersaal in Vienna.

[2] The score calls for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and one bass tuba along with timpani and strings.

"[3] As evidence, he detailed the way the introduction's thematic materials function in later movements, and said the interpreter "must direct everything towards the Finale and its ending... and continually keep something in reserve for the conclusion."

Jochum ascribed elements of Bruckner's orchestration, as well as his precise indications of articulation, to his familiarity with the organ.

Instead, the opening theme is in B♭ minor: Like much of Bruckner's music, this movement's exposition contains three main key regions instead of the usual two.

The arrow-heads indicate actual staccati here: the quavers [eighth notes] on flutes and first violins before Letter A must be very light, dainty, and short.

On the other hand, in the cello and double bass descent directly after Letter A, the arrow-heads signify a rounded line, and the notes marked with such must sound with audible vibrato and not be too short.

"[3] The long Finale opens in the same way as the first movement but veers off soon to gradually introduce new material which becomes the source of the themes of the Allegro moderato, another sonata form which contains in its course fugal and chorale sections of elaborate counterpoint.

When the recapitulation's third group begins, the first theme from the first movement is also presented; the first-movement material closes the symphony, contributing greatly to its cyclic properties.

[6] In 2008 Takanobu Kawasaki was able to assemble the original concepts (1875–1877) of the symphony from manuscripts Mus.Hs.19.477 and Mus.Hs.3162 at the Austrian National Library; these were recorded by Akira Naito with the Tokyo New City Orchestra.

In the opinion of John F. Berky, Naito's recording "is the best available CD to present some of Bruckner's early thoughts for this massive symphony.

Obvious differences occur in the coda of the Finale, where Schalk adds triangle and cymbals and an offstage brass band.

The first recording of any part of the symphony was made by Dol Dauber with his salon orchestra in 1928 for HMV; it included only the Scherzo, in an arrangement of the Schalk edition.

Jochum, in addition to broadcasts issued on CD, made four commercial recordings: the Haas edition in 1938 with the Hamburg Philharmonic for Telefunken; and the Nowak edition in 1958 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for Deutsche Grammophon, in 1964 with the Concertgebouworkest for Philips, and in 1980 with the Dresden Staatskapelle for EMI.

In rehearsal, such doubts could sorely test an orchestra's patience – this despite his courtly, respectful treatment of his players.