An dem Feste, WAB 59a

"An dem Feste" (At the feast), WAB 59a, is a song composed by the 19-year-old Anton Bruckner in 1843 during his stay as schoolteacher's assistant in Kronstorf. In 1893, near the end of his life, Bruckner modified slightly its music score and let Karl Ptak put another text on the song, with as title "Tafellied" (Table song), WAB 59c.

History
Bruckner composed this youth work on a five-strophe text of the parish priest of Kronstorf, Alois Knauer, in 1843, during his stay as schoolteacher's assistant. He dedicated it to Josef Ritter von Pessler, the parish priest of Enns. The work was performed on 19 September 1843 in the church of Enns. The work, of which the original manuscript is stored in the archive of the Stadt- und Landsbibliothek (City and province library) of Vienna, was first issued in Band I, pp. 231-233, of the Göllerich/Auer biography. The original setting of An dem Feste and a variant for mixed choir are issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 1 of the Gesamtausgabe.

Tafellied
Near the end of his life, Bruckner let Karl Ptak put another text on the song and modified slightly its music score, with as title Tafellied (Table song), WAB 59c. The revised song, the composition of which was finished on 22 February 1893, was performed by the Wiener Akademisches Gesanverein (Choral association of the university of Vienna) on 11 March 1893. Tafellied is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 36 of the Gesamtausgabe.

Later issues
In 1928, Anton Böhm & Sohn issued a new version of Bruckner's popular song transposed to D major with a text by Ludwig Carl Kraus (Freudig laßt das Lied erschallen in der hehren Feierstund), with the title Festlied (Festive song). This new issue of the song, which was originally classified by Renate Grasberger as WAB 67, is now put as WAB 59b. Two years later (1930), Anton Böhm & Sohn issued again a new version in C major for mixed choir with a text by Alfred Zehelein (Heil dem Feste, das uns heute traut im engen Kreis vereint).

Text
An dem Feste uses a text by Alois Knauer.

Music
The 20-bar long work (16 bars plus repeat of the last 4 bars) in D-flat major, which is scored for TTBB choir, uses five strophes. There is also a setting for SABB choir. The revised, 16-bar long Tafellied uses three strophes.

An dem Feste
There is a single recording of the original setting :
 * Thomas Kerbl, Männerchorvereinigung Bruckner 12, Weltliche Männerchöre – CD: LIVA 054, 2012 – 1st and 5th strophes