Jan Dismas Zelenka: Missa Divi Xaverii (1729)

Despite the relative neglect of his works during his lifetime, the Czech Baroque composer Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) remains one of the most important figures of the era. Born in Louny, Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic), Zelenka spent most of his career in Dresden, first as a double bass player and later as a composer in the court orchestra of the Elector of Saxony.

Zelenka's extensive repertoire includes both sacred and secular music, with a particular emphasis on his well-known religious compositions. His musical style is characterized by its complexity, expressiveness, and innovative elements. His works feature intricate counterpoint, bold harmonies, and a distinctive orchestral palette. Zelenka was known for pushing the boundaries of conventional structures and harmonic progressions.

Despite Zelenka's significant contributions to the musical landscape, his works languished in obscurity after his death. It wasn't until the 20th century that a renaissance of appreciation for his compositions began. Today, Zelenka is celebrated for his distinctive and forward-looking approach to Baroque music, and his creations are embraced and performed by ensembles and orchestras around the world.
One of Zelenka's most notable compositions is the Missa Divi Xaverii, dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Jesuits, and composed in 1729. The circumstances of the work's intended occasion remain uncertain, but the extraordinary setting of the Ordinary (without the Credo) demonstrates Zelenka's mastery and originality. Due to the apparent haste with which it was composed, the autograph score is not only badly damaged, but also remarkably sketchy, with energetic and difficult-to-read pen strokes.

In this piece, Zelenka experimented boldly, especially with the scoring of unusually large orchestral forces. The brilliance of four trumpets, timpani, doubled woodwinds, and two horns, as well as the four vocal parts, often in dialogue with concertante flutes, oboes, and bassoon, demonstrate the composer's adventurous spirit. The "Quoniam tu solus" stands out as a true rarity, exuding musical splendor as the orchestra joins the solo quartet in the form of a brilliant concerto. The finale, "Dona nobis pacem," strikes a balance between jubilation and restraint, presenting sumptuous and glorious music.

Listen to: Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704 o.l.v. Václav Luks




Choral Masterworks

Joseph Haydn: The Creation (1798)

Joseph Haydn's magnum opus, the oratorio "The Creation," is a testament to the composer's artistic brilliance. Scored for choir, orchestra, and three to five soloists, this captivating composition emerged from the creative depths of Haydn's mind between October 1796 and April 1798, when he was 65 years old.

The oratorio masterfully interweaves the biblical narrative of Genesis, drawing inspiration not only from the sacred text but also from the Psalms and John Milton's Paradise Lost. Haydn's inspiration to compose this monumental work was sparked by the impact of Handel's oratorio "Israel in Egypt," which he heard during his travels to England between 1791 and 1794.

For Haydn, the composing of "The Creation" was an act of deep spiritual devotion. The compositional process unfolded in Mariahilf, a suburb of Vienna, where the Haydnhaus now stands. The dedication to perfection and the expectation that the work would endure led to an unprecedented investment of time and energy. Haydn's exhaustive efforts took a toll on his health, and he fell ill shortly after the premiere.

Living in an era that preceded Darwin's discoveries but followed Newton's, Haydn embraced the prevailing physicotheological perspective. In his eyes, the universe reflected divine order and wisdom, a sentiment reflected in the grandeur of the oratorio. Haydn's curiosity extended to astronomy, as evidenced by his visits to William Herschel's observatory at Slough during his sojourns in England.

The oratorio's libretto is based on Genesis, the Psalms, and Milton's Epic, translated into German by Baron van Swieten. Despite its German title, bilingual editions appeared as early as 1800, and performances were given in both English and German.

Haydn, attuned to the evolving musical landscape, aimed for a resounding sonic experience. Between the private premiere and the first public performance, additional instrumental parts were added, resulting in a groundbreaking ensemble of 120 instrumentalists and 60 singers.

The three archangels - Gabriel (soprano), Uriel (tenor) and Raphael (bass) - serve as narrators, detailing the first six days of creation. In Part III, the roles of Adam and Eve are intertwined with those of Raphael and Gabriel, a structural choice embraced by some conductors, although others prefer to use five soloists. The choristers sing a series of monumental choral works, each celebrating the completion of a day of creation.

"The Creation unfolds in three main sections, with monumental choral works celebrating each day of creation. The orchestra takes center stage at times, especially in atmospheric passages such as the appearance of the sun, the creation of various species of animals, and especially in the Overture, which depicts the chaos that precedes creation.

Part I begins with a well-known overture in C minor, symbolizing the chaos that precedes creation. Subsequent movements traverse the creation of light, the firmament, and the emergence of flora, each punctuated by dynamic recitatives and jubilant choral sections.

Part II explores the creation of sea and land animals, culminating in the emergence of man. A variety of arias and recitatives vividly paint the diverse tapestry of creation, from the soaring eagle to the majestic whale.

The final part, Part III, transports the narrative to the Garden of Eden and tells the story of Adam and Eve. The oratorio concludes with a glorious chorus in B-flat major, exalting the Lord's enduring praise.

Listen to: Nederlands Kamerkoor, Concerto D’Amsterdam & Klaas Stock

 



Choral Masterworks

Felix Mendelssohn: Die erste Walpurgisnacht (1833)

In 1830, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy found himself in Weimar with his patron, Goethe. On his subsequent journey south, he carried with him not only Goethe's "Italian Journey" but also the poet's ballad "The First Walpurgis Night". Goethe, the esteemed poet-prince, was convinced that this ballad demanded musical treatment in the form of a choral cantata. He had already encouraged his friend, the composer Carl Friedrich Zelter, to set it to music. Zelter never completed a setting, but decades later his star pupil would. In Italy, Mendelssohn began composing "Walpurgis Night." Unfortunately, the already ailing Goethe did not live to see the premiere.

As a composer, Mendelssohn was self-critical and often reworked his music. The knowledge of Goethe's failing health added a layer of complexity to the task at hand. His deep admiration and concern for the great poet did not ease Mendelssohn's efforts to set the ballad to music. By 1831, however, Mendelssohn was far from inexperienced. "The "First Walpurgis Night" featured the interplay of light and shadow reminiscent of the Scottish Symphony and resonated with the exuberance of life found in the Italian Symphony. The composition was distinguished by its vivid narrative, dramatic choral writing, and orchestral richness.

Even today, people in northern and eastern Europe continue the tradition of driving out witches and demons on the evening of April 30 with bonfires, gunshots, and the cracking of whips. Officially, these celebrations coincide with the eve of the feast of St. Walpurgis, an 8th-century missionary revered for her compassion during Charlemagne's wars to conquer and convert much of what is now Germany. The Church may have chosen to honor her on this day to replace an older, pagan festival celebrating the arrival of spring. The traditions of Walpurgis Night are rooted in the belief that this is the most unholy night of the year, when witches are said to gather on mountaintops to engage in blasphemous orgies and worship Satan.

Goethe's ballad provided the impetus for Mendelssohn to create a magnificent depiction of the conflict between an ancient pagan community and the burgeoning efforts of Christianization, exploring the dynamics of faith and superstition on both fronts. The text, seamlessly integrated into the composition, echoes a religious conflict that recalls the era when pagan customs were suppressed and persecuted after the establishment of Christianity in Germany.

The story revolves around a group of Druids who seek refuge on the Brocken, a mountain associated with witches' gatherings, to secretly practice their ancient rites during the traditional spring festival of Walpurgis. Despite prohibition and the threat of persecution, the pagan spring festival is defiantly celebrated on the heights of the Harz Mountains. Dressed as devils, the pagans try to scare away the priests and Christians. Mendelssohn enjoyed composing this haunting episode. The persecutors are thwarted by their own superstitions as the pagans, protected by ghostly apparitions, carry out their pagan sacrificial rituals.

Felix Mendelssohn, one of history's greatest musical prodigies, was born into a wealthy and distinguished German-Jewish family that converted to Lutheranism during his childhood. As a young boy, Mendelssohn had the opportunity to meet Goethe several times, making a lasting impression on the esteemed poet. In fact, Goethe went so far as to declare Mendelssohn more gifted than the young Mozart, having seen both prodigies perform live during his long life. Mendelssohn's brilliance came not only from his technical skill, but also from his originality. With his Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, he introduced a groundbreaking style of "fairy music" that revolutionized the representation of the supernatural in musical composition (you'll also find it in Walpurgisnacht).

After the terrible events of Nazism and the Holocaust, one might wonder if the persecuted heathens in Mendelssohn's "The First Walpurgis Night" represented the Jews facing rising anti-Semitism in the 19th century. Despite Mendelssohn's sincere Lutheran faith, he experienced anti-Semitism throughout his career. However, his contemporaries didn't interpret the piece as related to Judaism; they generally saw the heathens as proto-Protestant Germans. Mendelssohn's personal thoughts are unclear due to his limited writings on inner feelings and the ongoing scholarly debate about his relationship to Judaism. Nevertheless, as Goethe noted, "The First Walpurgis Night" is highly symbolic, echoing the plight of oppressed peoples throughout history. Beyond the playful imagery, Mendelssohn's provocative masterpiece encourages audiences to embrace tolerance and understand the perspectives of others.

"The First Walpurgis Night was not widely performed during Mendelssohn's lifetime, and he himself considered it one of his neglected works. In later years, however, it has gained recognition for its innovative use of orchestration and its contribution to the Romantic choral tradition.

German text

Listen to: hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra) ∙
Sonja Leutwyler, Alt ∙ Maximilian Schmitt, Tenor ∙ Adrian Eröd, Bariton ∙ Markus Volpert, Bass ∙ MDR Rundfunkchor ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Dirigent

Choral Masterworks

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Stabat Mater (ca. 1590)

Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) was one of the most influential figures in the history of Western classical music. Born in the town of Palestrina near Rome, he is commonly known simply as "Palestrina," renowned for his significant contributions to sacred music, particularly in choral polyphony.

Palestrina's compositions played a pivotal role during the Counter-Reformation, a period marked by efforts to clarify and enhance the liturgical music of the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation. His works are distinguished by their clear and transparent polyphony, emphasizing balanced and seamless voice leading. Palestrina's style became synonymous with the idealized sound of Renaissance polyphony, widely regarded as models of liturgical propriety.

The Stabat Mater by Palestrina appears to have been composed for Pope Gregory XIV, who held the papacy from 1590 until his death in 1591, making it likely that Palestrina created this piece during this period, which also coincides with the final years of his life.

Soon after its creation, the Stabat Mater became one of the most esteemed pieces in the repertoire of the Pope's private chapel. Traditionally sung in the Sistine Chapel during the Palm Sunday offertory in the seventeenth century, Richard Wagner later adapted Palestrina's Stabat Mater in 1848 to make it more accessible for larger choirs.

The Stabat Mater is a motet for unaccompanied double chorus, comprising 20 sections corresponding to the 20 verses of the text. Scored for double choir, both set for SATB choir, it features early instances of anticipation and numerous suspensions. The texture leans towards density and homophony rather than counterpoint.

The two choruses alternate throughout the piece, typically per line of verse. There are moments of full chorus where both choirs sing together, as well as sections with soloists within the two choirs.

The piece includes tempo changes: commencing as an Adagio ma non troppo, it slows to a Largo at the beginning of the 9th verse. Returning to the initial tempo at the onset of the 11th verse, albeit slightly animated, it slows to Piu Lento at the start of the 20th verse before concluding with a Largo for the final nine bars.

Listen to: Ensembles Gli Angeli Genève and Quatuor Sine Nomine led by Stephan MacLeod during the Utrecht Early Music Festival 2019.

Choral Masterworks

Graun: Der Tod Jesu, Passion oratorio (1755)

The German composer Carl Heinrich Graun (1704-1759) is considered the most important German composer of Italian opera of his time. Graun studied voice, organ, and composition at the Kreuzschule in Dresden. In 1724, he came to Brunswick as an opera singer and was soon appointed sub-bandmaster and composer. In Brunswick he met Frederick the Great, who was impressed by his work performed at the wedding of the Crown Prince and Elisabeth Christine in 1733. When he became king, Frederick the Great appointed him Kapellmeister of the newly built opera house in Berlin (now Unter den Linden) in 1740. Graun was also sent to Italy to recruit singers. He lived and worked in Berlin until his death. Graun wrote six operas for Brunswick and 26 operas for Berlin. His other works include concertos and trio sonatas. Among his religious works, his oratorio Der Tod Jesu was extremely popular in the 18th and part of the 19th century. He was known for his particularly good text-setting, probably due to his background as a singer.

The text of Der Tod Jesu is by Carl Wilhelm Ramler, written at the behest of Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia, the King's sister. This text was set almost simultaneously by Graun and Telemann. Telemann represents the North German, late-Baroque tradition with all its complexity and love of structure and color. Graun, influenced by Italian opera, chose the path of lyricism and spontaneous melodies, using the harmonic language that had emerged from classicism.

The text is considered a work of the era of sensitivity in the Age of Enlightenment. Ramler's text is not a complete retelling of the Passion of Christ and does not quote any biblical texts. The story of the Passion is interpreted in a commentary and emotional highlights and aspects of the Passion are presented, so that the work was considered a "sensitive lyric oratorio" by contemporaries.

Unlike Bach's passions, Graun's has no dialogue or individual characters in the action. He does not entrust the tenor soloist with the role of narrator or evangelist and the bass with the Vox Christi. The music is written in the Italian gallant style and contains only small contrapuntal approaches. The soloists take turns or sing together in a duet to freely recount an episode from the Passion in a recitative. This is followed by an aria, a poetic reflection on the event, and then the choir's response, crowned by a chorale that the entire congregation can sing during the service. Carl Heinrich Graun wrote the chorales in a simple four-part homophonic setting. Influenced by Italian opera, the composer gives the melody and the voice plenty of space. All arias are performed da capo, with stylistic borrowings from his opera arias. Graun's recitatives are highly expressive, culminating in the moving simplicity of the bass recitative no. 23 on the death of Jesus: "He is no more!". The final chorus, which begins powerfully, ends in mystical silence.

In the second half of the 18th century, Graun's Death of Jesus was performed annually in many German cities (e.g. every Good Friday in Berlin by the Berlin Sing-Akademie), as well as abroad. The work was not replaced until the 19th century by Johann Sebastian Bach's St. Matthew Passion, and disappeared from concert programs toward the end of the century. It was largely forgotten for about a hundred years. The work was rediscovered in the 21st century.

The  Passion oratorio consist of the following 25 movements:

1. Choral – Du, dessen Augen flossen
2. Chorus – Sein Odem ist schwach
3. Accompagnato-Rezitativ (Sopran) – Gethsemane! Gethsemane!
4. Arie (Sopran) – Du Held, auf den die Köcher
5. Choral – Wen hab’ ich sonst als dich allein
6. Rezitativ (Sopran) – Ach mein Immanuel!
7. Arie (Sopran) – Ein Gebet um neue Stärke
8. Rezitativ (Tenor) – Nun klingen Waffen
9. Arie (Tenor) – Ihr weichgeschaffnen Seelen
10. Chorus – Unsre Seele ist gebeuget
11. Choral – Ich will von meiner Missetat
12. Rezitativ (Bass) – Jerusalem, voll Mordlust
13. Arie (Bass) – So stehet ein Berg Gottes
14. Chorus – Christus hat uns ein Vorbild gelassen
15. Choral – Ich werde dir zu Ehren alles wagen
16. Rezitativ (Sopran) – Da steht der traurige, verhängnisvolle Pfahl
17. Duett (Soprane) – Feinde, die ihr mich betrübt
18. Rezitativ (Sopran) – Wer ist der Heilige, zum Muster uns verliehn
19. Arie (Sopran) – Singt dem göttlichen Propheten
20. Chorus – Freuet euch alle, ihr Frommen
21. Choral – Wie herrlich ist die neue Welt
22. Rezitativ (Bass) – Auf einmal fällt der aufgehaltne Schmerz
23. Accompagnato-Rezitativ (Bass) – Es steigen Seraphim
24. Choral (mit Bass solo) – Ihr Augen, weint!
25. Chorus – Hier liegen wir gerührte Sünder

A copy of the original German text.

Listen to: Karlsruher Barockorchester & Durlacher Kantorei, conducted by Johannes Blomenkamp.



[Includes a translated and edited version of the text from the German Wikipedia article on the subject]

Choral Masterworks

Bach Cantatas for Feasts on Fixed Days (59): St. John's Day (BWV 167, 7 & 30)

Three cantatas written for a special saint's day, a celebration in addition to normal Sunday worship.

St. John's Day can refer to two different church feasts and two different persons with the same name: those celebrating the birth of John the Baptist (late 1st century BCE - 28/36 CE) and those celebrating John the Evangelist (6 - c. 100 CE). The latter is dedicated to the author of the Gospel of John and is celebrated on December 27 in Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican churches. The former is dedicated to John the Baptist, a Jewish itinerant preacher who was considered a forerunner of Jesus, and is celebrated on Midsummer Day (June 24) in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches. It is this last feast that concerns us here.

[John the Baptist, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1551]

The Nativity of John the Baptist on June 24 comes three months after the celebration of the Annunciation on March 25, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive the Holy Spirit and that her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy. It also falls six months before the Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus. So these feasts are connected. The Nativity of John the Baptist is one of the oldest feasts of the Christian Church, first mentioned in 506 CE. The existence of the historical man “John the Baptist” is attested extra-biblically by the Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.

The sole biblical account of the birth of John the Baptist comes from the Gospel of Luke. John's parents, Zechariah, a Jewish priest, and Elizabeth, were without children and both were beyond the age of child-bearing. One time when Zechariah served in the Temple in Jerusalem, the archangel Gabriel appeared to him and announced that he and his wife would give birth to a child, and that they should name him "John." However, because Zechariah did not believe the message of Gabriel, he was rendered speechless until the time of John's birth. At that time, his relatives wanted to name the child after his father, but Zechariah wrote, "His name is John", whereupon he recovered his ability to speak. Following Zechariah's obedience to the command of God, he was given the gift of prophecy, and foretold the future ministry of Jesus. This prophecy forms the text of the Benedictus canticle. 

Within Christian theology, John the Baptist was understood to be preparing the way for Jesus. According to Lutheranism, baptism – in addition to communion and penance – belongs to the three sacraments introduced by Jesus and thus to the sacred rites practiced by Lutherans after the Reformation. For Bach, too, the covenant with God formed through baptism was the cornerstone of his identity as a Christian. The Nativity of St John the Baptist therefore constitutes one of the most important feasts of the church year

St Johns Day coincides with the pre-Christian festival of Midsummer Day, in ancient folklore one of the great "charmed" festivals of the year. All over Europe "Saint John's fires" are lighted on mountains and hilltops on the eve of his feast. The hill fires were believed to chase away witches and evil spirits; on the other hand, medicinal plants plucked at this time were thought to be more effective than usual.

The date of Midsummer Day finds symbolical expression in John's statement "He must increase, but I must decrease" - which is symbolized in the fact that the "sun begins to diminish at the summer solstice and eventually increases at the winter solstice."

St John's birth is often shown in art, especially from Florence, whose patron St John is. The scene in the fresco cycle of the life of John in the Tornabuoni Chapel in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence is probably the most famous, created by Domenico Ghirlandaio and his workshop between 1485 and 1490 (see photo above). In Florence, this feast was an occasion for dramatic representations of the Baptist's life and death and was marked by processions, banquets, and plays, culminating in a fireworks show that the entire city attended.

Readings:

Epistle: Isaah 40: 1-5 (the voice of the preacher in the desert)

Gospel: Luke 1: 57-80 (the birth of John the Baptist and the Benedictus of Zechariah)

Cantata Studies:
Bach Cantatas Website | Simon Crouch | Emmanuel Music | Julian Mincham | Wikipedia | Eduard van Hengel (in Dutch) | Bach Companion (Oxford U.P.) | Bach: The Learned Musician (Wolff) | Music in the Castle of Heaven (Gardiner)


Cantatas:

• Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe, BWV 167, 24 June 1723
  
  Aria (tenor): Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe
  Recitative (alto): Gelobet sei der Herr Gott Israel
  Duet aria (soprano, alto): Gottes Wort, das trüget nicht
  Recitative (bass): Des Weibes Samen kam
  Chorale: Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren
  
  "You People, Glorify God's Love"
  Text and translation
  
  Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir only in the closing chorale, clarino, oboe da caccia, oboe, two violins, viola, and basso continuo. The clarino only doubles the melody of the chorale.
  
  Bach composed Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe in his first year in Leipzig for St. John's Day, soon after he had taken up his position as Thomaskantor. He had delivered an ambitious cantata in 14 movements, Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75, in the first service as cantor on 30 May 1723. In comparison, his first cantata for a saint's feast day in five movements is small scale.
  
  The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the Book of Isaiah, "the voice of a preacher in the desert" (Isaiah 40:1–5), and from the Gospel of Luke, the birth of John the Baptist and the Benedictus of Zechariah. The unknown poet took some phrases from the Gospel, such as the beginning of movement 2, "Gelobet sei der Herr Gott Israel" (Praise be to the Lord God of Israel), as in the canticle. The poetry follows the thought that Jesus, born of a woman, is predicted to redeem sins, which are represented by the image of the serpent. The poetry concludes with the request to sing praises like Zechariah, fulfilled in the closing chorale, the fifth stanza of Johann Gramann's "Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren" (1549).
  
  Starts not with a chorus, but with a fine, flowing tenor aria. Possibly Bach looked at the canticle of Zechariah as an individual's song of praise. The aria is accompanied only by strings, partly violin solo, partly in a dense setting with all strings. The following recitative for alto, which refers to John and Jesus on the path to salvation, ends in an arioso to the final lines "to please with grace and love and to lead them to the kingdom of heaven in true repentance."
   
  The following duet, accompanied by an obbligato oboe da caccia, achieves a dense sound as the instrument and voice appear in the same pitch, often homophonically.
  
  The last recitative (by bass) also ends in an arioso when it comes to calling for praise. The bass sings the words “and sings a song of praise to him” to the melody of the following chorale. The final chorale, a general song of praise, is not a simple four-part movement, as is the rule in Bach's later church cantatas. Rather, Bach uses all instruments and all voices together for the first time, with the voices embedded in an orchestral concerto. The oboe reinforces the violin, the baroque trumpet only appears in this movement and reinforces the cantus firmus. The structure of the movement points ahead to the final movements in Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Ascension Oratorio.
  
  Video: Bach Collegium Zürich
  
  
  
• Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7, 24 June 1724
  
  Coro: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam
  Aria (Bass): Merkt und hört, ihr Menschenkinder
  Recitativo (Tenor): Dies hat Gott klar mit Worten
  Aria (Tenor): Des Vaters Stimme ließ sich hören
  Recitativo (Bass): Als Jesus dort nach seinen Leiden
  Aria (Alt): Menschen, glaubt doch dieser Gnade
  Choral: Das Aug allein das Wasser sieht
  
  "Christ Our Lord Came to the Jordan"
  Text and translation
  
  Scored for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir (SATB), two oboes d'amore, two solo violins (the second one only introduced in a later performance), two violins, viola and basso continuo.
  
  This chorale cantata is based on the seven stanzas of Martin Luther's hymn "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam", about baptism, which is treated based on biblical accounts, beginning from Christ's baptism by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. The first and last stanza of the chorale were used for the outer movements of the cantata, while an unknown librettist paraphrased the inner stanzas of the hymn into the text for the five other movements. The seven-movement cantata begins with a chorale fantasia and ends, after a sequence of alternating arias (by bass, tenor and alto) and recitatives, with a final chorale as a four-part setting.
  
  In the opening chorus, the tenor has the melody as a cantus firmus, while the other voices sing free counterpoint. This movement has been compared to an Italian violin concerto, in which the vocal parts function as solo passages. The rocking melody of the violin resembles the waves of the Jordan River.
  
  The first aria is accompanied only by the continuo. The characteristic five-note rapid motif, repeated in the cello, always flows downward, as if to represent the pouring of the baptismal waters.
  
  The following recitative is given to the tenor as an evangelist, narrating the biblical command to baptize. The beautiful central aria is also sung by the tenor, accompanied by two violins - like a trio (three is a symbol of the Holy Trinity). It has been said that the music "describes, through its pair of soaring violins, the circling flight of the Holy Spirit as a dove" (Gardiner).
  
  The next recitative is for the bass, as the Vox Christi, speaking of Jesus after his passion and resurrection. The beautiful final aria is sung by the alto, accompanied by two oboes d'amore, and begs people to accept God's grace and not perish in the pit of hell. The final chorale, "Das Aug allein das Wasser sieht" in which the instruments play colla parte, is a summary of Luther's teaching on baptism. The text is rather strange: the water for baptism is not water, it says, but is in fact "the red flood of Christ's blood," which heals all the damage inherited from Adam...
  
  Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German) / Johannsen
  
  
  
  
• Freue dich, erlöste Schar, BWV 30, (between 1738 and 1742)
  
  Teil I
  
      Coro: Freue dich, erlöste Schar
      Rezitativ (Bass): Wir haben Rast
      Arie (Bass): Gelobet sei Gott, gelobet sein Name
      Rezitativ (Alt): Der Herold kömmt und meldt den König an
      Arie (Alt): Kommt, ihr angefochtnen Sünder
      Choral: Eine Stimme lässt sich hören
  
  Teil II
  
      Recitative (bass): So bist du denn, mein Heil, bedacht
      Arie (Bass): Ich will nun hassen
      Rezitativ (Sopran): Und obwohl sonst der Unbestand
      Arie (Sopran): Eilt, ihr Stunden, kommt herbei
      Rezitativ (Tenor): Geduld, der angenehme Tag
      Coro: Freue dich, geheilgte Schar
  
  "Rejoice, redeemed flock"
  Text and translation
  
  Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), a four-part choir, two traversos, two oboes, oboe d'amore, concertato violin, accompanying strings (two violin parts and one viola part) and basso continuo.
  
  This very late cantata (c. 1738) is a reworking of the secular, laudatory cantata BWV 30a, a serenata to welcome a new landlord. It was a good idea by Bach to use this very fine music again and turn it into a cantata to welcome Christ's prophet (but without the trumpets and drums). The cantata is in twelve movements, divided in two parts, to be performed before and after the sermon. The over-all mood of the cantata is joyful and relaxed, with a dance-like character appearing in the arias.
  
  The opening chorus of Part I has a rondo design and syncopated rhythms. The brilliant bass aria is characterized by triplet figures and includes full string accompaniment in roulades. The alto aria is remarkable for its binary-form ritornello and almost swinging final cadence; structurally, the movement is a gavotte. Part I concludes with the cantata's only chorale (newly composed).
  
  Part II opens with the cantata's only recitativo accompagnato, for bass with oboes and continuo (also newly composed). This prepares a bass aria, which opens with a 'scotch snap' (or Lombard rhythm) that repeats throughout the movement.
  
  After a secco soprano recitative follows a soprano aria in operatic style with chromatic bass and gigue rhythms. The piece concludes with a repetition of the opening chorus on a different text.
  
  Video: J.S. Bach Foundation (St. Gallen) - Workshop (in German) - Contemplation (in German)
  
  
  
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Haydn: Missa in Angustiis (Lord Nelson Mass, 1798)

Joseph Haydn's Missa in angustiis (Mass for Troubled Times), commonly known as the Nelson Mass, is the third in a series of six late symphonic masses and was performed in Eisenstadt in September in celebration of the name day of Nicholas II's wife, Princess Maria Josepha Hermengilde Esterházy. Haydn's chief biographer, H. C. Robbins Landon, has written that this Mass is "arguably Haydn's greatest single composition."

Haydn's late sacred works are indeed considered masterpieces, influenced by the experience of his London symphonies. They emphasize soloists and chorus, while allowing the orchestra to play a prominent role. Due to the political and financial instability of this period in European history, Haydn's patron Nicholas II dismissed the wind octet shortly before Haydn was to write the Missa in angustiis for the princess's name day. Haydn was left with a "dark" orchestra of strings, trumpets, timpani, and organ. Occasionally, the organ - which Haydn himself played at the premiere - is given a brief solo passage, as if to compensate for the lack of woodwinds.  But from this limited orchestration, Haydn created the stark, memorable sound that makes this mass so distinctive and powerful. Later editors and arrangers added what they felt were missing woodwind parts, but the original scoring has again become the accepted choice for many modern performances.

It has been noted that in 1798, when Haydn wrote this Mass, his world was in turmoil. Napoleon had won four major battles with Austria in less than a year. The previous year, in early 1797, his armies had crossed the Alps and threatened Vienna itself. In May 1798, Napoleon invaded Egypt to destroy Britain's trade routes to the East. So the summer of 1798 was a difficult time for Austria, and when Haydn finished this Mass, its own title in the catalog of his works was Missa in angustiis (Mass for Troubled Times). What Haydn did not know when he wrote the Mass, but what he and his audience heard (perhaps on September 15, the day of the very first performance), was that on August 1, Napoleon had suffered a big defeat at the Battle of the Nile by British forces led by Admiral Horatio Nelson.

This coincidence led to the Mass gradually becoming known as the Lord Nelson Mass in the 19th century, when people wanted to associate specific events with the Mass. The use of trumpets in the Benediction is said to be symbolic of Nelson's victory. But news of the victory did not reach Austria until September, after Haydn had already completed the Mass. Thus, the Mass cannot be linked to Nelson's victory and the "tense" political situation that accompanied it; the attempt to provide a post hoc explanation for the title can be "consigned to the dustbin of musical anecdotes. Trumpets and kettledrums were regularly used in masses. In courtly life they announced the arrival of the temporal lord, the monarch or prince; in the Mass they are a symbolic welcome of the Messiah, who comes in the name of the spiritual Lord. The reference or connection to the war situation is also less obvious, given the festive occasion - the name day of the prince's wife - for which the Mass was written.

There is only a connection to Horatio Nelson in the performance. Two years after completing the Mass, Admiral Nelson visited Prince Esterházy in Eisenstadt, accompanied by the diplomat, volcanologist and archaeologist Sir William Hamilton and Lady Emma Hamilton, Sir William's wife (and Nelson's mistress). The company attended a performance of the Mass in their honor, and possibly the Te Deum in C. Anecdotes surround this visit. Nelson is said to have given Haydn his gold pocket watch in exchange for the pen with which Haydn wrote his works. Lady Hamilton, an accomplished soprano, had admired Haydn since his visit to England and now had the opportunity to be accompanied by him on the fortepiano. Haydn gave her the autograph of the work he had written especially for her, a tribute to Nelson, the cantata for soprano and keyboard "Lines from the Battle of the Nile".

Haydn's original title may also have come from his illness and exhaustion at this time, following his supervision of the first performances of The Creation, completed a few months earlier. By doctor's orders, he was confined to his rooms, but for Haydn, confinement meant that he had time to compose the mass he was to write for the name day of Princess Esterházy, the wife of his patron. Instead of the three months it normally took him to write a mass, he was able to stay at home and complete this work, one of his greatest compositions, in a little over a month. It is remarkable that a composer in his mid-60s, considered an advanced age at the time, could immediately follow a brilliant oratorio with a Mass of equally high inspiration.

The Kyrie of this Mass is in D minor, the only time Haydn sets the text in a minor key in an orchestral Mass. The strong, rhythmic D minor opening of the Kyrie establishes the tense tone of a work written "in angustiis," in a time of anxiety. The foreboding opening, with low trumpet fanfares, slashing strings, and timpani, recalls the "Dies Irae" of the Requiem of his younger contemporary Mozart. The unusual instrumentation for a mass immediately sets a somewhat ominous tone, followed by the choir and the dramatic part for the soprano.

Not surprisingly, the D major Gloria shows Haydn at his most cheerful, recalling the sunny world of The Creation, premiered a few months earlier. It is divided into three parts, two allegros that surround an adagio in B flat for the Qui tollis. In both allegros, Haydn uses the same motif with a prominent part for the soprano. The bass solo, Qui tollis peccata mundi, is a clear reference to the Tuba mirum in Mozart's Requiem and was obviously intended as a tribute to Haydn's admired colleague. After this slower section, the soprano soloist brings us back to the key of D for Quoniam tu solus, and the movement ends with a spirited fugue 'in gloria Dei Patris, Amen'.

At the beginning of the Credo, the chorus sings a strict canon in which two voices imitate each other at intervals of a fifth.  The rigidity of the canon (the word literally means "rule" or "law") seems particularly appropriate for this strong statement of faith.  Et incarnatus est" - about the mystery of the virgin birth - is in G major, richly harmonized, and shows the mastery that the composer had developed over the years in his string quartets. The exquisite Et incarnatus est is followed by an intense Crucifixus. As the text about Pontius Pilate is discussed, trumpets and timpani sound, as they do later in the Benedictus. The following Et resurrexit bursts with explosive energy, with a truly wonderful soprano solo in Et vitam venturi. Here, too, the choir "speaks" part of its long text, declaiming it on a single repeated note, although Haydn, who set his Mass texts from memory, seems to have inadvertently omitted the words "qui ex Patre Filioque procedit". The movement begins in B minor, then modulates and finally returns to the tonic as the soprano sings the "et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen', followed by the choir.

The opening words of the Sanctus are accompanied by a strongly emphasized messa di voce with trumpets, timpani, and organ. In the "Pleni sunt coeli" the tempo changes to an allegro. The Sanctus is followed by the remarkable Benedictus, a movement of extraordinary emotional and dramatic intensity. It was customary for these words to be set to contemplative, pastoral music, but in this Mass Haydn returns to the dark D minor tones of the Kyrie, with trumpets and timpani again playing a prominent role. A series of exchanges between soloists and chorus culminate in an almost Beethovenian climax. At the end, the trumpets and timpani repeat a powerful military rhythm as the chorus intones its text on a single note, an effect that evokes thoughts of the Last Judgment.  

The Agnus Dei in G major, sung by soloists only, is followed by an extended Dona nobis pacem, which, in contrast to the usual supplication, is almost operatic in style, typical of Haydn at his most exuberant.

Despite the foreboding of the Kyrie and Benedictus, the prevailing mood of the Nelson Mass is one of jubilation, in a joyous and brilliant D major. Haydn once remarked, "At the thought of God, my heart leaps for joy, and I cannot help my music doing the same". The sparkling vitality of the Nelson Mass is the epitome of this statement.

Listen to: VocalArt Brixen
Capella Claudiana
Marian Polin, direction
Helene Grabitzky, soprano
Laura Kießkalt, alto
Benedikt Heggemann, tenor
Michael Feichter, bass
in the Cathedral of Brixen

Choral Masterworks

Haydn: Stabat Mater (1767)

Joseph Haydn's large-scale Stabat Mater occupies a special place in his career as the first of his vocal works to achieve international acclaim, preceding the composer's later famous masses and oratorios. The work contains some of the composer's most profound and emotionally rich writing. He wrote the Stabat Mater without a specific commission, which was a departure from his usual obligatory compositions. But in the chapel at the Esterházy Palace, Haydn's predecessor, Werner, had established a tradition of performing grave music on Good Friday, and Haydn may have written his Stabat Mater in an effort to continue the custom.

Haydn's Stabat Mater was strongly influenced by the Neapolitan style, which had been dominant in Catholic sacred music since the early 18th century and could be heard in versions of the Stabat Mater by Scarlatti and Pergolesi. But the latter's bittersweet and popular setting was also criticized for its perceived lack of seriousness, and Haydn aimed for a more solemn tone. Of note is Haydn's use of minor keys in nearly half of the 13 movements, a departure from the norm in post-Baroque music.

Then, in the midst of his Sturm und Drang period, Haydn uses dramatic and daring harmonies and extreme chromaticism to heighten the drama and depiction of pain and anguish. Haydn also uses a large-scale tonal scheme to reflect this: after beginning in G minor, he deliberately moves through a series of keys, often linked by a descending third (the same melodic gesture used throughout the piece to represent tears and weeping), eventually arriving at the key of G major to evoke the final "Paradisi gloria.

Word-painting, or the use of musical gestures to illustrate individual words, also abounds in the piece. An example of this can be heard near the end of the opening "Stabat Mater," in which a gentle rhythmic pulse sends subtle ripples through the veneer of muted choral homophony, as if Mary's soul were being pierced by a sword.


The heart of the composition lies in the supplication movements, numbers 8 through 10. These begin with a soprano and tenor duet, "Sancta Mater, istud agas" (Holy Mother, do this for me), followed by a deeply felt alto solo, "Fac me vere tecum flere" (Make me truly weep for you), and culminate in a solo quartet and chorus, "Virgo virginum praeclara" (O Virgin, peerless among virgins). The exquisite madrigal writing for the four solo voices, juxtaposed with the chorus, creates an exceptionally graceful invocation.

Haydn's Stabat Mater was first performed in Eisenstadt on Good Friday, 1767. At the request of Hasse, to whom Haydn had tentatively sent the score, the piece was performed in Vienna the following year to great acclaim. Subsequently, the Stabat Mater became one of the composer's most popular sacred compositions, played in churches and chapels throughout Austria, southern Germany, and Bohemia. It was also a staple of the "concerts spirituels" in revolutionary Paris.

Davide Lorenzato conducts Vocalensemble AllaBreve & Tiroler Kammerorchester




Choral Masterworks

Georg Philipp Telemann: Das seelige Erwägen (1722)

Telemann's Passion Oratorio, with the full title "Das seelige Erwägen des bitteren Leidens und Sterbens Jesu Christi, Ein Passionsoratorium in neun Betrachtungen" (Passion Oratorio: Blessed Contemplation of the Bitter Suffering and Dying of Jesus Christ), may seem imposing when only looking at its title, but it's in fact a delightful work that was once one of Telemann's most popular compositions. It held a special place in its time, being perhaps the most frequently performed work of its kind in Lutheran Germany during the 18th century. First performed in Hamburg in 1728, and possibly admired by Bach himself, who may have performed it in Leipzig between 1732-1735, this Good Friday piece carries historical significance.

While Bach composed only a few Passions, Telemann, known for his prolific output, created some sixty settings, about two dozen of which survive today. His dedication to producing one Passion a year during his 46-year tenure as Kantor in Hamburg underscores his prolificacy. Telemann's creative reservoir extended far beyond passions to include operas, orchestral ouvertures-suites, and concertos, demonstrating his versatility. His music, like Vivaldi's, maintained a consistently high quality, reflecting creativity on an industrial scale, yet always tailored to the tastes of his audience.

Telemann's approach to the Passion is distinctive. As a composer, he not only provided the music, but also wrote the words. Coming from a family of pastors, he was well-positioned to reflect on the gospel story. Unlike some composers who added drama to their Passions, Telemann, drawing on his vast operatic experience, kept his nine meditations expressive yet free of theatricality. The composition is a mixture of arias, recitatives, and simple chorales for congregational participation. The arias are surprisingly lively - in contrast to Bach's solemnity, Telemann's work is characterized by a lyrical and sometimes upbeat tone until the final meditations.

Telemann's masterful orchestration is a highlight of the two-hour performance. From the chalumeaux in the opening Sinfonia to pairs of flutes, oboes, bassoons and horns, each instrument contributes to the expressive narrative. The horns, in particular, add weight to the more dramatic sections toward the end of the work. In sum, Telemann's Passion Oratorio is a testament to his musical genius, blending imagination and orchestral brilliance to create a compelling and accessible exploration of the Passion story.

Listen to: Collegium Vocale Salzburg
L'Orfeo Barockorchester
Michi Gaigg, Dirigentin
Maria Ladurner, Sopran
Virgil Hartinger, Tenor
Markus Volpert, Bariton
Stefan Zenkl, Bariton





Choral Masterworks

George Frideric Handel: Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (1739)

For nearly two decades, beginning in 1683, London musicians celebrated the feast day of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, on November 22 with special festivities. After a church service, they enjoyed a banquet and the performance of a new ode to St. Cecilia, celebrating the power of music. Notable participants included Henry Purcell and John Dryden, who contributed poems set to music.

St. Cecilia first appears in literature in a medieval collection of stories about early Christian martyrs who met gruesome deaths; at this stage there is little in her story to suggest a connection with music, but by the mid-fifteenth century she was credited with the invention of the organ and thus adopted as the patron saint of music.

In the early 18th century, Handel, who was moving from Italian opera to English works, was drawn to Dryden's odes. In 1736 he composed "Alexander's Feast, or the Power of Music" for St. Cecilia's Day. In 1739, planning a concert series on November 22, he needed more material. Here therefore quickly composed "Ode for St. Cecilia's Day," which formed the final part of the concert.

Handel completed the Ode in just nine days in September 1739. Despite the short time between composition and premiere, its popularity led to nine revivals during Handel's lifetime. The Ode's arias were published and gained recognition throughout Europe. The main theme of the text is the Pythagorean theory of harmonia mundi, that music was a central force in the creation of the earth.

This so-called "little" St. Cecilia Ode is a musically joyful celebration of the power of music: two festive choruses frame five charming arias, each of which uses a solo instrument for contrasting effect. Handel allows the soloists a great deal of freedom to improvise and display their skills. This is especially true for the organ, which was his favorite instrument.

Inspired by Dryden's poem, Handel depicted various musical effects. The ode begins by depicting chaos transformed into order by the power of music. Handel's word painting is evident in the first chorus, which emphasizes harmony and heavenly tones. The music illustrates the power and character of various instruments, culminating in a grand chorus that imagines the trumpet at the Last Judgment, where "music shall unhitch the heavens." The Ode interweaves classical and Christian imagery, connecting figures such as Jubal, Orpheus, and St. Cecilia in a rich tapestry about the universal influence of music.

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Listen to Groot Omroepkoor & Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, Marcus Creed, conductor & Rowan Pierce, soprano, Guy Cutting, tenor




Choral Masterworks

Haydn (Michael): Requiem in C Minor (1771)

Johann Michael Haydn (1737–1806) was the younger brother of Joseph Haydn. In 1760 Michael was appointed Kapellmeister at Großwardein (today Oradea) and later, in 1762, concertmaster at Salzburg, where he remained for 44 years, during which he wrote over 360 compositions comprising both church and instrumental music. From their mutual sojourn in Salzburg, Haydn was acquainted with Mozart, who held his work in high esteem. Michael remained close to his brother Joseph all of his life; Joseph regarded his brother's music highly.

Michael Haydn composed this Requiem for the death of the Archbishop of Salzburg on December 16, 1771. Siegmund III Christoph Graf von Schrattenbach was Prince Archbishop of Salzburg from 1753 to 1771. The archbishop - a connoisseur of the arts and a liberal patron of music - had always shown great respect for his concertmaster Michael Haydn as an artist. Coincidentally, the composer was still mourning the death of his only child, Aloysia Antonia, who had died a few months before her first birthday. This compounded loss seems to have inspired Michael Haydn to produce some of his most profound and sublime music. Haydn seems to have composed his Requiem at a furious pace. Nothing else adequately explains the depth and passionate intensity that illuminate this work. The C minor Requiem, the first product of Haydn's full maturity as a composer, deserves a place as one of the finest Requiem settings of the eighteenth century for both liturgical and expressive reasons. Three years after Michael Haydn's own death, this Requiem was performed at the funeral of his famous brother, Joseph Haydn.

18th century Salzburg was, as it had been for centuries, an archiepiscopal establishment, ruled by the archbishops of Salzburg, Princes of the Holy Roman Empire since the 13th century. From medieval times, music had always played a key part in life in the city, and by the 17th century, when Muffat and Biber held the chief musical positions, a total of seventy-nine musicians were at their disposal for music-making at
court and at the Catholic cathedral.

Michael Haydn worked most of his life in Salzburg, alongside Leopold Mozart and, for a time, his son Wolfgang.  He was hired as a composer and concertmaster at the Salzburg court in 1762, when the younger Mozart was only 6 years old, and remained in that position until his death some 43 years later, working first for Prince Archbishop Siegmund Count Schrattenbach and later for his successor, Prince Archbishop Colloredo, the last Salzburg prince archbishop before the secularization of 1803. While Michael Haydn remained in Salzburg during Colloredo's reign, Mozart left soon after.

The work is in the dark key of C minor, and its use of four trumpets and three trombones - the only winds in the piece - gives it a deeply somber and ceremonial color.  Scholars have often pointed out similarities between this work and Mozart's Requiem, written some 20 years later.  Such parallels are probably no coincidence, for Mozart would almost certainly have heard Haydn's work in Salzburg, and Michael Haydn's influence on the young Mozart has long been recognized.

Although he also wrote symphonies, concertos, and chamber music, it was in the genre of religious music that Michael Haydn was especially admired by Mozart, his father, and many others of his time, and that he was praised long after his death by a composer as eminent as Schubert. According to one of his contemporaries, "All connoisseurs of music know, and have known for some time, that as a composer of sacred music Michael Haydn ranks among the best of all ages and nations... In this field he is his brother's equal; indeed, in the seriousness of his conception he often surpasses him by far".


Listen to: Ensemble VocalArt / Amardia Ensemble / Marian Polin, Leitung 

Choral Masterworks

Gounod: Messe solennelle de sainte Cécile (1855)

Charles Gounod (1818-1893) was a prominent French composer, best known during his lifetime for his operas. However, his Solemn Mass in Honor of Saint Cecilia stands out as a notable departure from his operatic works. Composed for soprano, tenor, bass, mixed chorus and full orchestra, it was first performed in 1855 at the church of Saint-Eustache in Paris to celebrate the feast of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians.

The backstory of Saint Cecilia, a Christian persecuted in Rome in 177, adds a somber note to the mass. In a quirk of fate, she became the patron saint of music due to a misinterpretation of a Latin inscription that seemed to link her to the organ. This association continued: when the Academy of Music was opened in Rome in 1584, Cecilia was made its patron saint, with a painting of her playing the organ. After that, Cecilia continued to be associated with music.

Gounod's Mass consists of eight movements, the five parts of the Mass being supplemented by three additional movements that slightly extend the order of the Mass. The soloists perform mostly as an ensemble, without arias. The composer used a large orchestra, including six harps, and introduced innovative elements such as pistons (cornets) in the Gloria and Sanctus, and the newly developed octobass (a string instrument of the violone family) in the Benedictus and Agnus Dei.

As befits Cecilia's martyrdom, the Kyrie sets a somber tone, evolving from a plaintive 7-note motif that grows out of silence into a sweet plea with a lolling arpeggiated accompaniment, gradually adding more instruments and finally the choir. The next two movements, the Gloria and Credo, are the cornerstones of the Mass and are among the most breathtaking pieces of religious music ever written. The middle section (Et incarnatus and Et resurexit) is a remarkable moment when the choral parts are split into additional layers, with passages suggesting mysterious wonder. The Offertory offers a lush orchestral interlude. The Benedictus continues with a beautiful hymn, simple and direct, and the Agnus Dei then closes the Mass with simplicity, tenderness, and lightness.

Gounod's St. Cecilia Mass is distinguished by its lyrical beauty and is one of the great achievements of Western music. Camille Saint-Saens noted its impact, describing its simplicity, grandeur, and serene light as a musical dawn that both dazzled and enchanted. Even in the distant future, he wrote, the Mass is expected to outlive Gounod's operatic works.

Note: The Sanctus was used in Werner Herzog's film Nosferatu (1979).

Listen to: Concierto estraordinario en conmemoración del XXX Aniversario de la Escola Coral de Quart de Poblet - Valencia. Director: Jordi Blanch.

Choral Masterworks