Salvum fac populum tuum
Motet by Anton Bruckner
Te Deum stained glass window - St Mary's church, Ware
Key	F major
Catalogue	WAB 40
Text	Verses of the Te Deum
Language	Latin
Composed	November 14, 1884 (1884-11-14): Vienna
Published	1932 (1932): Regensburg
Vocal	SSATB choir

Salvum fac populum tuum ("O Lord, save thy people"), WAB 40, is a motet composed by Anton Bruckner in 1884.

History

The motet, based on a few verses of the Te Deum, was composed on 14 November 1884, presumably on request of Franz Xaver Witt for the Cecilian society. The manuscript is archived at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.^[1] The motet was first published in band IV/2, pp. 496–497 of the Göllerich/Auer biography.^[2] It is put in Band XXI/31 of the Gesamtausgabe.^[3]

Music

The 57-bar motet in F major for choir a cappella, is based on the verses "Salvum fac populum tuum" till "Quem ad modum speravimus in te." of the Te Deum.

This, for Bruckner a quite unique composition, which uses the same verses as part 4 of his Te Deum, alternates passages in unison, in Falsobordone and in polyphony.^[2]

Discography

There are a few recordings of Bruckner's Salvum fac populum tuum:

• Robert Jones, Choir of St. Bride's Church, Bruckner: Motets – CD: Naxos 8.550956, 1994
• Alois Koch, choir of the St. Hedwig's Cathedral, Anton Bruckner: Messe in e-Moll – CD: Ars Musici 1186-2, 1996 (with accompaniment of trombones)
• Balduin Sulzer, Mozart Chor Linz, Bruckner – CD: AtemMusik Records ATMU 97001, 1997
• Hans-Christoph Rademann, NDR Chor Hamburg, Anton Bruckner: Ave Maria – CD: Carus 83.151, 2000
• Philipp von Steinäcker, Vocalensemble Musica Saeculorum, Bruckner: Pange lingua - Motetten - CD: Fra Bernardo FB 1501271, 2015
• Sigvards Klava, Latvian Radio Choir, Bruckner: Latin Motets, 2019 – CD Ondine OD 1362
• Christian Erny, The Zurich Chamber Singers, Bruckner Spectrum - CD : Berlin Classics LC06203, 2022