An dem Feste, WAB 59

An dem Feste
Secular choral work by Anton Bruckner

The city church of Enns
Key D-flat major
Catalogue WAB 59
Text Alois Knauer
Language German
Composed 1843 (1843): Kronstorf
Dedication Josef Ritter von Pessler
Published 1932 (1932): Regensburg
Vocal TTBB choir

"An dem Feste" (At the feast), WAB 59, is a song composed by the 19-tear-old Anton Bruckner in 1843 during his stay as schoolteacher's assistant in Kronstorf. In 1893, near the end of his life, Bruckner modified slightly its music score and let Karl Ptak put another text on the song, with as title "Tafellied" (Table song), WAB 86.

History

Bruckner composed this youth work on a five-strophe text of the parish priest of Kronstorf, Alois Knauer, in 1843, during his stay as schoolteacher's assistant. He dedicated it to Josef Ritter von Pessler, the parish priest of Enns.[1][2] The work was performed on 19 September 1843 in the church of Enns.[3] The work, of which the original manuscript is stored in the archive of the Stadt- und Landsbibliothek (City and province library) of Vienna, was first issued in Band I, pp. 231-233, of the Göllerich/Auer biography.[1][3] The original setting of An dem Feste and a variant for mixed choir are issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 1 of the Gesamtausgabe.[4]

Tafellied

Near the end of his life, Bruckner let Karl Ptak put another text on the song and modified slightly its music score, with as title Tafellied (Table song), WAB 86.[2][5] The revised song, the composition of which was fulfilled on 22 February 1893, was performed by the Wiener Akademisches Gesanverein (Choral association of the university of Vienna) on 11 March 1893.[6] Tafellied is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 36 of the Gesamtausgabe.[4]

Later issues

In 1928, Anton Böhm & Sohn issued a new version of Bruckner's popular song transposed to D major with a text by Ludwig Carl Kraus (Freudig laßt das Lied erschallen in der hehren Feierstund), with as title Festlied (Festive song). This new issue of the song was classified by Renate Grasberger as WAB 67.[7][8] Two years later (1930), Anton Böhm & Sohn issued again a new version of the song transposed to C major with a text by Alfred Zehelein (Heil dem Feste, das uns heute traut im engen Kreis vereint).[1][3]

Text and music

An dem Feste uses a text by Alois Knauer.

An dem Feste, das uns heute
Zu dem frohen Kreis vereint,
Wallt empor das Herz in Freude,
Das es liebend edel meint.
Er, den wir mit Recht verehren,
Unser Hirt und Hirtenhirt,
Auf der Pilgerbahn, der schweren,
Die durch Labyrinthe führt.

At the feast, which today
Unites us as a happy group,
Our hearts exult in joy,
In a loving noble intention.
He, whom we rightfully venerate,
Our shepherd and shepherd of the shepherds
On the difficult voyage of pilgrimage,
Which leads us though labyrinths.

The 20-bar long work (16 bars plus repeat of the lats 4 bars) in D-flat major, which is scored for TTBB choir, uses five strophes. There is also a setting for SABB choir.
The revised, 16-bar long Tafellied uses three strophes.

Discography

An dem Feste

There is a single recording of the original setting :

Tafellied

There is as yet no recording of Tafellied.

References

  1. 1 2 3 C. van Zwol, p. 720
  2. 1 2 C. Howie, Chapter I, p. 27
  3. 1 2 3 U. Harten, p. 51
  4. 1 2 Gesamtausgabe – Weltliche Chöre
  5. ↑ U. Harten, p. 456
  6. ↑ C. van Zwol, p. 730
  7. ↑ U. Harten, pp. 153-154
  8. ↑ Discography of Festlied by Hans Roelofs

Sources

External links

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