O Du liebes Jesu-Kind
Motet by Anton Bruckner
Massacre des innocents by Nicolas Poussin
Key	F major
Catalogue	WAB 145
Occasion	Holy Innocents' Day
Language	German
Composed	c. 1845 (c. 1845): St. Florian
Published	1932 (1932): Regensburg
Vocal	Soloist
Instrumental	Organ

O Du liebes Jesu-Kind (O, You dear Child Jesus), WAB 145, is the first of two motets of Anton Bruckner's St. Florian period, which is of uncertain authorship. If Bruckner was the composer, he composed it presumably in 1845–46.^[1]

History

If Bruckner composed the motet attributed to him, he wrote it presumably in 1845–46 during his stay in St. Florian Abbey. The work was intended for the celebration of Holy Innocents' Day, remembering the Massacre of the Innocents.

The motet was first published in band II/2, p. 13 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. The last two bars, which are on the back of the manuscript together with a transcription of a Christmas carol, were missing in this first publication.^[1] The work appears in Band XXI/10 of the Gesamtausgabe.^[2]

Text

Music

The work of 16-bar in F major is scored for soloist and organ.

Discography

• Wilfried Jochens (tenor), Werner Kaufmann (organ), Music of the St. Florian Period (Jürgen Jürgens) - LP: Jerusalem Records ATD 8503, 1984; transferred to CD BSVD-0109, 2011
• Sigrid Hagmüller (alto), Rupert Gottfried Frieberger (organ), Anton Bruckner – Oberösterreichische Kirchenmusik - CD: Fabian Records CD 5112, 1995
• Ludmila Kuznetzova (mezzosoprano), Ludmila Golub (organ), Bruckner: Masses and Songs (Valeri Poliansky) - CD: Chandos CHAN 9863, 1998
• Barbara Schreiner (alto), Rupert Gottfried Frieberger (organ), Anton Bruckner Kirchenmusikalische Werke - CD: Fabian Records CD 5115, c. 2008
• Robert Holzer (Bass), Philipp Sonntag (organ), Anton Bruckner - Lieder|Magnificat - CD: Brucknerhaus LIVA 046, 2011