Performed in Auer Hall at Indiana University, February 10, 2018 - conducted by Sam Ritter in Doctoral Recital under the mentorship of Prof. Walter Huff.

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Anton Bruckner’s piety is clear in his musical output, as such a large portion of his writing is intended for the church. Christus factus est is a prime example of this claim. With its careful manipulation of chromatic harmony and broad ranging dynamics, Bruckner brings to light the subtleties of this spiritual text. His phrasal structure within this piece is unique. Treating the phrases as their own entities, he assigns each with a wholly different character. Bruckner was also renowned as an organist, and this influence can be seen in his choral writing. One can hear instant shifts in dynamic colors and voicings, as if organ registrations provided the backbone for his textural choices.

 

Text:

Christus factus est pro nobis

obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.

Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum

et dedit illi nomen,

quod est super omne nomen.

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*program note by the conductor