Josef Anton Bruckner (1824 – 1896) was an Austrian
composer and organist best known for his symphonies and
sacred music, which includes Masses, Te Deum and
motets. The symphonies are considered emblematic of the
final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of
their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic
character, and considerable length. His compositions
helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing
to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and
roving harmonies.
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Josef Anton Bruckner (1824 – 1896) was an Austrian
composer and organist best known for his symphonies and
sacred music, which includes Masses, Te Deum and
motets. The symphonies are considered emblematic of the
final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of
their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic
character, and considerable length. His compositions
helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing
to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and
roving harmonies.
Unlike other musical radicals such as Richard Wagner
and Hugo Wolf, Bruckner showed respect, even humility,
before other famous musicians, Wagner in particular.
This apparent dichotomy between Bruckner the man and
Bruckner the composer hampers efforts to describe his
life in a way that gives a straightforward context for
his music. Hans von Bülow described him as "half
genius, half simpleton". Bruckner was critical of his
own work and often reworked his compositions. There are
several versions of many of his works.
His works, the symphonies in particular, had
detractors, most notably the influential Austrian
critic Eduard Hanslick and other supporters of Johannes
Brahms, who pointed to their large size and use of
repetition, as well as to Bruckner's propensity for
revising many of his works, often with the assistance
of colleagues, and his apparent indecision about which
versions he preferred. On the other hand, Bruckner was
greatly admired by subsequent composers, including his
friend Gustav Mahler.
Abendzauber (Evening magic), WAB 57, is a song composed
by Anton Bruckner in 1878. Bruckner composed the song
on a text of Heinrich von der Mattig on 13 January
1878. He dedicated it to Carl Almeroth. The piece was
not performed during the composer's life, because of
its performance difficulties (humming voices). It was
first performed in 1911 by Viktor Keldorfer with the
Wiener Männergesang-Verein (Vienna men's choral
association), and was thereafter published by the
Universal Edition. It was very popular with Austrian
choirs during the interbellum. The work, of which the
original manuscript is stored in the archive of the
Wiener Männergesang-Verein, is issued in Band XXIII/2,
No. 29 of the Gesamtausgabe.
The 82-bar long work in G-flat major is scored for TTBB
choir, tenor or baritone soloist. Similarly to Das hohe
Lied, the first part (58 bars) is sung by the soloist
with an accompaniment of humming voices. From "Wer
könnte je vergessen", the melody is taken over by the
choir. In addition, four horns are figuring Alphorns,
and a Ferngesang (chant from a distance) of female
voices is figuring yodelers.
The song, which is in the line of Mitternacht, WAB 80,
and the two settings of Um Mitternacht (WAB 89 and 90),
is a remarkable example of nature imagery. Bruckner's
specialist Ernst Kurth considers this original,
somewhat odd piece as one Bruckner's most romantic
works
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abendzauber,_WAB_57).
Although originally created for Male Chorus (TTBB), I
created this Interpretation of "Abendzauber" (Evening
Magic WAB 57) for Winds (Flute, Oboe, French Horn &
Bassoon) & Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC