Bruckner composed this first setting of "evening song" Der Abendhimmel in January 1862. He used for the composition a text of Joseph Christian von Zedlitz, which he will also use for a second setting of the song in 1866. Bruckner dedicated the song to the men's quartet Anton Munsch (1st tenor), Anton Stiefler (2nd tenor), Eduard Benoni (1st bass) and Mathias Weissmann (2nd bass).

Original Name Der Abendhimmel
Librettist Joseph Christian von Zedlitz
Date of composition 1862 in Linz, Austria
Premiered 1900, July 4th
Type Song(s)
Tonality A-flat Major
Catalogue WAB 55
Spoken language German
Instruments 2x Voice (Tenor)
2x Voice (Bass)
Autotranslations beta Anton Bruckner: "The evening sky" en la bémol majeur, WAB 55
Anton Bruckner: "The evening sky" in la bemolle maggiore, WAB 55
Anton Bruckner: "The evening sky" As-dur, WAB 55