Composer

:

Anton Bruckner

Genre

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

ca. 1852

Average_duration

:

1:30

Anton Bruckner's Totenlied No. 2 in F major, WAB 48, is a choral work composed in 1881. It was premiered on November 6, 1881, in the St. Florian Monastery in Austria, where Bruckner served as the organist and choirmaster. The piece is a setting of a poem by the German poet Friedrich Hebbel, which reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The Totenlied No. 2 is divided into three movements. The first movement is marked "Andante con moto" and begins with a somber, mournful melody in the lower voices. The choir sings the text "O Tod, wie bitter bist du" ("Oh death, how bitter you are"), which is repeated several times throughout the movement. The music gradually builds in intensity, with the choir and orchestra reaching a powerful climax before subsiding into a quiet, reflective coda. The second movement is marked "Allegro moderato" and is more upbeat than the first. The choir sings the text "Wir sind nur Gast auf Erden" ("We are only guests on earth"), which is set to a lively, dance-like melody. The orchestra provides a lively accompaniment, with the strings and woodwinds playing fast, rhythmic figures. The movement ends with a triumphant choral statement of the text "Wir sind nur Gast auf Erden", which is repeated several times. The final movement is marked "Andante" and is the most introspective of the three. The choir sings the text "O du, der über alle wacht" ("Oh you, who watches over all"), which is set to a gentle, flowing melody. The orchestra provides a delicate accompaniment, with the strings playing soft, sustained chords and the woodwinds providing a gentle counterpoint. The movement ends with a quiet, peaceful coda, with the choir and orchestra fading away into silence. The Totenlied No. 2 is characteristic of Bruckner's late style, with its rich harmonies, complex counterpoint, and use of chromaticism. The piece is also notable for its use of orchestration, with Bruckner using the orchestra to create a wide range of textures and colors. The work is a powerful meditation on the transience of life and the inevitability of death, and is a testament to Bruckner's skill as a composer of choral music.

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