This programme of secular choral music by Anton Bruckner may catch
you off-guard: one almost reflexively associates this devoutly Catholic
composer with sacred music. The motets and Masses belong in that category
but the symphonies, for all their mystical overtones, are, after all,
secular works, the composer's dedication of his Ninth Symphony,
"dem lieben Gott" ("to the beloved God")
notwithstanding.
There are more similarities between Bruckner's orchestral and
choral writing than you might expect. The male-voice ensemble, allowing
for close-position harmonies supported by a low bass line, is a natural
medium for the kind of satisfying, filled-out sonorities characteristic
of the composer's symphonic tuttis. The part-writing
is logical and grateful. Even within this comparatively restricted
tonal framework, the composer finds ways to bring one of his characteristic
compositional devices, the simulation of organ registrations, into
play. Now and then, he'll bunch the parts more closely in a
higher range, anchoring the harmonies in baritone, rather than bass,
territory, thus effectively "changing registers". In Träumen
und Wachen, he plays the tenors against the basses in a way to
emphasize their contrasting timbres, rather than blending them. Similarly,
Bruckner will highlight a solo voice or solo ensemble against a wordless
or humming chorus, suggesting a solo organ stop highlighted against
a quieter background. These devices produce the variety without which
such a programme could prove tiresome.
For my taste, the pieces relating most strongly to the existing Germanic
traditions make the best effect: Der Lehrerstand, with a
square, Freischütz-ish heartiness; and Des Dankes
Wort sei mir vergönnt, reminiscent of a Schubert solo-and-chorus
Lied. In fact, all the items are interesting and well-wrought,
even those few - forthright "mottos" composed for choral
societies, and celebratory pieces - that are less than a minute long.
The choruses Lasst Jubeltöne laut erklingen and Der
deutsche Gesang reinforce the men with brass; the three-movement
Cantata for Prelate Friedrich Mayer brings in what sounds
like most of a full orchestra, and, in the last of its three movements,
a women's chorus as well.
The performances are good, especially for having been recorded in
performance. The quick, madrigalesque writing of Vaterländisches
Weinleid - the closest this collection comes to a cheerful "standard"
chorus - proves too quick for the men's chorus of the 2012
Bruckner Festival: the rapidly shifting chords never quite fall into
place. Adding insult to injury, the programme follows this with Um
Mitternacht, in the parallel minor. Otherwise, the festival singers'
tuning is excellent, even where the programme order conspires to trip
them up, as when Des Höchsten Preis and Das Lied
vom deutschen Vaterland, pitched a semitone apart, follow one
after the other. The choral tone is rich: the "mottos" receive
especially full-throated performances. In the highest phrases of the
background choruses, a single tenor voice - is it always the same
one? - sometimes pulls focus disconcertingly, but the distractions
are brief.
The recording is resonant, in a good way. The brief but informative
programme notes, some of which apparently contradict previous datings
of some of the pieces. Since I'm not a Bruckner scholar, my
headnote follows the booklet wherever a discrepancy exists. The billing
of the artists is a muddle, however. It's not indicated which
of the two conductors directs which pieces; nor did I hear the piano,
ostensibly played by Thomas Kerbl, anywhere in the programme. Five
male soloists are credited, but we're not told who sings where;
meanwhile, the clear, straight-toned soprano soloist in the last movement
of the cantata isn't billed at all.
Stephen Francis Vasta
Stephen Francis Vasta is a New York-based conductor, coach,
and journalist.
Track listing & performance details
Ständchen, WAB
84 (1846?) [2:28]
An dem Feste, WAB 59 (1843) [2:18]
Der Lehrerstand, WAB 77 (1847?) [4:15]
Wir alle, jung und alt, WAB 148/2 (1869) [0:30]
Träumen und Wachen, WAB 87 (1890/92) [5:07]
Vaterländisches Weinlied, WAB 91 (1866) [1:07]
Um Mitternacht (2nd setting), WAB 90 (1886) [5:41]
Freier Sinn und froher Mut, WAB 147 (1874) [0:21]
Des Dankes Wort sei mir vergönnt, WAB 62 (1845-55?)
[5:26]
Volkslied, WAB 94 (1882) [0:46]
Zur Vermählungsfeier, WAB 54 (1878) [4:09]
Lasst Jubeltöne laut erklingen, WAB 76 (1854) [3:26]
Des Höchstein Preis, WAB 95/2 (1850?) [0:30]
Das Lied vom deutschen Vaterland, WAB 78 (1845?) [1:05]
Der deutsche Gesang (Das deutsche Lied), WAB 63
(1892) [3:01]
Cantata for Prelate Friedrich Meyer, WAB 60 [7:55]*
Michael Nowak, Matthäus Schmidlechner, Martin Kiener (tenors);
Markus Schulz, Walter Johannes Fischer (basses); Philipp Sonntag (organ)
*Studentinnen der Lied/Oratorienklasse der Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität
des Landes Oberösterreich
Männerchor Bruckner 12, Ensemble Linz/Thomas Kerbl (piano), Christian
Schmidbauer
