Das edle Herz, WAB 66

' ("The noble heart"), WAB 66, is a song composed by Anton Bruckner in December 1857 during his stay in Linz. In St. Florian, Bruckner had already composed a first setting of the song for men's choir, WAB 65.

History

Bruckner composed the second setting of the work on the same text of Ernst Marinelli in December 1857 during his stay in Linz. It is not known whether the work, which was composed possibly on request of Liedertafel Frohsinn for a performance as mixed choir, was performed during Bruckner's life.

The original manuscript of the work is lost. A sketch of the work is stored in the archive of Enns.

The work, of which a copy was issued in Band III/2, pp. 13-17, of the Göllerich/Auer biography, is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 12 of the '.

Music

The second stetting of Das edle Herz is in the same key and is 8-bars shorter than the first setting of the song.

The 38-bar long work in is scored in A major for choir. The score ends with a 4-bar, instead of 13-bar, chorale.

Discography

There is a single commercial recording of this second setting of Das edle Herz:

• Calmus Ensemble, Bruckner Vocal - Das edle Herz, WAB 66 – Carus, 2023

Note: A performance by Stephen Cleobury with the BBC Choir (2011) is put in the Bruckner Archive: Charter Oak COR-2178 (box of 2 CDs).

References

Sources

• August Göllerich, Anton Bruckner. Ein Lebens- und Schaffens-Bild, – posthumous edited by Max Auer by G. Bosse, Regensburg, 1932
• Anton Bruckner – Sämtliche Werke, Band XXIII/2: Weltliche Chorwerke (1843–1893), Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft, Angela Pachovsky and Anton Reinthaler (Editor), Vienna, 1989
• Cornelis van Zwol, Anton Bruckner 1824–1896 – Leven en werken, uitg. Thoth, Bussum, Netherlands, 2012.
• Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. , Salzburg, 1996. .
• Crawford Howie, Anton Bruckner - A documentary biography, online revised edition

External links

• Das edle Herz A-Dur, WAB 66 – Critical discography by Hans Roelofs

The piece was selected as a set piece for the All Japan Choral Competition 2025. About fifteen of these performances are available on YouTube. A selection:

• Chihiro Yazaki with the Dona Nobis Pacem choir, 22 June 2025: Das edle Herz
• Hideyuki Ishii with the Deai Choir on 5 July 2025: Das edle Herz and on 7 September 2025: Das edle Herz
• Shun Araki with the Choir Hanashuan - The 65th Aichi Prefecture Choral Competition, 3 August 2025: Das edle Herz
• Junki Kuramoto with Choir Rui, 7 September 2025: Das edle Herz
• Ryohei Hamano with the Choir Ansanburu Obanzai, 7 September 2025: Das edle Herz