Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55
| Der Abendhimmel | |
|---|---|
| Secular choral work by Anton Bruckner | |
 | |
| Key | A-flat major |
| Catalogue | WAB 55 |
| Text | Joseph Christian von Zedlitz |
| Language | German |
| Composed | January 1862: Linz |
| Published | 1932: Regensburg |
| Vocal | TTBB quartet |
Der Abendhimmel ("The evening sky"), WAB 55, is a song composed by Anton Bruckner in 1862.
History
Bruckner composed this first setting of "evening song" Der Abendhimmel in January 1862. He used for the composition a text of Joseph Christian von Zedlitz, which he will also use for a second setting of the song in 1866. Bruckner dedicated the song to the men's quartet Anton Munsch (1st tenor), Anton Stiefler (2nd tenor), Eduard Benoni (1st bass) and MathiasWeissmann (2nd bass).[1][2]
The piece was performed fist in a transcription for men's choir by the Liedertafel Frohsinn on 4 July 1900. The commentator of the Linzer Zeitung (7 July 1900) wrote over a eine herrliche Schöpfung unseres heimischen Meisters Dr. Anton Bruckner (a wonderful composition of our national master Dr. Anton Bruckner).[1]
The original manuscript is stored in the archive of Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.[1][3] It was first issued in Band III/2, pp. 18–20 of the Göllerich/Auer biography.[1][3] It is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 15 of the Gesamtausgabe.[4]
Text and music
Der Abendhimmel is using a text of Joseph Christian von Zedlitz.
Wenn ich an deiner Seite |
When I walk at your side |
The 38-bar long work in 6/8 is in A-flat major. It is scored for TTBB quartet a cappella.[1][3]
Discography
There are two recordings of Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55:
- Guido Mancusi, Chorus Viennensis, Musik, du himmlisches Gebilde! – CD: ORF CD 73, 1995
- Thomas Kerbl, Quartet of the Männerchorvereinigung Bruckner 08, Anton Bruckner – Männerchöre – CD: LIVA 027, 2008
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 U. Harten, p. 41
- ↑ C. Howie, Chapter III, p. 90
- 1 2 3 C. van Zwol, pp. 723-724
- ↑ Gesamtausgabe – Weltliche Chöre
Sources
- August Göllerich, Anton Bruckner. Ein Lebens- und Schaffens-Bild, c. 1922 – posthumous edited by Max Auer by G. Bosse, Regensburg, 1932
- Anton Bruckner – Sämtliche Werke, Band XXIII/2: Weltliche Chorwerke (1843–1893), Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft, Angela Pachovsky and Anton Reinthaler (Editor), Vienna, 1989
- Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. Residenz Verlag, Salzburg, 1996. ISBN 3-7017-1030-9.
- Cornelis van Zwol, Anton Bruckner 1824–1896 – Leven en werken, uitg. Thoth, Bussum, Netherlands, 2012. ISBN 978-90-6868-590-9
- Crawford Howie, Anton Bruckner - A documentary biography, online revised edition
External links
- Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Free scores for Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55 in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- Der Abendhimmel As-Dur, WAB 55 – Critical discography by Hans Roelofs (German)
