In jener letzten der Nächte

In jener letzten der Nächte
by Anton Bruckner

Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane by Anton Raphael Mengs
Key F minor
Catalogue WAB 17
Form Motet
Occasion Celebration of Maundy Thursday
Text Poem
Language German
Composed c. 1848  Sankt Florian
Published 1931
Vocal
  • First setting: Soloist and organ
  • Second setting: SATB choir

In jener letzten der Nächte (In this last of nights), WAB 17, is a motet composed by Anton Bruckner.

History

Bruckner composed the motet in c.1848 at St. Florian Monastery for the celebration of Maundy Thursday. However, it is not known whether it was performed at that time.[1] It was edited first by Anton Böhm & Sohn, Augsburg & Vienna, 1931.[1]

The two settings of the motet are put in Band XXI/15 of the Gesamtausgabe.[2]

Music

The motet, a 22-bar Passion motet in F minor. There are two settings: one for soloist and organ, and another for SATB choir a cappella. The manuscript of the setting for soloist and organ is stored in the archive of the city museum of Wels. A transcription of the other setting is found in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

The text is the first strophe of a 13-strophe text coming from the devoutness book Die heilige Passion, gefeiert in Liedern, Betrachtungen und Gebeten.[3]

In jener letzten der Nächte,
Da ich am Ölberg gebetet,
War ich von Blutschweiß geröthet,
Goß ihn in Strömen für dich:
Weh! Und wer weiß, ob wohl je
Du auch nur denkest an mich!

In this last night
When I prayed at the Mount of Olives,
I was reddened from blood sweat,
Poured it streaming for you.
Woe! And who knows if ever
you even think of me!

In addition, a transcription using the Latin text In monte oliveti has been published by Theodor Bernhard Rehmann, Edition Peters, Leipzig, 1947.

In monte oliveti
Oravit ad Patrem:
"Pater, si fieri potest,
Transeat a me calix iste:
Fiat voluntas tua."

On the Mount of Olives
He prayed to his Father:
"Father, if it be possible,
Let this cup pass from me.
Let your will be done."[1]

  1. ^ In monte Oliveti on ChoralWiki

As Crawford Howie writes "Both In jener letzten der Nächte WAB 17 (c. 1848) and Dir, Herr, dir will ich mich ergeben WAB 12 (c. 1845) for a cappella mixed-voice choir are chorale harmonizations, probably the result of [Bruckner's] studies with Zenetti."[4]

Selected discography

The first recording of Bruckner's In jener letzten der Nächte was by Edith Möller, Obernkrichner Kinderchor, LP: Telefunken SLE 14391, 1965

A selection of the about 10 recordings:

First setting

Second setting

Note

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 C. van Zwol, p. 703
  2. Gesamtausgabe - Kleine Kirchenmusikwerke
  3. Die heilige Passion, gefeiert in Liedern, Betrachtungen und Gebeten, Christlicher Verein im nordlichen Deutschland (Ed.), Band 1, Halle, 1840, pp. 63-65
  4. C. Howie, Chapter II, p. 26
  5. Bruckner, Anton (composer); Stenov, Michael (conductor) (2006-11-26). Anton Bruckner – Motette "In jener letzten der Nächte" à 4 voces a cappella (Online video). YouTube. Retrieved 2014-12-29.
  6. Anton Reinthaler, Chorheft Bruckner, 1996
  7. Clemens Brentano - Ausgewählte Gedichte
  8. Hermann Kronsteiner, Unser Kirchenchorbuch für gemischte Stimmen, Veritas Verlag, Wien-Linz-Passau, 1966 - ISBN 9790012173144

Sources

External links