Christus factus est, WAB 10

Bruckner composed the motet in 1873, and it was first performed on 8 December 1873 in the Wiener Hofmusikkapelle for the celebration of Mariä Empfängnis (feast of the Immaculate Conception).C. van Zwol, p. 706

The manuscript, a copy of which is archived at the Austrian National Library, was destroyed in 1945. On his manuscript Bruckner wrote Besser ohne Violinen (better without violins).Mus.Hs.442 (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) According to R. Luna, this "would mean that he conceived the work ideally for eight-part choir with brief interventions of the trombones and that he had written the strings colla partemanuscript A-SF20-42, Stift St. Florian to prevent any intonation problems.R. Luna, booklet of CD PR 91250

The work was published first by Ludwig Berberich in Vienna in 1934 without string instruments (the violins being replaced by the alto voice during bars 1-14). The new edition (Nowak-Bauernfeind) is in accordance with the original manuscript.Anton Bruckner – Sämtliche Werke, Band XXI/26

The 61-bar work in D minor is scored for eight-part mixed choir, three trombones, two violins, and viola, cello and double bass.A-SF20-42 (Stift St. Florian)

The first section (bars 1–12), a Dorian mode melody sung by the soprano and alto voices in unison, which is accompanied by a counterpoint of the first and second violins, ends on "autem crucis".
The second section (bars 13–21), a fugato, modulates to B-flat major and ends on bars 20–21 in forte on "exaltavit illum".
The third section (bars 22–31), sustained by the strings and the trombones, ends in a climax in A{{flat}} major on "dedit illi nomen".U. Harten, p. 120
The fourth section (bars 31 61) begins in pianissimo and in successive entries of the eight voices – from the lowest till the highest vocal parts – establishing a "pyramid" of sound based on an A{{flat}} pedal tone, which leads the a further climax in C major. It is followed on bar 38 by a second "pyramid", which follows the same procedure and ends in D major.
The coda on "quod est super" begins on bar 45 with a third "pyramid", which is charged with a greater dramatic effect, and ends on bars 51-53 with an a cappella climax in D minor. The second part of the coda (bars 53–61), sung a cappella, which is a clear quotation of the coda of the Kyrie of the Mass in E minor, ends in pianissimo in D major.

"One has to value this composition as one of the most expressive and monumental works of Bruckner's sacred music…", was a comment by the musicologist Leopold Nowak on his impression of the work.

There are only two recordings of this setting of Christus factus est:[http://www.abruckner.com/vocal_instrumental_music/php/index.php@pag=148.htm Christus factus est, WAB 10 - Critical discography]

• Jonathan Brown, Ealing Abbey Choir, Anton Bruckner: Sacred Motets – CD: Herald HAVPCD 213, 1997 (fully a cappella)
• Ricardo Luna, Hard-Chor Linz, Ensemble Wien-Linz, Bruckner unknown – CD: Preiser Records PR 91250, 2013 (following the original score) – can also be heard on YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1BZ8BaV360 Christus factus est, Original Version, WAB10]

{{reflist}}

• 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}}
• Uwe Harten, Anton Bruckner. Ein Handbuch. {{Ill|Residenz Verlag|de}}, Salzburg, 1996. {{ISBN|3-7017-1030-9}}.

• {{IMSLP2|work=Christus factus est, WAB 10 (Bruckner, Anton)|cname=Christus factus est, WAB 10}}
• {{ChoralWiki|Christus factus est II (Anton Bruckner)|prep=for}}
• [http://www.abruckner.com/vocal_instrumental_music/php/index.php@pag=148.htm Christus factus est d-Moll, WAB 10 (1873)] Critical discography by Hans Roelofs {{in lang|de}}
• Live performances
• Andrew Lewis with the Elgin Master Chorale (26 February 2018): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0mfzddhZLk Bruckner - Christus factus est, WAB 10] - violins replaced by organ (bars 1-14)
• Michael Stenov during the Palm Sunday celebration of 2019: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXpPG5gErYs&t=854s Musik zum Palmsonntag/Palm Sunday (Karwoche/Holy Week) 14. 4. 2019 Karmelitenkirche Linz] - at 11:26 with organ colla parte
• Ricardo Luna with the Wiener Madrigalchor at 26:19 of the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bEgUdbPpTw&t=944s Benefizkonzert für den Wiener Stephansdom, 6 October 2007] – string accompaniment replaced by the organ

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Category:Motets by Anton Bruckner

Category:1873 compositions

Category:Compositions in D minor