The Creation (Haydn)

Creation is (XXI Hob: 2) an oratorio by Joseph Haydn. The work was written from 1796 to 1798 and focuses on the creation of the world as described in Genesis (1st book of Genesis ) of the Bible is told.

Composition and premiere

Haydn was 1791-92 and 1794-95 stimulated by his England - Visit to the composition of a great oratorio, when he heard oratorios of George Frideric Handel in a large ensemble. It is likely that he wanted to try to achieve through the use of the musical language of the mature classical Wiener similar weighty results.

The work on the oratorio lasted from October 1796 until April 1798. Haydn found his topic to be inspirational, and from his own testimony the composition for him a profoundly religious experience. He worked on the project until exhaustion, and in fact he became ill after the first performance for a long time. The cost, including a lush Gage for the composer, was born of an aristocratic association whose artistic director Gottfried van Swieten was.

The creation was first performed on 29 and 30 April 1798, under the leadership of 66 -year-old Haydn in the now-defunct town of Schwarzenberg Palace on the Neuer Markt. These previews were held in front of a closed society, but had caused them such an interest that - as Pieter Andriessen found - 30 policemen, including 18 on horseback, were seconded in order to keep the way to the Palais Schwarzenberg. The traders on the New Market are even reduced their stalls, what everyone should have been compensated by them of Black Mountain with 10 guilders and 20 cruisers. These performances made ​​it possible Haydn to make corrections in preparation for the first public performance. It took place at the old Burgtheater on March 19, 1799. This performance of about eindreiviertelstündigen work was also very successful. The evening was described in the memoirs of a Swedish musician as follows: " Between the sections every time stormy applause broke out. While the sections there was dead silence. At the end of the show shouted some: ' We want to Papa Haydn! ' Finally, the old man came to the stage and was greeted loudly: ' Long live Papa Haydn! Long live the music! ' All Imperial Majesties were present and shouting along with the crowd: ' Bravo! ' " The work was still during Haydn's lifetime often performed again in Vienna.

It was followed by a back-translation of the text into English. The British premiere was held in London's Covent Garden in 1800. Subsequently authorized Haydn additional translations, and the work was performed throughout Europe. Since creation is part of the classical repertoire with many performances and recordings worldwide to date.

Text

The text of the creation has a long history. The three sources are the Book of Genesis, the book of Psalms, and John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost Genesis. The material was processed by an otherwise unknown Lidley (or Linley ) to an oratorio libretto, is said to have originally intended it for Handel. Handel at least it never put into music. Haydn's host in England, Johann Peter Salomon, came into possession of a copy of Lidley libretto and gave it to Haydn on. When Haydn returned to Vienna, he handed it to his friend and patron Baron Gottfried van Swieten, who led a German translation, and one of Haydn 's music adapted English retranslation. The work was published in 1800 in two languages ​​, and is still listed in both languages.

Van Swieten was obviously of English not completely powerful, and the English version of the libretto has given rise to criticism, and various attempts of improvement. In fact, the reverse translation is so insufficient that the oratory is sometimes also given in English-speaking countries in German.

Music

The Creation was composed for three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor and bass), choir of four voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass ) and a large late classical orchestra consisting of three flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, a contrabassoon, two french horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and the usual string section with first and second violin, viola, cello, double bass.

A harpsichord takes over the chordal version of the basso continuo. This accompanied, unlike in the post-Romantic performance tradition, all pieces: not only the recitatives, but also arias and choruses. A hammer piano is often used in today's performances instead of a harpsichord. However, this should hardly correspond to the Vienna conventions at the turn of the 18th to 19th century. In large ensemble performances such as operas, oratorios and symphonies, the harpsichord held there long as tonstärkeres and obertonreicheres instrument. Even Mozart conducted the Magic Flute at the harpsichord playing.

There is little doubt that Haydn, by the standards of his time, wanted a large volume of sound. Between the first private performances and the premiere of Haydn added more instrumental parts in the work. At the premiere 120 instrumentalists and 60 singers were used.

The three soloists represent Archangel, telling the six days of creation and comment: Gabriel (soprano), Uriel ( tenor) and Raphael ( bass). In the third part of the role of Adam is usually, following Haydn's practice, sung by the soloist, who also sings the Raphael, the same goes for Eva and Gabriel. Some conductors prefer, however, to occupy the five reels with five soloists.

While there is also a passage in the creation of an alto soloist, but they are confined to four in the final Amen chorus.

The choir is used in a series of monumental choral passages, some of which celebrate the end of a day of creation. The orchestra plays often without accompanying singing, especially in tone painting episodes: the rising of the sun, the creation of various animals and in the overture, the description of the chaos before creation.

Form

The creation consists of three parts. As in other oratorios, the major arias and choruses go here often preceded short recitatives. Here are the recitative, the words of Genesis again, while the following music takes up the biblical narrative in verse.

Soloists:

• Gabriel (soprano )
• Uriel (tenor )
• Raphael ( bass)

• Eva (Soprano)
• Adam ( bass)

For the components of the plane there are two slightly differing numbering.

Part I

Part I celebrates the creation of light, the earth, the heavenly bodies, the water, the weather and the crops.

Part II

Part II celebrates the creation of the fish, birds, cattle, and finally of man.

But all was not yet accomplished The whole lacked the creature Seh'n The works of God grateful The Lord's will goodness praise.

The pattern of the last three components of Part II, flanking with two choral movements on the same theme, a slower, meditative movement, are countless versions of the Latin Mass resist, where similar or identical choirs to " Hosanna in excelsis " a meditative part to " Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini "frame.

Part III

Part III takes place in the Garden of Eden and told the lucky first few hours of Adam and Eve.

Quotes

" The pleasure of experiencing Haydn and van Swieten 's The Creation lies less in the inevitable trajectory of the plot - we all know the story, and it contains no real sense of conflict - than in the wide-eyed wonder with Which the composer visits its familiar contours. A childlike quality pervades the work, as if Haydn were Relating the narrative to young listeners who had never heard it before. "

" The joy of the experience of Creation by Haydn and van Swieten is less inevitable in the course of the action - we all know it, and in it no actual conflict substance is present - as in how the composer worked with wondering eyes the familiar. A childlike quality permeates the work, as if Haydn would tell the story of young listeners who have never heard. "

" The ' creation ' and the ' seasons ' paint the universe as Haydn knew it. The obligation imposed by the pastoral style simplicity was the precondition that objects of such grandeur could be handled at all. Without the fiction of naivety in the deepest sense, as the spontaneous and unaffektierten reaction of the child's eye on the world, these works could not exist. "