List of motets by Anton Bruckner


Anton Bruckner composed about 40 motets during his life, the earliest, a setting of Pange lingua, in, the last, Vexilla regis in 1892.

Youth works

Before 1841 only a single work, a motet, has indubitably been composed by Bruckner.
  • [Pange lingua, Werkverzeichnis Anton Bruckner|WAB 31|Pange lingua] in C major :
  • *First version : a setting of 28 bars of the Pange lingua for choir a cappella, which Bruckner composed in 1835/1836 when, as eleven-year-old boy, he was studying by Johann Baptist Weiß in Hörsching.
  • *Second version: towards the end of his life Bruckner "restored" this beloved very first composition.
The few other works of this period in Grasberger's catalogue are either obviously not by Bruckner or of doubtful authenticity. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina is a composition of Johann Baptist Weiß. The five preludes in E-flat major for organ and a few other organ works found in Bruckner's Orgelbuch are presumably transcriptions of works of Johann Baptist Weiß or other composers.

Windhaag and Kronstorf

During his stay as schoolteacher's assistant in Windhaag and Kronstorf, Bruckner composed the three early masses Windhaager Messe, Kronstorfer Messe, and Messe für den Gründonnerstag. During his stay in Kronstorf he composed also his first name-day cantata Vergißmeinnicht and a few motets:
  • [Libera me, WAB 21|Libera Me|Libera me] : a first setting in F major of the Libera me for choir and organ, which Bruckner composed in.
  • Litanei : this litany, a lost work for mixed choir and brass instruments, was presumably composed around 1844.
  • Salve Maria : this Marian hymn, possibly a Salve Regina, another lost work, was presumably also composed around 1844.
  • Asperges me : this first setting of 32 bars in F major of the Asperges me for choir a cappella was composed in 1843 or 1844.
  • Two Asperges me : these two settings of the Asperges me for choir and organ were composed in 1844 or 1845.
  • *Asperges me : this work in Aeolian mode was composed for the Asperges of Septuagesima Sunday till the 4th Sunday of Lent
  • *Asperges me : this work in F major was composed for the Asperges of Passion Sunday
  • [Tantum ergo, WAB 32|Tantum Ergo|Tantum ergo] : this first setting of 36 bars in D major of the Tantum ergo for choir a cappella was composed during the fall 1845.
  • Tantum ergo : this second setting of 36 bars in A major of the Tantum ergo for choir and organ was composed during the fall of 1845
  • Dir, Herr, dir will ich mich ergeben : the date of composition of this chorale motet in A major for choir a cappella is uncertain: 1844-1845 or 1845-1846.

Sankt Florian

Between 23 September 1845 and 24 December 1855, during his stay as organist in Sankt Florian monastery, Bruckner composed the Magnificat, the Requiem, the Missa solemnis, Psalms [Psalm Psalm 22 (Bruckner)|22 (Bruckner)|22] and 114, and four name-day cantatas Entsagen, the Arneth Cantata, the Mayer Cantata, and the Festgesang, as well as the following motets:
  • O Du liebes Jesu-Kind : this motet of 16 bars in F major for soloist and organ, is of uncertain authorship. If actually by Bruckner, presumably composed in 1845/1846.
  • Herz Jesu-Lied : this motet of 24 bars in B-flat major for choir and organ, is also of uncertain authorship. If actually by Bruckner, presumably composed in 1845/1846.
  • Four Tantum ergo :
  • *First version: these four Tantum ergo of 24 bars plus a 2- or 3-bar Amen: B-flat major, A-flat major, E-flat major and C major, for choir and organ ad libitum were composed in 1846.
  • *Second version: in 1888 Bruckner made a slight revision of the four Tantum ergo, which he then scored for choir a cappella.
  • Tantum ergo D-Dur
  • *First version: this fifth Tantum ergo of 36 bars in D major for 5-voice choir and organ was composed on 9 June 1846.
  • *Second version: in 1888 Bruckner made also a revision of it. The composition was shortened and a 3-bar Amen was added.
  • In jener letzten der Nächte : a Passion chorale for Maundy Thursday of 22 bars in F minor, composed in. Two settings:
  • *First setting: for soloist and organ,
  • *Second setting: for choir a cappella.
  • Two Totenlieder: these two elegies for choir a cappella were composed in 1852 for the funeral of Josef Seiberl
  • *Totenlied : 10 bars, E-flat major
  • *Totenlied : 19 bars, F major
  • Libera me : this Libera me of 94 bars in F minor for 5-voice choir, organ, 3 trombones and figured bass was composed on 28 March 1854 as absoute for the funeral of prelate Michael Arneth
  • Tantum ergo B-Dur : this eighth setting of 29 bars in B-flat major of the Tantum ergo for choir, 2 trumpets, 2 violins and organ was composed in.

Related works

  • In addition Bruckner composed two Aequali in C minor for 3 trombones in January 1847 for the funeral of his aunt Rosalia Mayrhofer.
  • For Arneth's funeral Bruckner composed also Vor Arneths Grab, a 28-bar elegy in F minor for men's choir and 3 trombones.

Linz

Between 24 December 1855 and 1 October 1868 Bruckner staid in Linz. During Sechter's tuition Bruckner finalised the Psalm 146, which he had drafted during his stay in Sankt Florian, and composed only a few small works, of which a single motet:
  • [Ave Maria, WAB 5|Hail Mary|Ave Maria] : a 52-bar work, the first of three Ave Maria in F major for choir, soprano and alto soloists, organ and cello was composed on 24 July 1856 as present to Ignaz Traumihler, the choirmaster of Sankt Florian.
After the end of Sechter's tuition Bruckner composed two motets:
  • Ave Maria : a 51-bar work, the second of three Ave Maria in F major for 7-voice choir a cappella, which Bruckner composed in May 1861 to celebrate the end of Sechter's tuition.
  • Afferentur regi : a 38-bar offertorium in F major for choir and 3 trombones ad libitum composed on 7 November 1861.
Until 10 July 1863 Bruckner studied further by Otto Kitzler. During this period he composed the String Quartet in C minor, his first orchestral compositions and a few other compositions as the Festive Cantata Preiset den Herrn, the Psalm 112 and Germanenzug. After the end of Kitzler's tuition, Bruckner composed successively the masses Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and his first symphony.
After the end of Kitzler's tuition Bruckner composed also a few motets:
  • Pange lingua : a 38-bar Pange lingua and Tantum ergo in Phrygian mode composed on 31 January 1868.
  • Inveni David : a 46-bar offertorium in F minor for men's choir and 4 trombones composed on 21 April 1868.
  • Iam lucis orto sidere
  • *First version: a 24-bar motet in E minor, which Bruckner composed in mid 1868. Two settings:
  • **First setting: for choir a cappella,
  • **Second setting: for choir and organ.
  • *Second version: slightly revised in G minor for men's choir, 1886.

Related work

Am Grabe, WAB 2, a revised a cappella version of Vor Arneths Grab, has been composed around the end of Sechter's tuition to be performed on the funeral of Josephine Hafferl.

Vienna

Between 1 October 1868 and 11 October 1896, during the "Vienna period" Bruckner devoted the most his time to his symphonies, with, between Symphonies No. [Symphony No. Symphony No. 5 (Bruckner)|5 (Bruckner)|5] and [Symphony No. Symphony No. 6 (Bruckner)|6 (Bruckner)|6], the String Quintet in F major, between Symphonies No. 6 and 7, the Te Deum, and, between Symphonies No. 8 and 9, Psalm 150 and the secular cantata Helgoland. In between Bruckner composed also the following motets:

Related works

Discography

Some motets, as Locus iste and three other graduals, and the Ave Maria WAB 6, are very popular and are often put on LPs / CDs together with religious works of several composers, or as extras of a larger religious work. Frieder Bernius, Matthew Best, Uwe Gronostay, Simon Halsey, Philippe Herreweghe and Stephen Layton have recorded each 5 to 10 of the most popular motets, sometimes with the two Aequali.
Other conductors have devoted LPs / CDs more specifically to Bruckner's motets, sometimes with the two Aequali, the early masses or other "forgotten" works, as the Missa solemnis, the Magnificat, the earlier Psalms 22, 114 and 112: Eugen Jochum, Hubert Günther, Hans Zanotelli, Johannes Fuchs, Martin Flämig, Robert Jones, Rupert Gottfried Frieberger, Jonathan Brown, Petr Fiala, Erwin Ortner, Thomas Kerbl, Duncan Ferguson, Philipp von Steinäcker and the Bruckner - Bicentennial Houston CD, with the Symphonisches Präludium, the premiere of an organ transcription of Helgoland, the Two Aequali and twelve motets – CD BSA-007.
There is as yet no commercial album with all the motets. A compilation in the chronological order of Band XXI of the Gesamtausgabe has been issued by Hans Roelofs: CD set DutchDragon HR 815-817.