In jener letzten der Nächte

In jener letzten der Nächte
Motet by Anton Bruckner
Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane by Anton Raphael Mengs
Key	F minor
Catalogue	WAB 17
Form	Chorale
Occasion	Celebration of Maundy Thursday
Text	Poem
Language	German
Composed	c. 1848 (c. 1848): Sankt Florian
Published	1931 (1931): Augsburg & Vienna
Vocal	First setting: Soloist and organ Second setting: SATB choir

In jener letzten der Nächte (In this last of nights), WAB 17, is a motet composed by Anton Bruckner.

History

Bruckner composed the motet in c. 1848 at St. Florian Monastery for the celebration of Maundy Thursday. However, it is not known whether it was performed at that time. It was edited first by Anton Böhm & Sohn, Augsburg & Vienna, 1931.

There are two settings: one for soloist and organ, and another for mixed choir a cappella. The manuscript of the setting for soloist and organ is stored in the archive of the city museum of Wels. A transcription of the other setting is found in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

The two settings of the motet are put in Band XXI/15 of the Gesamtausgabe.

Text

The text is the first strophe of a 13-strophe text coming from the devoutness book Die heilige Passion, gefeiert in Liedern, Betrachtungen und Gebeten.

In jener letzten der Nächte, Da ich am Ölberg gebetet, War ich von Blutschweiß geröthet, Goß ihn in Strömen für dich: Weh! Und wer weiß, ob wohl je Du auch nur denkest an mich!

In this last of nights When I prayed at the Mount of Olives, I was reddened from blood sweat, Poured it streaming for thee. Woe! And who knows if ever you even think of me!

In addition, a transcription using the Latin text In monte oliveti has been published by Theodor Bernhard Rehmann, Edition Peters, Leipzig, 1947.

In monte oliveti Oravit ad Patrem: "Pater, si fieri potest, Transeat a me calix iste: Fiat voluntas tua."

On the Mount of Olives He prayed to the Father: "Father, if it be possible, Let this cup pass from me. Let Thy will be done."

Music

The motet, a 22-bar Passion chorale in F minor. There are two settings: one for soloist and organ, and another for SATB choir a cappella.

As Crawford Howie writes "Both In jener letzten der Nächte WAB 17 (c. 1848) and Dir, Herr, dir will ich mich ergeben WAB 12 (c. 1845) for a cappella mixed-voice choir are chorale harmonizations, probably the result of [Bruckner's] studies with Zenetti."

Selected discography

The first recording of Bruckner's In jener letzten der Nächte was by Edith Möller, Obernkrichner Kinderchor, LP: Telefunken SLE 14391, 1965

A selection of the about 10 recordings:

First setting

• Wilfried Jochens (tenor), Werner Kaufmann (organ), Music of the St. Florian Period (Jürgen Jürgens) - LP: Jerusalem Records ATD 8503, 1984; transferred to CD BSVD-0109, 2011
• Sigrid Hagmüller (alto), Rupert Gottfried Frieberger (organ), Anton Bruckner – Oberösterreichische Kirchenmusik CD: Fabian Records CD 5112, 1995
• Ludmila Kuznetzova (mezzosoprano), Ludmila Golub (organ), Bruckner: Masses and Songs (Valeri Poliansky) - CD: Chandos CHAN 9863, 1998

Second setting

• Michael Stenov, Cantores Carmeli, Benefizkonzert Karmelitenkirche Linz - CD/DVD issued by the choir, 2006, and on YouTube.
• Rupert Gottfried Frieberger, Cantoria Plagensis, Anton Bruckner – Kirchenmusikalische Werke – Fabian Records CD 5115, 2007
• Thomas Kerbl, Chorvereinigung Bruckner 2011, Anton Bruckner|Lieder Magnificat - CD: Brucknerhaus LIVA 046, 2011
• Philipp von Steinäcker, Vocalensemble Musica Saeculorum, Bruckner: Pange lingua - Motetten - CD: Fra Bernardo FB 1501271, 2015

Note

• Frieberger's and Stenov's recordings contain both three strophes. The score used by Frieberger is coming from Reinthaler's Chorheft Bruckner, in which strophes 2 and 3 are originating from Brentano's Ausgewählte Gedichte. The score used by Stenov is coming from the religious songbook Unser Kirchenchorbuch für gemischte Stimmen.

Sources

• Anton Bruckner - Sämtliche Werke, Band XXI: Kleine Kirchenmusikwerke, Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft, Hans Bauernfeind and Leopold Nowak (Editor), Vienna, 1984/2001
• 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

• In jener letzten der Nächte WAB 17 (1848) Critical discography by Hans Roelofs (in German)
• In jener letzten der Nächte: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project - Both settings
• Free scores for In jener letzten der Nächte in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki) – Latin transcription as In monte Oliveti
• Live performances:
  • First setting: In jener letzten der Nächte, Robert Holzer, 2011
  • Second setting:
    • Maundy Thurstday from Salzburg Cathedral, 2024: The motet was performed after the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to the cathedral crypt, at 01:41:10 on Gründonnerstag - Feier vom Letzten Abendmahl aus dem Salzburger Dom, 28. März 2024
    • Maundy Thurstday from Vienna Cathedral, 2024: The motet was performed after the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to the cathedral crypt, at 01:35:09 on Wo die Güte und die Liebe wohnt. Die Feier des Letzten Abendmahls aus dem Stephansdom - three strophes from the songbook Unser Kirchenchorbuch für gemischte Stimmen.
  • Latine transcription: In monte Oliveti, Chor von St. Peter, Mannheim, 2011