Inveni David , WAB 19

Inveni David (I have found David), WAB 19, is a sacred motet composed by Anton Bruckner in 1868.

Bruckner composed the motet on 21 April 1868 at the end of his stay in Linz. He wrote it for the 24th anniversary of the Liedertafel Frohsinn. The first performance occurred on 10 May 1868 as offertory of a mass of Antonio Lotti.

The manuscript is archived at the Linzer Singakademie (Frohsinn-archive). The motet was first published in band III/2, pp. 239–244 of the Göllerich/Auer biography. It is put in Band XXI/23 of the Gesamtausgabe.

The text is taken from Psalm 89 (Psalms 89:20-21).

Inveni David servum meum, oleo sancto meo unxi eum. Manus enim mea auxiliabitur ei et brachium meum confortabit eum. Alleluja.

I have found David, my servant; I have anointed him with my holy oil. For my hand shall aid him and my arm shall strengthen him. Alleluia.

The work is a setting of 46 bars in F minor for TTBB choir and 4 trombones.

The last 16 bars consist of an Alleluja, for which Bruckner drew his inspiration from the Hallelujah of Händel's Messiah, on which he often improvised on the organ.

The first recording occurred in 1959:

Other recordings: