Fritz Neuböck

On The Track

On the Track was commissioned in 2016 by the Tonspuren Mühlviertel festival of the Upper-Austrian Wind Music Association. Fritz Neuböck searched the music of Austrian composer Anton Bruckner, whose life was closely connected to the Mühlviertel region. He settled upon motives from the 'Drei kleine Stücke zu vier Händen' (Three Small Pieces for Four Hands), one of Bruckner's early works when he was a music teacher at Windhaag near Freidstadt. Neuböck also took themes from the 'Ave Maria' - one of Bruckner's later choir pieces. These themes are the connecting material of this composition.

At the beginning of the piece the first themes of the 'Ave Maria' shimmer through the majestic brass fanfare. In the minimalistic middle section these themes appear briefly and also later at the return of the allegro con spirito. The calm of the piece is found at the center, where Bruckner's deep religiousness is expressed. The finale begins with a typical Bruckner scherzo based on a theme from 'Drei kleine Stücke zu vier Händen' that transitions into the 'Ave Maria'. The scherzo theme overlaps with the 'Ave Maria' -- initially for the woodwinds only, and later as an ostinato for drums. Finally, the choir work bursts at full strength.