Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55

Der Abendhimmel ("The evening sky"), WAB 55, is a song composed by Anton Bruckner in 1862.

History
Bruckner composed this first setting of "evening song" Der Abendhimmel in January 1862. He used for the composition a text of Joseph Christian von Zedlitz, which he would also use for a second setting of the song in 1866. Bruckner dedicated the song to the men's quartet Anton Munsch [Anton Munsch (1st tenor), Anton Stiefler (2nd tenor), Eduard Benoni (1st bass) and Mathias Weissmann (2nd bass)].

The piece was performed first in a transcription for men's choir by the Liedertafel Frohsinn on 4 July 1900. The commentator of the Linzer Zeitung (7 July 1900) wrote over a eine herrliche Schöpfung unseres heimischen Meisters Dr. Anton Bruckner (a wonderful composition of our national master Dr. Anton Bruckner).

The original manuscript is stored in the archive of Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. It was first issued in Band III/2, pp. 18–20 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. It is issued in Band XXIII/2, No. 15 of the Gesamtausgabe.

Text
Der Abendhimmel is using a text of Joseph Christian von Zedlitz.

Music
The 38-bar long work in 6/8 is in A-flat major. It is scored for TTBB quartet a cappella.

Discography
There are two recordings of Der Abendhimmel, WAB 55:
 * Guido Mancusi, Chorus Viennensis, Musik, du himmlisches Gebilde! – CD: ORF CD 73, 1995
 * Thomas Kerbl, Quartet of the Männerchorvereinigung Bruckner 08, Anton Bruckner – Männerchöre – CD: LIVA 027, 2008