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Anton Bruckner

Der deutsche Gesang, WAB 63

("The German song"), WAB 63, is a patriotic song composed by Anton Bruckner in 1892, one year before

History#

Bruckner composed on 29 April 1892 for the (First German-academic singers’ festival), which would happen in Salzburg in June 1892. The performance on 5 June under the baton of Raoul Mader was a "" (a huge success). The original manuscript is stored in the archive of the in Vienna. The song was first published in 1911 by Viktor Keldorfer (Universal Edition).

Lyrics#

The song uses lyrics by Erich Fels, pseudonym of Aurelius Polzer:

Music#

The 87-bar long work in D minor, which shows affinities with the patriotic Germanenzug (1863), Sängerbund (1882) and Helgoland (1893), is scored for SATB choir and brass instruments (4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and contrabass-tuba).

Discography#

There are four recordings of Der deutsche Gesang: * Robert Shewan, Roberts Wesleyan College Chorale and Brass Ensemble, Anton Bruckner - Sacred and Secular Choral Works – LP: Roberts Wesleyan College Records 41 448, 1983. Remastered to CD: High Definition Tape Transfers HDTT. * Robert Shewan, Roberts Wesleyan College Chorale and Brass Ensemble, Choral Works of Anton Bruckner – CD: Albany TROY 063, 1991 * Timothy Seelig, Turtle Creek Chorale Dallas, Fort Worth Symphony Brass, Times of the Day – CD: Reference Recordings RR-67, 1995 * Thomas Kerbl, Männerchorvereinigung, Blechbläserensemble der Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität Linz, Weltliche Männerchöre – CD: LIVA 054, 2012 ;Note: Der deutsche Gesang has been performed at the Brucknerfest 2022 (Brucknerfest 2022 - Krieg und Frieden (29-09-2022)). A recording is available in the Bruckner Archive.

Sources#

  • 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. , Salzburg, 1996. .
    • Der deutsche Gesang / Das deutsche Lied d-moll WAB 63 Critical discography by Hans Roelofs
Composer
Anton Bruckner