Erin Stedman (soprano), Jill Richardson (mezzo-soprano), Thaddeus James Stuart (organ), Jack Richardson (tenor), Brian Clickner (tenor), Jeffrey Stell (baritone), Allan Mosher (bass), Christopher Jones (tenor), Allan Mosher (baritone)
Roberts Wesleyan College Chorale, Roberts Wesleyan College Brass Ensemble, Robert Shewan, Paul Shewan
Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) is today recognized as a leading symphonic composer of the Viennese school in the direct lineage of Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert. Nine of his 11 symphonies are central to the late Romantic orchestral repertory, with the three mature masses and Te Deum representing the final flowering of the Austro-German symphonic choral tradition as exemplified by the festive mass-oratorios of Haydn and Schubert. A less familiar side of Bruckner's work is found in his many smaller occasional pieces for choir, some with instrumental accompaniment, all of which, in contrast to the symphonies, take only a few minutes in performance. These short choral works, both sacred and secular, date from all periods of Bruckner's creative life, which is to say from his first known work as a child of 11, to the last completed opus in 1893. In many cases, the motets and choruses show a development of Bruckner's skill and imagination paralleling that seen in his better-known symphonies.
Anton Bruckner: Ave Maria, WAB 5
Ave Maria, WAB 5
Anton Bruckner: Ave Maria, WAB 6
Ave Maria, WAB 6
Anton Bruckner: Aequale No. 1 in C minor, WAB 114
Aequale No. 1 in C minor, WAB 114
Anton Bruckner: Afferentur regi, WAB 1
Afferentur regi virgines, WAB 1
Anton Bruckner: Aequale No. 2 in C minor, WAB 149
Aequale No. 2 in C minor, WAB 149
Anton Bruckner: Germanenzug, WAB 70
Germanenzug, WAB 70
Anton Bruckner: Inveni David, WAB 19
Inveni David, WAB 19
Anton Bruckner: Trosterin Musik , WAB 88
Trosterin Musik , WAB 88
Anton Bruckner: Tota pulchra es, WAB 46
Tota pulchra es, WAB 46
Anton Bruckner: Os justi, WAB 30
Os justi, WAB 30
Anton Bruckner: Ave Maria, WAB 7
Ave Maria, WAB 7
Anton Bruckner: Christus factus est, WAB 11
Christus factus est, WAB 11
Anton Bruckner: Ecce sacerdos magnus, WAB 13
Ecce sacerdos magnus, WAB 13
Anton Bruckner: Ave regina coelorum, WAB 8
Ave regina coelorum, WAB 8
Anton Bruckner: Virga jesse floruit, WAB 52
Virga jesse floruit, WAB 52
Anton Bruckner: Vexilla regis, WAB 51
Vexilla regis, WAB 51
Anton Bruckner: Das deutsche Lied, WAB 63
Das deutsche Lied, WAB 63
“The choral works, in particular, were written more often than not for local church choirs or amateur choral societies - often of professional caliber, of course, but groups who were there not so much to make a beautiful sound as to cherish the meaning of the words through the music. This is precisely the quality that Robert Shewan and his singers have captured in this exceptionally generous program of sacred and secular choral works. Some of the tempos are quite slow, but so rich are the sounds, and so telling the choir's seeming joy in the words, that time seems suspended....This is a deeply moving release, and the sonic are really gorgeous”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
Ave Maria, WAB 5