Composer

:

Anton Bruckner

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

ca. 1855

Average_duration

:

4:49

Anton Bruckner's "Um Mitternacht (I) in F minor, WAB 89" is a choral work composed in 1862. The piece was premiered in 1863 in Linz, Austria. It is a setting of a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which describes a person's contemplation of death at midnight. The piece is divided into three movements, with the first and third being choral settings of the poem, and the second being an instrumental interlude. The first movement begins with a somber and mournful melody in the lower voices, which is then taken up by the higher voices. The music builds in intensity as the choir sings of the darkness and the approach of death. The second movement is a hauntingly beautiful instrumental interlude, featuring a solo violin and a mournful melody played by the strings. The final movement returns to the choral setting of the poem, with the choir singing of the hope of eternal life and the peace that comes with death. The piece is characterized by Bruckner's use of rich harmonies and complex counterpoint. The music is often somber and mournful, reflecting the poem's themes of death and contemplation. However, there are also moments of beauty and hope, particularly in the instrumental interlude. Bruckner's use of the choir is particularly effective, with the voices blending together to create a powerful and emotional sound. Overall, "Um Mitternacht (I) in F minor, WAB 89" is a powerful and moving choral work that showcases Bruckner's skill as a composer. Its themes of death and contemplation are timeless, and the music is sure to resonate with listeners today as much as it did when it was first premiered over a century ago.

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