Key C major Form Cantata Dedication Jodok Stülz | Catalogue WAB 15 Language German | |
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Composed 6 December 1855 (1855-12-06): St. Florian Abbey | ||
The Festgesang (Festive song), WAB 15, is a cantata composed by Anton Bruckner in 1855.
Contents
History
This cantata, also called Jodok Cantata, is the last of three larger-scale occasional compositions.
Bruckner composed it on 6 December 1855 for the name-day of Jodok Stülz, the dean of the St. Florian Abbey, as a "Farewell to St. Florian", three weeks before he moved to Linz. The piece was intended to be performed on 13 December 1855 (Stülz's name day) or the evening before. The manuscript is stored in the archive of the St. Florian Abbey.
The manuscript was retrieved in 1921 by Franz Xaver Müller in the archive of the St. Florian Abbey. A facsimile was first published in band II/2, pp. 241-244 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. It is put in Band XXII/1 No. 5 of the Gesamtausgabe.
Text and music
The text used for the cantata is by an unknown author:
The in total 143-bar long work in C major is scored for SATB choir and STB soloists, and piano.
The cantata is in six parts:
- Recitative "Sankt Jodok sproß": bass soloist (bars 1–7)
- Aria "In Einsamkeit zurückgezogen": bass soloist (bars 8–23)
- Choir "Du bist der Vater": mixed choir (bars 27–79) - Ziemlich langsam, gemütlich
- Aria "Du pflegst das Herz": soprano soloist (bars 80–102) - Langsam, mit Gefühl
- Recitative "Nicht minder ziert": tenor soloist (bars 103–109)
- Finale "Heil unserm Vater": mixed choir (bars 100–143) - Mäßig langsam
Despite it contains already own ideas of the composer, the 6-part cantata looks somewhat archaic with its two recitatives, arias and choir parts. The arias look back to baroque examples, in which a basso continuo instrument accompany the solo-singer. The choir parts - a little in the follow of Michael Haydn - refer with imitation phrases to florid counterpoint.
Discography
There is a single recording of the Festgesang: