Arneth Cantata, WAB 61

Arneth Cantata Heil Vater! Dir zum hohen Feste
by Anton Bruckner
Ceiling of the library of the St. Florian Abbey
Key	D major
Catalogue	WAB 61
Form	Cantata
Text	Ernst Marinelli
Language	German
Composed	1852 (1852): St. Florian (1st version) 1857 (1857): St. Florian (2nd version)
Dedication	Michael Arneth (1st version) Friedrich Mayer (2nd version)
Vocal	SATTBB choir
Instrumental	3 horns, 2 trumpets, bass-trombone

The Arneth Cantata, WAB 61, is a cantata composed by Anton Bruckner in 1852.

History

Bruckner composed the cantata for the name-day of Michael Arneth, the prior of the St. Florian Abbey. The piece was performed on 29 September 1852 on the evening before Arneth's name day.

The original manuscript is stored in the archive of the St. Florian Abbey. A facsimile of the cantata was first published in band II/1, pp. 116–128 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. It is put in Band XXII/1 No. 3a of the Gesamtausgabe.

There are two other versions of this celebratory composition:

• Auf Brüder! auf zur frohen Feier!, a shortened, 111-bar long version in five movements, on another text of Marinelli, composed in 1857. It was performed on 17 July 1857 as second name-day Cantata for Friedrich Mayer. The original manuscript of this second version is stored in the archive of the St. Florian Abbey. It is put in Band XXII/1 No. 3b of the Gesamtausgabe.
• Heil dir zum schöne Erstlingsfeste. In c. 1870, another text by Beda Piringer was put on the original seven-movement setting of the cantata for a Primitzfeier (celebration of the first Mass) by a newly ordained priest in Kremsmünster. The original score is lost, but copies of it are stored in the archive of the Kremsmünster Abbey. It is not known whether Bruckner was involved in the realisation process of the new setting. This setting is not put in the Gesamtausgabe.

First version

Text

The first version of the cantata is using a text by Franz Ernst Marinelli.

Heil Vater! Dir zum hohen Feste. Es weihen wir und werte Gäste Des Dankes und der Liebe Preis Dir durch die Gunst der Musen. Dir schlägt so treu und wahr und heiß Das Herz in jedem Busen. An dreißig Jahre mögen's sein, Da standest du als Vater ein Für uns in Gott zu sorgen Und alle, die sich dir vertraut, Die freudig auf dein Wort gebaut, Sie waren wohl geborgen. Drum bringen wir mit Jubel heut', Was jedes Herz an Liebe beut, Was jeder Mund für dich erfleht Und jeder Blick dir froh gesteht Am Weihaltar des Dankes dar. Des Herren Ruhm, des Hauses Kraft, Die zierde Dein Priesterschaft, Warst Du der Deinen Segen, Und schrittest edel, fromm und mild ein Hirte nach des Meisters Bild, Voran auf unsern Wegen. Du wirktest treu und bieder hier, Drum sahst du in der Canonie Manch edle Frucht erscheinen, Du hast gelöst die schwere Pflicht Und darum auch vergessen's nicht Die Deinen! Sie bringen dir mit Jubel heut' Was jedes Herz an Liebe beut, Was jeder Mund für dich erfleht Und jeder Blick dir froh gesteht, Sie rufen heut' im Brüderchor Für dich den Dank des Herrn empor.

Hail father! To you on this noble celebration We and worthy guests donate The prize of gratitude and love To you, favoured by the muses. To you, faithfully, truly and fervently The heart beats in every bosom. It should be about thirty years, Since you vouched as father To care for us in God And for all who trusted in you And happily relied on your word; They were well sheltered. Therefore we offer today rejoycing What every heart has in love, What every mouth evokes for you, And every look leaves you with joy, On the blessed alter of thanks. The praise of the Lord, the power of the house, Your priesthood honoured them, You were the blessing of your people, You proceeded noble, devoted and gentle, A shepherd on the frame of the Lord Ahead of our ways. You acted faithfully and honestly here, Therefore you saw within the Canonics Many a noble fruit appear, You bore the heavy burden And that is why your people will not Forget you! Today they bring to you with jubilation What every heart has in love, What every mouth evokes for you, And every look leaves you with joy, Today as a brotherly choir they evoke For you the gratitude of the Lord.

Setting

The 123-bar long work, plus an 18-bar repeat, in D major is scored for SATTBB choir, and brass instruments (3 horns, 2 trumpets and bass-trombone). The trombone functions mostly as bass voice of a horn quartet.

The first version of the cantata (WAB 61a) is in seven movements:

1. Heil Vater! Dir zum hohen Feste: six-voice SATTBB mixed choir (24 bars) - Bewegt
2. An dreißig Jahre mögen's sein: TTBB men's choir a cappella (16 bars) - Mit Gefühl
3. Drum bringen wir mit Jubel heut: six-voice mixed choir (18 bars) - Bewegt
4. Des Herren Ruhm, des Hauses Kraft: men's choir a cappella (16 bars) - Mit Gefühl
5. Drum bringen wir mit Jubel heut: six-voice mixed choir (18 bars) - part 3 da capo
6. Du wirktest treu und bieder hier: men's choir a cappella (19 bars) - Andante
7. Final Choir Sie bringen dir mit Jubel heut': six-voice mixed choir (30 bars) - Nicht zu geschwind

This cantata, the first of three larger-scale occasional compositions, is mostly conventionally diatonic and based on simple structures. Movements two and three are repeated as movements four (with a different text) and five (exact repetition). The work displays already some marks of Bruckner's style. Two horn passages, which recur frequently, provide as in later works musical unity.

Second version

Text

The second version of the catata is using a new text by Franz Ernst Marinelli.

Auf, Brüder! auf zur frohen Feier! Mit Festeskränzen schmückt die Leier Und innig wie's im Herzen schlägt Erweckt die Kraft der Lieder. Der Tag, der seinen Namen trägt, Kehrt uns gesegnet wieder. Wo ist das Herz, das Ihn nicht kennt? Wo ist der Dank, der Ihn nicht nennt? In Liebe und Vertrauen. Saht Ihr wohl je auf Vaters Wort Auf solchen Freundes milden Hort Getäuschte Hoffnung bauen? Nein! nein, die Hoffnung täuschet nicht. Der Edle liebt der Liebe Pflicht. Und wo der Vater streng gebaut, Ist auch der Freund zugleich bereit. Und knüpft das Band Mit treuer Hand. Drum schlägt das Herz in freier Brust Und folgt des Dankes hehre Lust Auf seinen Lebenswegen. Und droht die Zeit auch noch so schwer Es lächelt ihm von oben her Von oben her der Segen. O Herr im Himmel siehe hier Der Deinen Schaar, sie ruft zu Dir. Und Preis und Dank ist ihr Gebet Und Segen, den sie heiß erfleht, Geliebt, geachtet und verehrt Ist er auch Deines Schutzes wert.

Let's go, brothers for a happy celebration! Decorate the lyre with a festive wreath And fondly as it beats in the heart Arouses the power of the songs. The day, which carries his name, Returns to us, blessed. Where is the heart, which does not know him? Where is the thanks, which does not mention him? In love and trust. Did you ever see on the father's word, On such a friend's gentle refuge building deceived hopes? No! no, hope does not deceive. The noble man loves the duty of love. And where the father is trusted, The friend is also immediately ready And ties the band With faithful hand. Therefore the heart beats in a happy chest Followed by the noble delight of thanks On his paths of life. And even if time threatens so heavily there smiles at him from above From above the blessing. O Lord in Heaven, see here The group of yours, it calls to You. And praise and thanks is their prayer And blessing that they implore intensely, Beloved, respected and venerated he is also worthy of Your custody.

Setting

The second version of the cantata (WAB 61b) is in five movements:

1. Auf, Brüder auf zur frohen Feier!: six-voice SATTBB mixed choir (25 bars) - Bewegt
2. Wo ist das Herz, das Ihn nicht kennt: TTBB men's choir a cappella (19 bars) - Mit Gefühl
3. Nein, nein die Hoffnung täuschet nicht: six-voice mixed choir (18 bars) - Bewegt
4. Drum schlägt das Herz in froher Brust: men's choir a cappella (19 bars) - Andante
5. Final Choir O Herr im Himmel siehe hier: six-voice mixed choir (30 bars) - Nicht zu geschwind

The repeat of movements two and three was eliminated. The opening section of the first choir was expanded from thirteen bars to fourteen, and last half of movement two was recomposed. The shortened, second version is 111-bar long, plus an 11-bar repeat.

Sources

• August Göllerich, Anton Bruckner. Ein Lebens- und Schaffens-Bild, c. 1922 – posthumous edited by Max Auer by G. Bosse, Regensburg, 1932
• Anton Bruckner – Sämtliche Werke, Band XXII/1: Kantaten und Chorwerke I (1845–1855), Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft, Franz Burkhart, Rudolf H. Führer and Leopold Nowak (Editor), Vienna, 1987 (Available on IMSLP: Neue Gesamtausgabe, XXII/1. Kantaten und Chorwerke Teil 1: Nr. 1-5)
• Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. Residenz Verlag, Salzburg, 1996. ISBN 3-7017-1030-9
• Keith William Kinder, The Wind and Wind-Chorus Music of Anton Bruckner, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, 2000
• Cornelis van Zwol, Anton Bruckner 1824–1896 – Leven en werken, uitg. Thoth, Bussum, Netherlands, 2012. ISBN 978-90-6868-590-9
• Crawford Howie, Anton Bruckner - A documentary biography, online revised edition

External links

• Arneth Cantata, WAB 61: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Heil, Vater! Dir zum hohen Feste D-Dur, WAB 61a - Critical discography by Hans Roelofs (in German)
• Auf, Brüder! auf zur frohen Feier D-Dur, WAB 61b - Critical discography by Hans Roelofs (in German)
• Heil Dir zum schönen Erstlingsfeste D-Dur, WAB 61c - Critical discography by Hans Roelofs (in German)