| Der deutsche Gesang | |
|---|---|
| Secular choral work by Anton Bruckner | |
 Heimkehr der Deutschen aus der Schlacht im Teutoburger Walde by Paul Thumann | |
| Key | D minor |
| Catalogue | WAB 63 |
| Form | Patriotic song |
| Text | Erich Fels |
| Language | German |
| Composed | 29 April 1892: Vienna |
| Dedication | Erstes deutsch-akademisches Sängerfest |
| Published | 1911: Vienna |
| Vocal | TTBB choir |
| Instrumental | Brass band |
Der deutsche Gesang ("The German song"), WAB 63, is a patriotic song composed by Anton Bruckner in 1892, one year before Helgoland.
Bruckner composed Der deutsche Gesang on 29 April 1892 for the Erstes deutsch-akademisches Sängerfest (First German-academic singers' festival), which would happen in Salzburg in June 1892. The performance on 5 June under the baton of Raoul Mader was a "Kracher" (a huge success).[1]
The original manuscript is stored in the archive of the Universitätssängerschaft 'Barden zu Wien' in Vienna.[2] The song was first published in 1911 by Viktor Keldorfer (Universal Edition).[1] The piece, also called Das deutsche Lied, was performed several times till the years 1930.[2] It is put in Band XXIII/2, No. 35 of the Gesamtausgabe.[3]
The song uses lyrics by Erich Fels, pseudonym of Aurelius Polzer:
Wie durch Bergtal dumpf grollt Donnergedröhn, |
As the thunder rumbles through mountain vallies, |
The 87-bar long work in D minor, which shows affinities with the patriotic Germanenzug (1863), Sängerbund (1882) and Helgoland (1893),[1] is scored for TTBB choir and brass instruments (4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and contrabass-tuba).
There are four recordings of Der deutsche Gesang:
