Anton Bruckner - Aequale No. 1 and 2 for three Trombones (1847)

Описание: Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824 – 11 October 1896) was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic character, and considerable length. Bruckner's compositions helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and roving harmonies.

Two Aequali (1847)
1. WAB 114
2. WAB 149

Live recording 24.11.2012, Prinzregententheater München
Peter Dijkstra conductor

An equale or aequale (from Latin: voces aequales, equal voices or parts) is a musical idiom. It is a piece for equal voices or instruments. In the 18th century the equale became established as a generic term for short, chordal pieces for trombone quartet. Old church music regulations from Linz show that such pieces were used at funeral services in Austria. The performance of such pieces from towers on All Souls' Day and on the previous evening is associated with the funeral service. The theological meaning of the trombone as a symbol of divine presence, the voice of the angels and instrument of judgment is thereby underscored.

Bruckner composed the two Aequali in end January 1847 during his stay in St. Florian Abbey. He composed them for the funeral of his aunt Rosalia Mayrhofer (1770–1847).[1]

The manuscript of the first Aequale (WAB 114) is stored in the archive of the Seitenstetten Abbey. The work was first published in band II/2, p. 83 of the Göllerich/Auer biography.

The sketch of the second Aequale was retrieved later in the archive of the St. Florian Abbey. In the sketch the score for the bass trombone is missing. It was then put as addendum (WAB 149) to the already issued WAB classification.

The two Aequali in C minor, with 34 and 27 bars, respectively, are score for alto, tenor and bass trombones. In the edition of the Gesamtausgabe the missing score for the bass trombone of the second Aequale has been completed by Hans Bauernfeind.

The works are choral-sized with in WAB 114 a typical folklike melody in sixths. Similar musical sets were later used in the so-called Choräle in Bruckner's later symphonies.