Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55


Der Abendhimmel, 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 would also use for a [Der Abendhimmel, Werkverzeichnis Anton Bruckners|WAB 56|second setting of the song] in 1866. Bruckner dedicated the song to the men's quartet Anton Munsch .
The piece was performed first in a transcription for men's choir by the Liedertafel Frohsinn on 4 July 1900. The commentator of the Linzer Zeitung wrote over a eine herrliche Schöpfung unseres heimischen Meisters Dr. Anton Bruckner.
The original manuscript is stored in the archive of Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. It was first issued in Band III/2, pp. 18–20 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. It is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 15 of the Gesamtausgabe.

Text

Der Abendhimmel is using a text of Joseph Christian von Zedlitz.

Music

The 38-bar long work in 6/8 is in A-flat major. It is scored for [SATB|] quartet a cappella.

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