Bruckner's Psalm 22, WAB 34, is a setting of a German version of Psalm 23, which was psalm 22 in the Vulgata.
History
Amongst the five psalm settings composed by Bruckner, Psalm 22 is the only one with piano accompaniment. The work was composed in circa 1852 in St. Florian, but it is unknown when it was performed at that time.
The manuscript is stored in the archive of the St. Florian monastery. The first known performance occurred on 11 October 1921 in St. Florian by Franz Xaver Müller.C. van Zwol, p. 696 It was first published in Band II/2, pp. 119–130 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. It was edited by Paul Hawkshaw in 1997Chronology of the Complete Bruckner Edition 1990–2001 in Band XX/2 of the .U. Harten, p. 343
Text (The Lord is shepherd and caregiver)
Joseph Franz von Allioli, Die Heilige Schrift des alten und neuen Testamentes, Dritter Band (mit Approbation des apostolischen Stuhles), 4. Auflage, pp. 120–121, Landshut, 1839
Setting The 131-bar work in E major is scored for choir and soloists, and piano.
The setting of the first part is in general homophone, with a few imitations on "So will ich nichts Übles fürchten", "Du has bereitet einen Tisch", "wie herrlich ist er!" and "Und deine Barmherzigkeit". As in Bruckner's contemporaneous Magnificat the verses are sung as an Arioso alternatingly by the choir and the soloists.Leaflet by C. van Zwol, CD LIVA 034 From bar 43 onwards, the last verse is sung by the choir as a fugue, which evolves, on bar 115, in an ending a cappella Chorale.J. Williamson, p. 47
Discography There are three recordings of this work: Franz Farnberger, Anton Bruckner in St. Florian – Requiem & Motetten, St. Florianer Sängerknaben, Studio SM D2639 SM 44, 1997.This performance, which was recorded in the St. Florian Abbey, provides the listener with a whiff of authenticity. Thomas Kerbl, Anton Bruckner – Chöre & Klaviermusik, Chorvereinigung Bruckner 09 and Kammerchor der Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität Linz, CD Bruckner Haus LIVA 034, 2009 Calmus Ensemble, Bruckner Vocal - Psalm 22, WAB 34 – Carus, 2023 Markus Stumpner, Erinnerung - Bruckner in St. Florian, St. Florianer Sängerknaben, Solo Musica SM 450, 2024
References
Sources August Göllerich, Anton Bruckner. Ein Lebens- und Schaffens-Bild, – posthumous edited by Max Auer by G. Bosse, Regensburg, 1932 Cornelis van Zwol, Anton Bruckner - Leven en Werken, Thot, Bussum (Netherlands), 2012. John Williamson, The Cambridge Companion to Bruckner, Cambridge University Press, 2004. Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. , Salzburg, 1996. . Anton Bruckner – Sämtliche Werke, Band XX/2: Psalm 22 (1852), Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft, Paul Hawkshaw (Editor), Vienna, 1997
External links
Anton Bruckner – Psalm 22 und Psalm 114, neu revidiert von Paul Nudelman und William Carragan Psalm 22 (23) Es-Dur, WAB 34 Critical discography by Hans Roelofs
Anton Bruckner Critical Complete Edition – Psalms and Magnificat Psalm 22 - St Florianer Sängerknaben, Marmorsaal 17 August 2010