Bruckner composed the song on a text of Joseph Mendelssohn in November 1869, for the 25th anniversary of Linz Liedertafel Frohsinn.

[1][2][3] The work, of which the original manuscript is stored in the archive of Liedertafel Frohsinn,[1] was first issued by Doblinger in 1903.

The air go so softly, so high Like the sound of the bells of distant cathedrals; My heart is heavy in devotion, It rustles around me like Gods teaching, Like organ sound and festive song In the sweet enchantment of midnight.

The 84-bar long work in A-flat major is scored for TTBB choir, tenor soloist and piano.

In strophe 2, bars 49-58 (Mir ist das Herz so andachtschwer), the soloist is singing with accompaniment of the choir and unison lines of sixteenth notes of the piano.