Program booklet for the event
Bruckner's Mass in E minor
The programme of this church concert brings together all of Anton Bruckner's works that have a direct connection to St. Mary's Cathedral, and at the same time makes clear how closely the composer's name is linked to the history of the New Cathedral's construction.
It begins with the festive cantata in D major commissioned by Bishop Rudigier of Linz to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on 1 May 1862, and concludes with the Mass (No. 2) in E minor, again commissioned by Rudigier for the inauguration of the Votive Chapel, which was composed in 1866 but only premiered on 29 September 1869 due to delays in the construction work. The performance of the mass in the concert is complemented by the 'interludes' originally intended for it, which were not sung at the time but can finally be heard in the context in which they belong: These are, after the Gloria, the popular "Locus iste" and, after the Credo, a "Pange lingua". In between are the "Afferentur regi virgines post eam" dedicated to Johann Baptist Burgstaller, the choir director of the cathedral, the "Tota pulchra es, Maria" dedicated to Rudigier in 1878 for his 25th anniversary in office and the "Virga Jesse floruit" composed in 1885 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the diocese of Linz. Gerhard Raab, the second organist at the Mariendom, also contributes two improvisations on Bruckner's themes on the Rudigier organ.
Conducted by Daniel Reuss, the renowned Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne celebrates its Brucknerhaus debut this evening and joins the long list of world-famous choirs that have performed in a concert organised by the Brucknerhaus Linz for the first time since the 2018 International Bruckner Festival Linz.
Anton Bruckner (1824–1896)
"Praise the Lord, praise his holy name". Festive cantata in D major for the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of the Conception of the Virgin Mary in Linz for bass solo, male quartet, four-part male choir, winds and timpani, WAB 16 (1862)
Orgelimprovisation
"Afferentur regi virgines post eam". Offertorium in F major for four-part mixed choir and 3 trombones, WAB 1 (1861)
"Tota pulchra es, Maria". Antiphon Phrygian for tenor solo, four-part mixed choir and organ, WAB 46 (1878)
"Virga Jesse floruit". Graduale in E minor for four-part mixed choir a cappella, WAB 52 (1885)
Orgelimprovisation
Mass (No. 2) in E minor for eight-part mixed choir and winds, WAB 27 (1866, rev. 1876, 1882, 1885)
"Locus iste". Gradual in C major for four-part mixed choir a cappella, WAB 23 (1869)
"Pange lingua". Hymn Phrygian for four-part mixed choir a cappella, WAB 33 (1868)
Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne
* Gentlemen of the Choir House Frohsinn
Ensemble Instrumental de Lausanne
* Brass Ensemble of the Anton Bruckner Private University
Gerhard Raab | Organ
Daniel Reuss | Conductor