Um Mitternacht, WAB 89

History

Bruckner composed the song on a text of Robert Prutz on 12 April 1864, for the Linz Liedertafel Sängerbund (the rival of Liedertafel Frohsinn). The piece was performed on 11 December 1864 by Sängerbund in the Redoutensaal under Bruckner's baton. The work, of which the original manuscript is stored in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, was first issued by Viktor Keldorfer (Universal Edition) in 1911, together with the other setting (Um Mitternacht, WAB 90) and the other "night-song" Mitternacht, WAB 80. It is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 17 of the Gesamtausgabe.

Text and music

Um Mitternacht uses a text by Robert Prutz.

The 56-bar long work in F minor is scored for TTBB choir, alto soloist and piano. In strophe 1 the F-minor key forms the mystic background, from which the men's choir, accompanied by pedal points and unison lines of the piano, emerges in open fifths. Strophes 2 and 3 are sung by the alto soloist with accompaniment of the choir. In strophe 4 the melody of strophe 1 is sung again by the choir and the soloist. Bars 14-16 (end of strophe 1) and 27-34 (strophe 3) are sung a cappella. The song is ending pianissimo with the piano alone.

In the first issue of 1911, Keldorfer wrote "Das Zaubrische der Mondscheinpoesie scheint Bruckners sensibele Natur ganz besonders gefangen genommen zu haben. Im Bann solch traumhaft mystischer Stimmungen schuf er drei 'Mitternachts-Chöre'." (The enchantment of the poetry of the moonlight has apparently captivated fully Bruckners sensible nature. In the ban of such dreamily mystic feelings he composed three 'midnight-choirs').

Selected discography

Um Mitternacht, WAB 89, is one of the most popular Bruckner's Weltliche Chorwerke. The first recording of Um Mitternacht, WAB 89, was by Robert Kühbacher with the Wiener Sängerknaben and Robert Kühbacher (Piano) in 1955 – LP: Philips N 00726 R

A selection of the about 10 other recordings: