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[edit]

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.^[1] It was edited first by Anton Böhm & Sohn, Augsburg & Vienna, 1931.^[1]

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.^[2]

Text[edit]

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.^[3]

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."[4]

Music[edit]

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."^[5]

Selected discography[edit]

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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• Michael Stenov, Cantores Carmeli, Benefizkonzert Karmelitenkirche Linz - CD/DVD issued by the choir, 2006, and on YouTube.^[6]
• 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[edit]

• Frieberger's and Stenov's recordings contain both three strophes. The score used by Frieberger is coming from Reinthaler's Chorheft Bruckner,^[7] in which strophes 2 and 3 are originating from Brentano's Ausgewählte Gedichte.^[8] The score used by Stenov is coming from the religious songbook Unser Kirchenchorbuch für gemischte Stimmen.^[9]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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