Os Justi - Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)

Os Justi by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) is a piece from the Romantic Era that is a classic in the choral repertoire. Translated to “The mouth of the righteous”, Bruckner originally composed the piece as a dedication to a choirmaster at St. Florian Abbey in Austria. The piece reflects the contrapuntal efforts of Baroque composers, reflecting the rich harmonies of the Romantic era. It quickly divides into an 8-part SSAATTBB chorus, with the sopranos singing high G’s and A’s, making it potentially inaccessible for a younger choir. The tenor range, likewise, can make it quite difficult for younger groups. The piece sits in F Lydian, and considerations could be made to raise or lower it a half-step to F# or E in order to accommodate the ensemble’s passagio.

Os Justi is based on a Gregorian chant that would likely be used as a responsorial to the reading of the Psalms in the Catholic Mass. Considerations should be made when conducting to maintain the intense dynamic contrast associated with the Romantic period while also being aware of the intended weight’s affect on the singers’ voices, maintaining the idea of never singing louder than is beautiful. The piece is available through major publishers such as J.W. Pepper, but is also available in the public domain through IMSLP and CPDL.