Volkslied, WAB 94 explained
| Volkslied |
| Key: | C major |
| Catalogue: | WAB 94 |
| Type: | Secular choral work |
| Form: | Patriotic song |
| Text: | Josef Winter |
| Language: | German |
| Dedication: | Competition for a hymn for the German People in Austria |
| Vocal: | |
The ("National hymn"), WAB 94, is a patriotic song composed by Anton Bruckner in 1882 for a competition for a (Hymn for the German People in Austria).
History
On 16 October 1881, the Deutsche Zeitung invited submissions for a text (for a singable national hymn). From 1,750 texts entered, Josef Winter's was awarded the first prize. On 1 January 1882 a second invitation appeared for a (Hymn for the German People in Austria), for men's choir as well as for voice and piano. Bruckner, as one of the 1,320 participants, sent a sample of both settings. No prize was awarded for any of the submissions.[1] [2]
The manuscripts are stored in the archive of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek and the Bibliothèque nationale de Paris.[1] The two settings were first published in Band III/2, pp. 191 and 192 of the Göllerich/Auer biography.[2] The setting for voice and piano is issued in Band XXIII/1, No. 6 of the German: Gesamtausgabe. The setting for men's choir is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 32 of the German: Gesamtausgabe.[3]
Lyrics
The song uses Josef Winter's lyrics:
Music
There are two settings of the Volkslied WAB 94:
- A 34-bar-long setting for voice and piano, which uses the first strophe of Winter's text.[2]
- A 67-bar-long setting for men's choir, which uses the six strophes of Winter's text.[4]
Discography
Setting for voice and piano
There is no commercial recording of this setting. A live performance by Raymond Armstrong (1 April 2017)[5] is available in the Bruckner Archive.[6]
Setting for men's choir
There is a single recording of this setting:
- Thomas Kerbl, Männerchorvereinigung, Weltliche Männerchöre – CD: LIVA 054, 2012 – 1st strophe only
- Note: The Volkslied has been performed at the Brucknerfest 2022 (Brucknerfest 2022 - Krieg und Frieden (29-09-2022)). A recording is available in the Bruckner Archive.[6]
Sources
- August Göllerich, Anton Bruckner. Ein Lebens- und Schaffens-Bild, – posthumous edited by Max Auer by G. Bosse, Regensburg, 1932
- Anton Bruckner – Sämtliche Werke, Band XXIII/1: Lieder für Gesang und Klavier (1851–1882), Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft, Angela Pachovsky (Editor), Vienna, 1997
- 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
- Cornelis van Zwol, Anton Bruckner 1824–1896 – Leven en werken, uitg. Thoth, Bussum, Netherlands, 2012.
- Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. Residenz Verlag, Salzburg, 1996. .
External links
Notes and References
- U. Harten, pp. 469-470
- C. van Zwol, p. 718
- http://www.mwv.at/TextBruckner/Katalog/liederWelt.htm Gesamtausgabe – Weltliche Chöre
- C. van Zwol, p. 729
- https://brucknerjournal.com/conferences/2017conference.html University of Oxford: 1 April 2017 evening concert in Hertford College Chapel
- https://www.abruckner.com/brucknerarchive/ Bruckner Archive
