Vergißmeinnicht, WAB 93

Vergißmeinnicht (Forget-me-not), WAB 93, is a cantata composed by Anton Bruckner in 1845.

History

When he stayed in Kronstorf, Bruckner composed in 1845 the first version of this cantata as Musikalischer Versuch nach dem Kammer-Styl (Musical essay in chamber style), which he signed as Candidatus (candidate) for his Lehrbefähigungsprüfung (teacher aggregation).^[1][2] Bruckner's examination, which was held in Linz on 27 and 28 May 1845, was successful.^[3]

A slightly modified,^[4][2] second version was dedicated to Alois Knauer, the parish priest of Kronstorf.^[1] The performance occurred on 21 June 1845 (Knauer's name day) or the evening before.^[3]

The third version, entitled Vergißmeinnicht (Forget-me-not), was sent to Friedrich Mayer, who was at that time prebendary and choirmaster of the St. Florian Abbey,^[1] to remind him of the promise to provide Bruckner with an employment in the Abbey after his successful teacher examination. It is not known when it was performed.^[3][5]

The manuscripts of the first and second versions are stored at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. The manuscript of the third version is stored in the archive of the St. Florian Abbey. A facsimile of the third version was first issued in band I, pp. 286–300 of the Göllerich/Auer biography.^[3]

The three versions of the cantata are put in Band XXII/1 No. 1 of the Gesamtausgabe.^[6]

Text

Morgenblatt, 25 September 1820, with W. Dobelbaur's text

The work is based on the eleven-strophe poem Die Mutter und ihr Kind (The mother and her child) by W. Dobelbaur.

Setting

The cantata in D major is scored for SSAATTBB choir, SATB soloists and piano.^[3] The 149-bar long work is in seven movements:^[3][2]

1. Eingangschor: Es blühten wunderschön auf der Aue - four-part mixed choir
2. Recitative: Der Knabe saß hold auf der Mutter Schooß - soprano and alto
3. Arie: Sie küsste den Knaben herzlich - soprano and alto
4. Duet: Die Mutter erfreute das freudige Schweben - soprano and alto, Allegro
5. Quartet: Verborgen unter blumiger Hülle - soprano, alto, tenor and bass
6. Duet: Die ringelt' und raschelt' im Grase fort - tenor and bass, Moderato
7. Schlußchor: Wie welkt ein Blümchen im Morgenroth - eight-part mixed choir a cappella, Andante

The third version is 7 bars shorter (142 bars), and the first duet: soprano and alto, is replaced by a duet: soprano and tenor.^[3]

References

1. C. Howie, Chapter I, p. 31
2. U. Harten, pp. 296-297
3. C. van Zwol, p. 711
4. C. van Zwol, pp. 58-59
5. U. Harten, p. 464
6. Gesamtausgabe – Kantaten und Chorwerke mit Orchester
7. Morgenblatt für gebildete Stände, 14 (230): p. 921, 25 September 1820

Sources

• August Göllerich, Anton Bruckner. Ein Lebens- und Schaffens-Bild, c. 1922 – posthumous edited by Max Auer by G. Bosse, Regensburg, 1932
• Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. Residenz Verlag [de], Salzburg, 1996. ISBN 3-7017-1030-9
• 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)
• 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

A rendition of the cantata using a notation software can be heard on Vergissmeinnicht, WAB 93c – entire chorus practice

External links

• Vergissmeinnicht, WAB 93: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Musikalischer Versuch nach dem Kammer-Styl D-Dur, WAB 93 a/b, Vergißmeinnicht D-Dur, WAB 93c - Critical discography by Hans Roelofs (in German)